6 political takeaways from Biden's decision to step aside

Maybe it was the Lord Almighty, after all.

Or just Nancy Pelosi.

Whatever the case may be, President Biden on Sunday made the historic announcement that he’s no longer running for reelection. And he endorsed his vice president, Kamala Harris, instead.

Here are six takeaways about what to make of it all:

1. Biden did this because of the polls that led to Democratic and donor pressure

Nothing like this has happened since Lyndon B. Johnson decided against running for reelection in 1968. Even then, LBJ made the announcement in March, not July. Like Biden, LBJ did so because the writing was on the wall. He had health concerns, and he was unpopular because of the Vietnam War.

All politicians want to be the top dog, but the numbers can move things — whether it’s polls or money. And both combined to exert a huge amount of pressure on Biden to reconsider. Money had started to dry up, and he was slipping in swing states after his disastrous June 27 debate.

Biden indicated in an ABC interview that only the “Lord Almighty," polls showing his party losing or maybe some combination of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, current House Democratic Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Rep. Jim Clyburn of South Carolina could get him to step aside.

Pelosi, one of the most savvy political operators in the Democratic Party, appeared to lead the charge. She pays very close attention to the polls and she listens to the swing-state Democrats who had seen a cratering in the numbers in their states and districts. Eventually, Biden got past denial to acceptance.

2. Democrats now have a much-needed pep in their step —and dollars in the bank

This has been among the worst three-and-a-half weeks of any