joe biden drops out. the president making the stunning decision to end his bid for reelection, putting his support behind the vice president to lead the nation now and take on donald trump in november. we have team coverage of this historic announcement. the former president already reacting to biden's announcement

as he and his team ramp up attacks on kamala harris in anticipation she will officially earn the democratic nomination next month. the secretary of homeland orders a view into the attempted assassination of donald trump as the head of secret service is set to testify before congress the morning. major league baseball inducted hall of fame members. now forever enshrined in co cooperstown. and our own jose diaz-balart sits down with legendary musician carlos santana. it is monday, july 22nd. "early today" starts right now. and good morning to you. i'm richard lure lui. we're going to start with a seismic moment in american politics. president biden deciding to exit the race with just over one hundred days to the election. he officially endorsed his running mate, karnls for

president. and democrats are already rallying around her candidacy. but there are plenty of questions about what comes next. brie, good morning to you. what a sunday. >> wow, that's rights. good morning, richard. so a party's presumptive nominee has never dropped out of a race so close to the election. president biden's decision casts a five decades-long political career and comes after a growing chorus of democrats called on him to step aside following a disastrous debate with former president trump. the president writing i believe it is in the best interests of my party and the country for me to stand down and focus solely on fulfilling my duties as president for the remainder of my term. the move raised by his party. >> he has always put our country fist. he has an incredible legacy of leadership. >> this is putting the country ahead of any personal ambitions

or bias. so thank you, president biden, for your life of service. >> he made a very selfless and patriotic decision. it's not often that you see someone put their own ambition and career aside for what he genuinely believes in the best interests of the party and the best interests of the country. >> president biden was quick to endorse his own vice president, kamala harris with other top democrats quickly coalescing around her candidacy. that includes several who were speculated to be in the mix for the top of the ticket, including california governor gavin newsom, pennsylvania's josh shapiro, and transportation secretary pete buttigieg. the party vowing to unite around the candidate ahead of the convention. >> we'll put on full display our agenda for the american people and do what is necessary in order to leave the convention unified, get the job done. >> the decision will need to come fast with the democratic

national convention just one month away. as of right now, the delegates are essentially free agents with a virtual roll call scheduled for august 7th. now, if democrats agree to a candidate by then, they'll avoid any headaches with state level certification headlines. the dnc committee has called a wednesday meeting to talk about the process for picking a new presidential nominee. richard? >> thank you so much for this on the monday. shortly after the announcement, dos of house democrats followed his lead. will she get the party's fullbacking? hallie jackson has that. >> reporter: the spotlights turning to vice president kamala harris, one of president biden's most vocal backers since that debate widely panned as disastrous. >> it was a slow start. no question about that. but i thought it was a strong finish. we are looking at a president in joe biden has done historic work. >> reporter: now the president's endorsement of harris puts her in the pole position to take the top of the ticket.

harris, in a statement saying in part i am honored to have any president's endorsement and my haim a&m is to win this nomination. well together we will win. in recent day, some of the president's key allies signaled if he were to step aside, it is harris who should get democrats' support. >> this body should not in any way do anything to work around ms. harris. >> reporter: congressman jim clyburn publicly backing harris, other democrats following suit. the exception, the parties a top leaders in the house and senate, stopping short of an endorsement, but blazing the president for his service. whether it's harris at the top of the ticket or not, other democrats have been speculated to be in the mix, perhaps as a running mate, including california governor gavin newsom. >> president biden doesn't return, why shouldn't we consider you? >> i think the vice president naturally has one lined up. >> reporter: josh shapiro,

gretchen whitmer, andy beshear. harris, a former prosecutor who rose to become california's attorney general was elected to the senate in 2016 and ran for the white house three years later. >> i love my country. and i feel a sense of responsibility to stand up and fight for the best of who we are. >> reporter: after being selected as president biden's running mate, she was tapped by the white house to lead the administration's response on critical issues like the root causes of the immigration crisis, coming under fire for some republicans for the white house's handling of the border and pressed by lester on the topic in 2021. >> we've been to the border. we've been to the border. >> you haven't been to the border. >> and i haven't been to europe. i don't understand the point that you're making. i'm not discounting the importance of the board. >> reporter: harris has taken on a vocal rule advocating for abortion access, slamming the galena park for its position on reproductive rights. >> how dare they tell a woman what she can do and not do with

her own body. how dare they. >> now a pivotal political moment for harris and the nation. >> our thanks to hallie jackson for that report. and while harris earning the democratic nomination not a done deal certainly, several members of donald trump's political team tell nbc news they have been preparing for the possibility for weeks. trump has been ramping up his attacks on the vice president, including multiple times this weekend. >> kamala. i call her laughing kamala. you ever watch her laugh? she is crazy. you can tell a lot bya laugh. she is crazy. she is nuts. she is not a confident person. she shouldn't be president. she is being laughed at all over the world. >> seizing on the news of biden's departure sunday, he tells nbc's garrett haake joe biden is the worst president in the history of the united states by far. we will fix what he has done. when i asked garrett haake if he was surprised by the president's announcement, mr. trump responding he should never have

been there in the first place. he should have stayed in his basement. in other news, homeland secretary alejandro mayorkas has selected a bipartisan panel to investigate the attempted assassination of former president trump. the panel will conduct a 45-day review of the acts of federal, state and local authorities before, during and after the shooting. the review will also look into the secret service's governing policies and procedures. and later fbi director kimberly cheatle is set to testify before the oversight committee also investigating this assassination attempt. officials in salt lake city are warning residents to be ready to evacuate yet again as crews battle a wildfire uphill from the state's capital, prompting mandatory evacuations that have since been lifted. from is are urging nonresidents to avoid this particular area. the blaze has devoured more than 200 acres and was 10% contained as of sunday night. well, the week is off to a

scorching start for many, millions across the west. michelle grossman tracking the brutal heatwave for us. michelle, we had a weekend. we now have a monday, and we have more heat. >> that's right, yes. monday. comes quickly, doesn't it? we're looking at 24 million americans under heat alerts in the west, north central, california, into the great basin. we're going to see temperatures soaring into the 90s, into the 100s. dangerous heat does continue. we also need the umbrella in many spots. we have the front stretching from the great lakes to the northeast. we're expecting the showers and storms, and we're going to see showers and storms the south central states, the southeast, into the carolinas and the midatlantic. it's a long stretching front that is going to stay putt over the next couple of days. that's today. as we near wednesday, notice the green staying in place. you see a little yellow. that's where we could see heavier downpours and the risk for flooding along the gulf coast as well. but that rain stretches into the northeast once again.

parts of the great lakes, looking at monsoonal showers on wednesday into the four corners. sunny and seasonal throughout portions of the northern plains. then by fridayday morning, t weather three. two o. well for now, we're seeing comfortable temperatures with some patchy fog and low clouds. but moving forward into the afternoon, highs inland, returning to the 90s and one hundreds for the inland valleys. heat advisoryd d.c. and we're concerned in the south central states leading to heavy rainfall and also some flooding. all right. that's your monday forecast. >> all right, michelle, thank you. now to an early olympic win. brittney griner stepping into parenthood after announcing her first baby with her wife. the birth comes ahead of the 2024 games where griner is gearing up here to play for team usa for the third time at the olympics. congratulations. coming up, baseball's newest hall of famers are enshrined at

cooperstown. but first, half a century of searches to his country. a look back at president biden's impact on american politics. new mr. clean ultra foamy magic eraser? it's more magic than ever. with the scrubbing power of magic eraser and the cleaning power of dawn. watch it make soap scum here... disappear... and watch how sprays can leave grime like that with up to 10 times the cleaning power, foamy melts it on contact. magic. it makes this ring a thing of the past. it makes you forgetti about baked on spaghetti. new ultra foamy magic eraser. clean with more magic than ever. you are bountiful. your hair can grow 590 miles over your lifetime. it's in your nature to grow. grow thicker fuller hair with one capsule a day of advanced hair complex. nature's bounty. it's in your nature. i'm adding downy unstopables to my wash. now i'll be smelling fresh all day long.

[sniff] still fresh. still fresh! ♪♪ with downy unstopables, you just toss, wash, wow. for all-day freshness. well, president biden's announcement will have a massive impact on the election, but also will mark this term as the final chapter in a storied political career. lester holt has more on joe biden's legacy. >> reporter: president biden's decision to drop his bid for reelection, a stunning and abrupt end to a fife-decade-long political career. the president stepping aside under immense pressure from fellow democrats, who feared he could not compete his performance of four years ago when he narrowly defeated former president trump. >> so help me god. >> he had waited longer than any other commander in chief to

achieve his life-long ambition. elected to the senate at age 29 in 1973. >> my wife and three children were christmas shopping. a tractor-trailer broadsided, killed my wife and daughter. >> reporter: he led the controversial hearings of clarence thomas, facing sexual harassment allegations from anita hill circumstances this what you anticipated? >> this? no, not at all. >> reporter: and as senator, he helped pass the landmark violence against women. in 2002, then candidate barack obama tapped him to be his running mate. later, vice president biden, famously caught on a hot mike, celebrating the passage of the affordable care act. he also pushed president obama to support same-sex marriage by publicly declaring his support for it first.

>> i am absolutely comfortable with the fact that men marrying men, women marrying women, and heterosexual marrying men and women are entitled to the same exact rights. >> reporter: after his son beau died of brain cancer, he didn't think about running for president again in 2020 until he saw donald trump enter the race. >> we're in a battle for the soul of this nation. >> reporter: in january, he told me he had the once experience to unite the country. >> the next president of the united states is going to inherit a divided country and a world in disarray. and the question is who ask best prepared at this moment to be able to deal with those of those cr crises. >> it suggests that you might be able to heal the depth of divisions in this country. >> we have to. leather, if we don't, we are in deep trouble. >> reporter: later that year we spoke at a town hall after his

first debate with then president donald trump. >> i'm used to bullies. i used to stutter when i was a kid. >> democrats celebrated his win over donald trump. and as president, he had success overseeing the end of a pandemic and bypassing the infrastructure law. >> okay. here we go. but he also struggled with low approval ratings, a record number of migrants crossing the border, and soaring inflation. something i pressed him about. you said inflation was going to be temporary. i think a lot of americans are wondering what your definition of temporary is. >> well, you're being a wiseguy with me a little bit. i understand. that's your job. lock, what happened was let's look at the reason for the inflation. the reason for the inflation is the supply chains were cut off. >> reporter: and there were public concerns the oldest president was not mentally fit

for the job. then came his disaster risk debate. we spoke in the white house just last week. who do you listen to on deeply personal issues like decisions whether to stay in the race or not? >> me. look, i've been doing this a long time. the idea that i'm the old guy, i am. i'm old. but i'm only three years older than trump, number one. and number two, my mental acute has been pretty damn good. >> reporter: but coming to that difficult decision to no longer try for a second term. still to come, and lester, thank you for that. still to come for you, it was an awfully good day to be xander bogaerts. the fairway phenom secures his bragging rights for american golfers. (♪♪) [baby crying] (♪♪) (♪♪) [cheerful screams] (♪♪)

(♪♪) [giggling] (♪♪) (♪♪) [baby crying] this is not just a pharmacist. you could try this. yeah? this is another woman who gets it. (♪♪) dad i got a huge barbeque wing stain. this bottle says i need to pretreat. that stuff has way more water. a little bit of tide goes a long way, so you can save your shirt and maybe even a little money. moat the... library.s right... for a better clean with less... it's got to be tide. do you know how annoying that is? but it's so comforting and fun to pop. peanut butter m&m's minis are also comforting and fun to pop. [sigh] i thought i was sleeping ok... but i was waking up so tired. then i tried new zzzquil sleep nasal strips. their four—point lift design opens my nose for maximum air flow. so, i breathe better.

and we both sleep better. and stay married. that grimy film on your teeth? dr. g? ♪♪ it's actually the buildup of plaque bacteria which can cause cavities. most toothpastes quit working in minutes. but crest pro-health's antibacterial fluoride protects all day. so it stops cavities before they start... crest. [sneezing] [school bell rings] lysol knows little hands deserve big protection. that's why we're donating science kits to schools in need. and helping teachers keep their classrooms protected by killing 99.9% of germs. lysol. here for healthy schools. (♪♪) when life spells heartburn... how do you spell relief? r-o-l-a-i-d-s rolaids' dual-active formula begins to neutralize acid on contact. r-o-l-a-i-d-s spells relief.

a stress-free championship, major sunday that you will ever see. >> and with that, golfer xander schauffele wrapping up at the final round of the british open sunday. the world's number three ranked dropper was the final day of play at scotland's royal troon finishing ahead of justin rose and billy horschel. coming after his first major win at the partnership, giving a taste of four major tournaments since the first time in 1982. another's truly enshrined class. >> and ladies and gentlemen, the national baseball hall of fame class of 2024, joe mature, jim leyland. >> joe lawyer and todd helton

were worried in coobers town in the baseball hall of fame. they were joined by my manager jim leland who was elected by the comptary rear city. they spent their sbiefr times, joining the small club. legendary third baseman beltre became the fifth player from the dominican republic to join the hall's hallowed ranks. congratulations. when we come back, eminem once again singing for the moment. and is it really the happiest place on earth? whary e thousands of disneyland workers can walk off the job. (restaurant noise) ♪♪ [announcer] introducing allison's plaque psoriasis. she thinks her flaky, gray patches are all people see. otezla is the #1 prescribed pill to treat plaque psoriasis. over here! otezla can help you get clearer skin and reduce itching and flaking. with no routine blood tests required.

doctors have been prescribing otezla for over a decade. otezla is also approved to treat psoriatic arthritis. don't use otezla if you're allergic to it. serious allergic reactions can happen. otezla may cause severe diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting. some people taking otezla had depression, suicidal thoughts or weight loss. upper respiratory tract infection and headache may occur. ♪♪ [announcer] with clearer skin girls' day out is a good day out. live in the moment. ask your doctor about otezla. [audience laughing] worried you'll laugh so hard you'll leak? well always discreet can hold your biggest gushes with up to zero leaks and odor. so you're not just dry. you're laugh until you cry dry. we've got you, always. always discreet. [sneezing] [school bell rings] lysol knows little hands deserve big protection. that's why we're donating science kits to schools in need. and helping teachers keep their classrooms protected by killing 99.9% of germs.

lysol. here for healthy schools. whoa! how'd you get your teeth so white? you gotta use the right toothpaste! dr. c?! ♪♪ not all toothpastes whiten the same. crest 3d white removes 100% more stains for a noticeably whiter smile. new personal best. crest. you are bountiful. your skeleton can support two times your weight. it's in your nature to stand strong. supplement your bones with high-absorption magnesium. nature's bounty. it's in your nature. hi. i use febreze fade defy plug. and i use this. febreze has a microchip to control scent release so it smells first-day fresh for 50 days. 50 days!? and its refill reminder light

means i'll never miss a day of freshness. ♪ the perfect morning calls for the perfect ridiculouslyiss craveable pairing...ness. jimmy dean griddle cakes. your family's pancakey, sausagey, griddle cakey, sweet and savory favorite. (granddaughter laughing) when pain freezes you in your tracks... ...vapofreeze your pain away. penetrating pain relief... ...with vicks vapors. (granddaughter laughing) vapofreeze your pain away. now at walmart. . and here's what's making headlines this morning for you. according to the cdc at least, two people have died due to a listeria outbreak likely linked to deli meet. 28 people across 12 states were hospitalized. four unions representing more than 14,000 disneyland workers have voted to authorize a strike

citing alleged unfair labor practices. they're back at the bargaining table today. if they do, it will be the first at the california decade in four decades. the death of slim shady has taken the billboard spot bumping taylor swift after a 12-week reign. this the rap stas r'11th number one album. you could use some me. metamucil's psyllium fiber helps keep your digestive system moving so you can feel lighter and more energetic. metamucil keeps you movin'. and try fizzing fiber plus vitamins. swiffer duster traps 4x more dust for a clean even mom approves of. that reach! ♪♪ making hard to reach. so easy! swiffer, [wow!] the mother of all cleans! ♪♪ sometimes your work shirt needs to be for more than just work. like when it needs to be a big, soft shoulder to cry on. which is why downy does more to make clothes softer, fresher, and better.

downy. breathe life into your laundry. i love that my daughter still needs me. but sometimes i can't help due to burning and stabbing pain in my hands, so i use nervive. nervive's clinical dose of ala reduces nerve discomfort in as little as seven days. now i can help again feel the difference with nervive. the man with the guitar, one of the most legendary names in music, carlos santana. a guitar created his own musical language more than half a century ago. he sat down with our own jose diaz-balart. ♪ >> reporter: carlos santana

blasted into our consciousness 55 years ago. ♪ you got to change your evil ways, baby ♪ . >> reporter: with an electrifying performance at woodstock that turned him into a global superstar overnight. ♪ >> today more than a half century later, and with more than within hundred million albums sold, santana is still making music and electrifying the audience. playing to generations of fans with an ongoing residency at house of blues in las vegas and on a new nationwide tour. >> when i look at this tried body of work, deep and so varied, how it is that carlos santana starts? >> this always for me is about energy and frequency. that is our language. >> reporter: a unique language that helped create what is now a global sound. ♪ carlos, influenced by tito

puente, miles davis, john coltrane, the beatles, b.b. king and others. >> i tried for a long time to sound like people that i love. and the harder i tried, the more i felt unlike me. so i said honor it and have fun with it. ♪ >> and have fun he has. santana creating hit after hit. ♪ this year celebrating a musical milestone, the 25th anniversary of his best-selling album supernatural. ♪ just like the ocean ♪ >> winning nine grammys in one night. ♪ >> the album hit such an explosion, was right up there with michael jackson, thriller, and the eagles' greatest hits. it's quite a phenomenon. ♪ got a black magic woman ♪

>> and for carlos santana, the universe at of music. >> my energy, my connection with god. i'm always holding his hand. no matter what i do, i'm always holding god's hand. ♪ ♪ turn your become on me baby ♪ >> jose, thanks for that. california legend. thank you for watching "early today." i'm richard lui. go out and have a great monday.

american politics and a seismic shift in the race for the white house. we have team coverage on what comes next after president biden's unprecedented decision to end his reelection campaign. democrats already co have a leasing now around kamala harris