I just don't get this. Does the fact that Biden pulled off 4 months before election mean he was never a candidate? 🤔 With that logic, if Trump quits now he is again forgiven as the oldest one? So, whole this news would be bullshit?
Nope, Trump is his parties verified candidate which happens at the convention. Dems have not had their convention yet so Biden was not officially the candidate. Semantics, yes but technically true.
Plus I can't recall if I've ever seen one of these parties entertain competition against an incumbent (or former president). In such cases, the party nomination is kinda/sorta a formality. This is why we have heard of zero alternative candidates from either the RNC or DNC.
Trump was officially nominated by the RNC as their candidate. Biden hadn't been nominated by the DNC yet, that was supposed to happen at the conference in a couple weeks. But now that he has pulled out, he will not be nominated and thus not be the official candidate.
Does the fact that Biden pulled off 4 months before election mean he was never a candidate?
Correct. If I won Beauty Queen last year and stated my intention to run again this year, but then withdrew before I officially entered, you can't say I won. You also can't say I lost, I never actually entered.
The difference is the RNC already had their convention. Trump is their official Nominee, no matter what else happens...