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It’s Monday, July 22 — here’s what you’ll find in today’s newsletter:

• Biden’s withdrawal letter

• NASA’s cancellation of the VIPER program

• 4 quick hits of news from the last 24 hours

Biden’s withdrawal letter

Joe Biden dropped out of the 2024 presidential race. He announced the decision via a statement posted on X -- you can read it for yourself here.

The Atlantic praised Biden's statement: He's exactly right that dropping out “is in the best interest” of the Dems and the U.S. It's a selfless act that give his party a fighting chance.

A USA Today Op agreed: Biden's dropout is best for the country. The letter established Biden's legacy as a “decent” president.

But Townhall wasn't impressed: Biden's dropout letter minimized the role that his cognitive decline played in his decision. He didn't step down to focus on the presidency -- he did it because he had to!

The Federalist was similarly skeptical: Biden probably didn't write that letter -- or post it on social media. It's unclear how involved he was in the process of stepping down.

NASA cancels VIPER

NASA canceled the VIPER lunar rover mission due to cost and delays. They will continue Moon exploration with alternative plans.

Space.com: NASA aims to save an additional $84 million by cancelling the mission -- they'll reuse the tech for other missions.

New Scientist thinks this could affect the 2026 crewed moon landing. Phil Metzger at UCF says the cancellation is a “very bad mistake” for NASA.

NYT: Actually, there will still be a landing with the VIPER craft -- just no rover. It could still be a success.

1) Global tech outage leads to widespread air travel delays, with Delta Air Lines heavily impacted.

2) Largest US study on basic income, backed by Sam Altman, explores the effects of unconditional cash payments.

3) Bangladesh sees protests pause after its top court eliminates job quotas, addressing inequality concerns.

4) Sen. Joe Manchin tells CNN he's not interested in being Kamala Harris' vice presidential pick.