In Wilmington, They Like ‘Delaware Joe.’ But They’re Glad He Quit.

As President Biden met with confidants last week to discuss whether he should end his re-election campaign, John Flaherty, a retired government employee, was seated in a booth at Angelo’s Luncheonette in Wilmington, Del., the small city that has been Mr. Biden’s political home base for more than 50 years.

Wearing a Philadelphia Phillies cap, Mr. Flaherty, 73, who worked as a staff assistant to Mr. Biden in the 1980s, invoked the song “The Gambler” to express his opinion of what the president should do.

“As Kenny Rogers said, ‘You got to know when to hold ’em, know when to fold ’em,’” he said.

Shortly after Mr. Biden announced that he had put an end to his bid, Mr. Flaherty weighed in by phone. “I’m glad,” he said. “I think he should enjoy his life after January and spend time with his family.”

He added that he was “happy” that Biden’s withdrawal had left Donald Trump as the oldest major-party presidential nominee. “Biden might be the oldest president,” he said, but now, “Trump will be the oldest candidate” for president.

Wilmington, a city of roughly 71,000, is the site of the Joseph R. Biden Railroad Station, one of the busiest Amtrak stops along the Northeast Corridor, and Mr. Biden’s main residence is in a nearby suburb. But even here, in the world’s most Biden-friendly enclave, Mr. Flaherty was just one of many who believed the president had made the right call.