US President Joe Biden said he was “doing well” following testing positive for Covid-19, but the new announcement risks further fueling concerns regarding his age and health that have already prompted calls for him to withdraw from the race for the White House. Faced with questions regarding his mental acuity, the 81-year-old Democrat had previously said he would reevaluate his candidacy if he was diagnosed with a serious medical condition. The White House said in a statement that the president is “fully vaccinated” and will “continue to carry out his full duties” while in custody. Asked by the media on Tuesday what would make him consider throwing in the towel, the presidential candidate said: “If I had a medical issue that came up, if someone, some doctors came to me and said, ‘You have such-and-such a problem.’” It is the first time Biden has opened the door to the idea of abandoning the campaign. The announcement of his Covid-19 infection comes at a time when Joe Biden’s political survival is at stake following his disastrous performance in late June in the debate with Donald Trump, which raised a wave of questions regarding his physical and mental capacity.
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Now a Democratic Party heavyweight has renewed his call to drop out of the race for the White House. California politician Adam Schiff urged Biden to “pass the torch,” saying he doubts the head of state can beat Donald Trump in November. Schiff becomes the highest-ranking Democrat to publicly make the request following the debate. He is also the first to make the request since the attack on Donald Trump at a campaign rally on Saturday, which gave the president a brief respite. Schiff made his announcement shortly before the president was due to woo Hispanic voters in Nevada. Joe Biden “has been one of the most consequential presidents in the history of our nation,” Schiff told the Los Angeles Times. “But our nation is at a crossroads,” he added. “A second Trump presidency would undermine the very foundation of our democracy, and I have grave concerns regarding the president’s ability to defeat Donald Trump in November,” he added.
About 20 House members-elect and one senator have so far urged Joe Biden to throw in the towel. Amid this tense environment, Democratic Party officials announced on Wednesday that they plan to speed up Biden’s nomination process by introducing an early voting system, the details of which have yet to be finalized, much to the chagrin of those hoping to see him withdraw from the race. The system would allow voting during the first week of August, rather than waiting for the Democratic convention, which begins in Chicago on August 19 and during which the candidate must be officially nominated for the November 5 presidential election once morest Donald Trump. Some Democrats have strongly criticized the plan, saying it is a way to force Joe Biden’s candidacy despite doubts regarding his suitability and without discussing possible alternatives. Elected officials plan to sign a letter denouncing the plan. Vice President Kamala Harris is considered the favorite if Biden withdraws. Democratic officials believe the move should be effective before Ohio’s August 7 deadline for filing nominations. Biden says Democratic voters support him, but the latest poll shows nearly two-thirds of them want the president to throw in the towel.
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2024-07-19 11:23:16