Withdraw from the election campaign? That was out of the question for Joe Biden until now. But now even close confidants like Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi think that enough is enough.
US President Joe Biden is considering whether to drop out of the presidential race, according to insiders. Biden is taking calls to step down as the Democratic candidate seriously, people familiar with the matter told Reuters. Several Democratic officials believe that dropping out is only a matter of time. “I know for a fact that he is actually thinking about it,” said one of the insiders, who wished to remain anonymous. “He is thinking about it very seriously.”
Another insider among the Democrats says that Biden has recognized the signs of the times after the calls for his resignation. “It feels like it’s a question of (…) when, not if,” said the insider. Quentin Fulks, Biden’s deputy campaign manager, said the president is not undecided and has made his decision: “Joe Biden has said he is running for president of the United States. Our campaign is moving forward.”
Joe Biden’s support among Democrats is crumbling
The US newspaper Washington Post and the Associated Press news agency had previously reported that former US President Barack Obama no longer fully supports Biden’s renewed presidential candidacy. Obama has told allies in recent days that Biden’s chances of winning the election have fallen sharply and that he believes Biden should seriously consider whether he should continue to run, the Washington Post reports, citing several people familiar with Obama’s deliberations. Obama is a member of the Democratic Party and is one of Biden’s closest supporters.
Former Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi made similar comments. The influential Democrat called on Biden not to run again. Pelosi is convinced that public opinion is against Biden and that he cannot change that. Pelosi’s office did not initially respond to inquiries.
Democratic Senator John Hickenlooper also believes that there are increasing arguments in favor of Biden withdrawing from the current election campaign. “That is his decision, but there are certainly increasing signs that this would be in the best interests of the country,” Hickenlooper said in a telephone interview. However, he did not join the growing number of party colleagues who are explicitly calling for Biden to throw in the towel. “When there is so much unrest and so much discontent, it is not easy for anyone to unite the party,” he said. Biden is still popular, but the political landscape has changed compared to the previous election.
According to a media report, the Democratic majority leader in the US Senate, Chuck Schumer, advised President Joe Biden at a meeting on Saturday to end his re-election campaign. Schumer told the 81-year-old that his decision not to run again would be better for the country and the Democratic Party, reports the US broadcaster ABC News. There is no official confirmation of this information yet. Neither the US presidential office nor Schumer’s office initially commented on the report.
Election campaign interrupted due to corona infection
Biden has had to cancel his campaign for the time being due to a coronavirus infection. His doctor reported respiratory problems, a runny nose and cough. Because of his advanced age, Biden is in the risk group.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
