US President Joe Biden has stated that he could abandon his reelection bid if he were to be diagnosed with a medical condition. This statement comes after Representative Adam Schiff, a key Democratic ally, urged the 81-year-old president to step aside. Biden’s comments mark the first time he has acknowledged the possibility of leaving the White House race. In an interview with the Black media outlet BET, Biden stated, “If I had some medical condition that emerged, if somebody, if the doctors came and said ‘you’ve got this problem, that problem,'” he would reconsider his candidacy. However, Biden defended his decision to run for a second term against Republican Donald Trump in November, explaining that he did not anticipate the level of political division in the country. He initially envisioned himself as a transitional candidate who would pave the way for a younger generation.
Pressure for Biden to step aside has been mounting since a recent debate with Trump, where his appearance sparked concerns about his age and fitness for office. Schiff became the first Democrat to publicly call for Biden to relinquish his candidacy, citing concerns about Biden’s ability to defeat Trump in November. He argued that a second Trump presidency would further undermine American democracy. Schiff is a key White House ally in the legislature and gained national prominence as the lead prosecutor during Trump’s first impeachment trial.
Biden has been attempting to bolster his candidacy with a speech aimed at crucial Latino voters in the battleground state of Nevada. Despite the growing calls for his resignation, Biden has maintained that he is the best candidate to defeat Trump. Although polls show a tight race, with Trump gaining momentum in key swing states, there has been no significant change since the debate or the recent assassination attempt against Trump.
Amidst the pressure, Democrats announced plans to hold a virtual nomination for Biden in the first week of August, ahead of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) on August 19. This move has been met with criticism from some Democrats, who accuse the party of rushing through Biden’s nomination and avoiding a thorough discussion of other potential candidates. The party insists that the virtual nomination is necessary to meet the deadline set by Ohio, the home state of Trump’s running mate, J.D. Vance.
Despite Biden’s insistence that he has the support of Democratic voters, a recent poll conducted by the Associated Press and NORC Center for Public Affairs Research revealed that nearly two-thirds of Americans believe he should step aside.
