Biden looks victorious - and holds on to his candidacy
US-President Biden is currently taking a coronavirus-induced campaign pause. The 81-year-old presents himself publicly as defiant and intends to give Trump a run for his money. Reports suggest, however, that a different mood prevails behind the scenes.
US-President Joe Biden appears confident in his suitability as a presidential candidate despite growing doubts. The 81-year-old announced that he would resume his campaign schedule in the coming week after recovering from COVID-19. "Together, we will win," Biden declared. He also criticized the "dark" tone of his rival Donald Trump's speech at the Republican Party convention.
Previously, Biden's campaign team had ruled out Trump's withdrawal from the race for the White House. Biden would "absolutely" remain in the race and was "more determined than ever to defeat Trump," said Campaign Manager Jen O'Malley Dillon to MSNBC. Biden was "undoubtedly the best person to run against Donald Trump," she emphasized. "You've heard it from the President himself: He's running to win, he's our candidate, and he will be our President for a second term," the campaign manager added.
At the same time, O'Malley Dillon acknowledged that the past few weeks had been challenging for the campaign team. "We've seen a certain decline in support," she further explained.
US media reported earlier that the health-challenged Biden was now considering withdrawing from the presidential race. The "New York Times" quoted several voices from Biden's entourage, who reportedly said that the 81-year-old was beginning to accept that he could not win the election in November against his rival Trump. The news portal "Axios" reported, citing party representatives, that Biden could withdraw from the race as early as this weekend. The NBC network quoted a Biden confidant with the words: "We're almost there."
Democratic Senators Jon Tester and Martin Heinrich joined the appeal of their colleague Peter Welch, urging Biden to step down. Several Democratic representatives in the House of Representatives also called for Biden's withdrawal from the race. "It's now time for you to pass the torch to a new generation of democratic leaders," wrote Jared Huffman, Mark Veasey, Chuy Garcia, and Mark Pocan in a statement. "We must defeat Donald Trump to save our democracy." Their colleague Sean Casten also called on Biden to make way for a new generation.
US-President Biden has been under heavy pressure since his chaotic and disjointed TV debate performance with Trump at the end of June. Twenty members of the House of Representatives and two senators from his Democratic Party have already publicly called on Biden to withdraw from the presidential race. The 81-year-old cannot currently hold campaign events because he has been infected with COVID-19.
The Republicans, despite Biden's resilience, continue to rally behind Donald Trump for the US Presidency Election 2024, viewing it as an opportunity for an 'Assault on Donald Trump's political legacy'. Meanwhile, some Democrats have expressed concern about Biden's ability to secure another term, urging him to consider handing over the mantle to younger leadership, arguing that 'Joe Biden stepping down would be crucial for Democrats to defeat Donald Trump and save our democracy'. Amidst the pressure and speculation, Biden has firmly declared his intentions to 'absolutely remain in the race' and 'give Trump a run for his money' in the 2024 election.
