US campaign - Withdrawal requests and Corona - Biden back in the spotlight
It doesn't look good for Joe Biden: The US President is facing new demands to withdraw from the race for a second term in office. At the same time, his health is causing him issues. After testing positive for Coronavirus, the 81-year-old had to cancel a campaign trip to Nevada on a Wednesday. The Democrat retreated to his private home in Rehoboth, Delaware.
The debate over Biden's candidacy was pushed to the background after the attack on Republican Donald Trump during a campaign appearance over the weekend. Now it's back.
Several Democratic colleagues, including prominent Democratic Representative Adam Schiff, have called on Biden to step down. Top Democrats in the US Congress, Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer, warned Biden in media reports last week not to hold on to his presidential campaign.
Biden has so far rejected all withdrawal demands and made it clear that he has no plans to drop out.
The Democrat is under heavy pressure from within his own ranks due to his advanced age and doubts about his mental fitness. Since a disastrous performance in a televised debate against his opponent Trump, several Democratic representatives have called for him to withdraw from the race in the past few weeks. Many others have publicly expressed serious concerns about his electoral chances.
Prominent withdrawal calls
Schiff, who is running for a Senate seat, stated that he has serious concerns about whether Biden can defeat the Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump in November. Biden has achieved great successes, but it's time to clear the way for someone else. "There's just too much at stake," he urged.
Schiff is a confidant of the former Democratic leader of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi. Both represent heavily populated California. Pelosi still has significant influence in the party. The powerful Democrat had recently said in an interview: "It's up to the President to decide whether he runs." She added: "We all encourage him to make this decision. Time is running out." Her explicit refusal to endorse Biden made headlines.
Reports: Top Democrats in Congress warned Biden
Even at the highest level, Biden's stubbornness seems to be causing concern. Both Schumer, the Senate Majority Leader, and Jeffries, the House Minority Leader, held separate talks with Biden last week and warned him that his holding on to his presidential campaign could lead to the Democrats losing control of both Congress chambers.
The "Washington Post" and ABC News reported this based on anonymous sources familiar with the matter. Schumer's office responded to the reports on a Wednesday with a statement that the Senator had conveyed his faction's views to Biden. As long as the source is not Schumer or Biden, reporting falls into the realm of speculation.
Next to the President's office, many seats in the Parliament will be re-elected in November. The entire House of Representatives is up for re-election, while one third of the seats in the Senate are. The Democrats are concerned that the Republicans could control both chambers in Congress and the White House after the election. Many parliamentarians are worried that the lack of support for Biden could cost them their re-election.
Positive Coronatest and Campaign Breakdown
Biden, who intends to be re-confirmed in office after the November election, was in Las Vegas on a Wednesday to primarily court the Hispanic population for votes. He first made a stop at a Mexican restaurant to connect with voters. Afterwards, he planned to attend a conference of an important civil rights organization that represents the interests of the Hispanic population. However, this did not come to pass. Another appointment also had to be canceled.
The President of the Organization UnidosUS, Janet Murguía, shared that Biden had called her and informed her that he could not come. Shortly thereafter, the White House confirmed that Biden had tested positive for the virus after the first event. A confirmation of the test results from a PCR test was still pending, it was said. Biden had respiratory symptoms, a runny nose, and a cough. He had received his first dose of the Covid-medication Paxlovid.
Positive Test from Two Years Ago by Biden
Biden had last tested positive for the virus two years ago in the summer. He was also treated with the medication Paxlovid and only a few days after the end of his Corona isolation was again tested positive for the Coronavirus. At that time, it was reported that this was a "rebound" that occurred in rare cases among patients treated with Paxlovid. Biden, due to his advanced age, belongs to the risk group.
Nevada is known as a swing state, which cannot be definitively assigned to either the Democrats or Republicans. Swing States are politically fiercely contested, which is why the campaign of the presidential candidates or candidates for the presidency often focuses on these federal states.
- Despite the health issues and demands for withdrawal, Joe Biden has refused to step down from his presidential campaign.
- Hakeem Jeffries, a top Democrat in the US Congress, urged Biden last week to consider withdrawing due to concerns about his ability to defeat Donald Trump in November.
- In Delaware, Biden retreated to his private home after cancelling a campaign trip to Nevada due to testing positive for Coronavirus.
- The attack on Republican Donald Trump during a campaign appearance over the weekend momentarily pushed the debate over Biden's candidacy to the background.
- Democrats Adam Schiff and Chuck Schumer warned Biden not to hold on to his presidential campaign, fearing it could lead to Democrats losing control of both Congress chambers.
- Joe Biden is under pressure from within his own party due to his advanced age and doubts about his mental fitness, with several representatives calling for his withdrawal in the past few weeks.
- After a disastrous performance in a televised debate against Trump, Schiff expressed concerns about Biden's ability to defeat his opponent in November.
- Nancy Pelosi, a confidant of Schiff, refused to endorse Biden in an interview, stating it was up to him to decide whether to run for another term.
- The Republicans, led by Donald Trump, are campaigning heavily, with Trump considering a return to the campaign trail after recovering from Coronavirus.
- The entire House of Representatives and one third of the seats in the Senate will be re-elected in November, with Democrats fearing a loss of control if Biden's low approval rating affects their candidates.
- Biden's positive Coronavirus test and subsequent campaign breakdown in Nevada drew attention to the importance of public health in the US campaign, with spotlight on the government's response to the Coronavirus pandemic and Biden's own health concerns.
