After testing positive for COVID-19, US President Joe Biden assured on Wednesday that he was “fine”, but this new announcement risks fuelling concerns about his age and health that have already prompted calls for him to withdraw from the race for the White House.
Faced with questions about his mental acuity, the 81-year-old Democrat had earlier said he would reassess his candidacy if he were diagnosed with a serious medical condition.
The White House said in a statement that the president was “fully vaccinated” and would “continue to fully perform his duties” while in quarantine, which comes as he is campaigning to woo Hispanic voters in Nevada.
Asked Tuesday by BET media what might make him consider throwing in the towel, the presidential candidate replied: “If I had a medical problem that appeared, if someone, doctors came to see me and said ‘you have such and such a problem’.”
This is the first time Mr Biden has opened the door to the idea of abandoning his campaign.
The announcement of his COVID-19 infection comes at a time when Joe Biden is playing for his political survival since his disastrous performance in late June during his debate with Donald Trump, which sparked a wave of questions about his physical and mental abilities.
According to ABC News, powerful Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has thrown his weight behind Joe Biden throwing in the towel.
“Schumer has argued vigorously that it would be better for Biden, for the Democratic Party and for the country if he stepped down,” a reporter for the network reported.
The Democratic leader’s team did not really deny it, simply stressing that “unless ABC’s source is Senator Chuck Schumer or President Joe Biden,” this information was “pure speculation.”
Fear of a Trump victory
Earlier Wednesday, another Democratic Party heavyweight revived calls for him to withdraw from the White House race.
California Rep. Adam Schiff urged Biden to “pass the torch,” saying he doubted the president could beat Donald Trump in November.
Mr. Schiff became the highest-ranking Democratic lawmaker to publicly make the request after the debate.
It is also the first to relaunch this call since the assassination attempt on Donald Trump at a campaign event on Saturday, which gave the president a brief reprieve.
Joe Biden “has been one of the most important presidents in our country’s history,” Schiff said in a statement to Los Angeles Times. “But our nation is at a crossroads,” he added.
“A second Trump presidency would undermine the very foundations of our democracy, and I have serious concerns about the president’s ability to defeat Donald Trump in November,” he added.
About 20 House members and one senator have so far urged Joe Biden to throw in the towel.
Speed up the appointment
Against this backdrop of tensions, Democratic Party officials announced on Wednesday their desire to speed up Mr. Biden’s nomination process with an early voting system whose modalities remain to be defined, much to the displeasure of those who hope to see him withdraw from the race.
The system would allow voting to take place during the first week of August rather than waiting until the Democratic convention, which begins in Chicago on August 19, when the candidate must be officially nominated for the November 5 presidential election against Donald Trump.
Some Democrats have sharply criticized the plan, saying it was a way to force through Biden’s candidacy despite doubts about his suitability and without discussing possible alternatives.
Elected officials plan to sign a letter to denounce it.
Vice President Kamala Harris is considered the favorite if Mr Biden steps down.
Democratic officials estimate the operation should be effective before the August 7 deadline set by the state of Ohio for submitting candidate nominations.
Mr Biden says Democratic voters support him but according to a latest poll, nearly two-thirds of them want the president to throw in the towel.