- By Mayukh Debnath
- Fri, 19 Jul 2024 08:18 AM (IST)
- Source:Reuters
US Presidential Election 2024: President Joe Biden was "soul searching" about dropping his Democratic reelection campaign, a source cited by global news agency Reuters on Friday (GMT) said. As per a report by the Washigton Post, Barack Obama, under whom Biden served as vice president, is also of the opinion that the octogenarian should rethink his candidacy. Over the past week or so, Biden has at least twice taken to the media in an attempt to assure voters of his mental fitness.
Since his poor performance against his predecessor and the now-confirmed Republican presidential nominee, Donald Trump, in a televised debate on June 28, Biden has faced growing doubts from donors, supporters and fellow Democrats about his ability to win the November 5 election and keep up with the demands of the job. The 81-year-old Democrat's bid for reelection has been on the ropes ever since the public debate.
Biden has faced increasing pressure from heavyweights in his party to cede his position at the top of the ticket after his erratic performance on debate night. Former House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi is among those who have told him he cannot win in November, according to a Reuters source placed in the White House.
After weeks of insisting that he will remain in the race, the incumbent president, who has frequently mangled names and misspoken throughout his political career, is now taking calls to step aside seriously and multiple Democratic officials think an exit is a matter of time, Reuters reported citing its sources. People close to the president told the New York Times on Thursday that they believe he has begun to accept the idea that he may have to drop out.
Democratic leaders in the House and Senate - Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer - have told Biden directly that he will not only lose the White House but also endanger their effort to win back the House, according to reports in multiple news outlets.
Senator Jon Tester, who faces a challenging reelection battle in Montana this year, on Thursday became the 21st congressional Democrat and the second senator to publicly call on Biden to drop out. Some lawmakers say Biden may now be more open to stepping aside. "He's done what's best for America ... I think he'll keep doing so," Democratic US Senator John Hickenlooper told Reuters. "He's working towards that." Hickenlooper declined to say whether he believed Biden should step aside as a candidate.
(With inputs from Reuters)
