President Joe Biden, in isolation at his vacation home in Reheboth Beach, Delaware, after being diagnosed with Covid on Wednesday (July 17), is under increasing pressure to end his run for re-election.
Former House leader Nancy Pelosi, Senate majority leader Charles Schumer and House Minority leader Hakeem Jeffries privately told him over the last week that he should reconsider his re-election bid as he was likely to lose and drag down the party.Biden disagreed with them and said he would remain on the ticket.
But he said in an interview released on Wednesday that he would reconsider his decision if doctors told him he had a medical issue.
This is the first time he has stated he might drop out since an ABC interview on July 5 when he said only the Lord Almighty could make him quit.
Biden may quit, say insiders
Several people close to President Biden said on Thursday (July 18) that they believe he has begun to accept the idea that he may lose the November election and, therefore, should drop out of the race, reported the New York Times.
White House officials, however, denied that the president was thinking of dropping out. They claimed reports of his having second thoughts were the “result of a coordinated campaign of leaks by Democratic leaders to escalate the pressure on him”, added the Times.
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told President Joe Biden in a phone call that he could not defeat Donald Trump and the Democrats could lose the House in November if he ran for re-election, said CNN.
But she did not tell him to drop out of the race.
He pushed back, telling her he had seen polls indicating he could win the election.
Senate Majority leader Charles Schumer and House Minority leader Hakeem Jeffries also expressed concern over likely Democratic losses in separate private meetings with the president.
Private meetings
Schumer visited the president at his home in Rehoboth Beach on July 13. The meeting ended before Trump was shot at a rally at Butler, Pennsylvania, the same day.
The Senate majority leader said in a brief statement : “I sat with President Biden this afternoon in Delaware; we had a good meeting.”
But he told Biden that he was concerned about Democratic losses in November, according to one person close to both men who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Just days before, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries expressed similar misgivings at a private meeting with Biden.
Subsequently, White House senior deputy press secretary Andrew Bates said: “The President told both leaders he is the nominee of the party, he plans to win, and looks forward to working with both of them to pass his 100 days agenda to help working families.”
But Biden has now said what might make him quit.
What Biden said in an interview
In an interview with Ed Gordon of BET News, Biden was asked if there was anything that would make him re-evaluate staying in the race.
“If I had some medical condition that emerged, if somebody, if doctors came to me and said, you got this problem and that problem,” Biden said.
Biden has repeatedly said none of his doctors have told him he has a serious medical condition.
But he floundered at a debate with Donald Trump last month, raising questions about his health and acuity and stirring Democratic misgivings.