Analysis by WorldTribune Staff, July 18, 2024 Contract With Our Readers
Joe Biden’s team has apparently decided he needs to return to the stay-in-the-basement strategy of 2020. Others believe there will be no campaign to run out of the basement this time around.
After the White House claimed that the 81-year-old tested positive for Covid, Biden headed for Delaware.
Biden was tested after reportedly experiencing “upper respiratory symptoms,” Biden’s medical team said in a statement released by the White House. Dr. Kevin O’Connor is Biden’s physician; the White House did not attribute the statement to him by name. Biden’s symptoms reportedly included a runny nose, nonproductive cough and “general malaise,” the statement said.
As Biden headed back to the basement operations center, the highest profile of Democrats were urging him to drop out.
The Washington Post reported on Thursday that Barack Obama has told party faithful that Biden’s “path to victory has greatly diminished” and he thinks Biden “needs to seriously consider the viability of his candidacy.”
“Obama has been deeply engaged in conversations about the future of Biden’s campaign, taking calls from many anxious Democrats, including former House speaker Nancy Pelosi, and has shared his views about” Biden’s “challenges,” the report said, citing people with knowledge of the calls.
In his discussions with others, Obama reportedly has emphasized that Biden alone can make the decision to step away from the race. Obama has also pushed back against the idea that he alone can influence Biden, his former vice president, to withdraw from his presidential re-election bid, the report said.
ABC News reported that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer told Biden that it would be best if he dropped out.
Democrats on Capitol Hill are reportedly keen to get Biden out as soon as possible, worrying he will cost Democrats winnable seats in the House.
Pelosi is among the laders of the campaign to get Biden out, telling him that he could destroy Democrats’ chances of taking back the House, Axios reported.
“The most likely scenario,” Axios noted, “is Biden bows out and endorses (Kamala) Harris — but also flicks to letting the delegates sort it out if the party feels otherwise. That would aim to defuse any criticism that the Democratic Party was being undemocratic.”
Major donors in New York City made it clear to Democrat Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries they want Biden to drop out of the race, Fox News reported, citing a source who attended a recent fundraising event.
Jefferies was at a Wednesday fundraiser in Manhattan with 40 or so major donors. The event was for Democrat U.S. Reps. Eric Sorenson of New York and Yadira Caraveo of Colorado.
During a question and answer session, the first question came from someone asking why Biden won’t step down, the source told Fox News. The person asked the room: “Who here wants Biden to step down?”
Upwards of 80% of people in the room raised their hands, prompting Jefferies to half-smile while acknowledging what happened.
White House spokesman Andrew Bates responded to reports of the event on X: “Incorrect. Keep the faith.”
Meanwhile, the mountain of Biden gaffes only continues to grow.
In a rambling interview with Black Entertainment Television, Biden could not remember the name of Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, instead referring to him as “the black man.”
During a recent call with the House Congressional Progressive Caucus, Biden read aloud a noted that was handed to him which said: “Stay positive, you are sounding defensive.”
BREAKING NEWS: Multiples sources outline the apparent state of play on Biden at this time:
* plans to announce withdrawal from nomination as early as this weekend, with Sunday most likely
* Jon Meacham polishing up remarks
* Biden with NOT resign the presidency
* Biden will… https://t.co/l0LrfDTvOL
— Mark Halperin (@MarkHalperin) July 18, 2024
CNN is reporting tonight that Biden is more open to the idea of quitting the race against Trump. He’s asking advisors if Kamala can win.pic.twitter.com/hUapnBLpk6
— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) July 18, 2024
President Biden: ‘The Black Man, Uh…Ketanji Brown.’.
Joe Biden is struggling to remember the name of his Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin. Biden referred to Austin as ‘the black man’ then mentions Ketanji Brown Jackson, a black Female Supreme Court Justice.
This isn’t just… pic.twitter.com/JKaGq8i1tM
— Joel Roberts (@joelxroberts) July 18, 2024