President Joe Biden’s campaign events are currently on pause due to a Covid-19 infection.
This COULD offer a fair and decent exit strategy if he is to pull out…#Biden tests positive for COVID-19, https://t.co/TCXyj7PjK9
— Joseph Bahout باحوط (@jobahout) July 17, 2024
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries met with him to express concerns over his bid for the White House. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has also privately told him that he cannot beat Donald Trump in the upcoming election.
Biden’s re-election attempt has been under scrutiny following a less-than-stellar debate performance against Trump.
President Biden and I believe health care should be a right — not just a privilege for those who can afford it.
We are fighting to lower health care costs and ensure you have the care you need. pic.twitter.com/34qcvjEyoW
— Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) July 17, 2024
Announcing his Covid infection, Biden’s press secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre, said the 81-year-old was experiencing mild symptoms and would isolate at his home in Delaware while continuing to carry out his duties fully. She added that the president was vaccinated and boosted.
This is not the first time Biden has tested positive for Covid. Before testing positive, Biden was seen visiting supporters in Las Vegas and speaking at an event.
“Don’t you think there’s a word in German, it’s like, six syllables long, for like, ‘I really didn’t deserve this, but here it comes, and oh my God, but I’ll endure it anyway,’?” Coons asked.
— Constanze Stelzenmüller (@ConStelz) July 18, 2024
He was forced to cancel a speech at UnidosUS, a Latino civil rights organization, marking an abrupt end to a trip aimed at reviving his appeal among Hispanic voters, whose support has waned since 2020.
“The timing of this could not possibly be worse … It reminds everybody how old Joe Biden is.”
Covid pulls Biden off the trail, adding to concerns about his health and stamina and offering the Dems who want him to step aside another opening. https://t.co/RBWKpdYqEX
— Eli Stokols (@EliStokols) July 18, 2024
Later that day, Biden was seen moving slowly as he boarded Air Force One, unmasked, and was heard saying: “Good, I feel good.”
During their meetings with him last week, Schumer and Jeffries expressed concerns that his presence at the top of the ticket could hurt Democratic chances in Congress.
Biden’s health impacts campaign plans
A White House spokesman said Biden assured both leaders that he plans to win and looks forward to working with them to pass his agenda for helping working families.
Pelosi is said to have told Biden that polling suggested his candidacy could harm the Democrats’ chances of winning the House. Despite this, Biden pushed back on her concerns, asking for input from his long-time adviser. About two dozen Democratic politicians have also publicly called for Biden to step aside, including Congressman Adam Schiff, who suggested that Biden could “secure his legacy of leadership” by allowing another Democrat to step forward.
In an interview with BET, Biden stated he could not pass the mantle with the country so “divided” but would consider dropping out if any of his doctors advised him of a serious medical condition. Before his Covid announcement, reporters on the Las Vegas trip noted that Biden had engaged with diners at a Mexican restaurant, taking selfies and shaking hands. He appeared somewhat stiffer than he had the previous day when he had given an energized speech to a national civil rights group.
Dr. Kevin O’Connor, Biden’s doctor, reported that Biden showed upper respiratory symptoms, including a runny nose and a cough, and had been given his first dose of Paxlovid. Despite the positive test, Biden posted online, thanking everyone for their well-wishes and expressing his commitment to continue working for the American people during his recovery.
