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Joe Biden nears US election race exit; will Kamala Harris replace him? Updates

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Joe Biden nears US election race exit; will Kamala Harris replace him? Updates

Until testing positive for Covid-19 on Wednesday, Biden was expected to receive the official 2024 presidential nomination from Democrats in late July. Photo: Bloomberg

3 min read Last Updated : Jul 19 2024 | 10:13 AM IST

Time and tide waits for none. US President Joe Biden is no exception to this rule. Some US media houses, since Thursday, have been indicating that the 81-year-old Democrat leader has come close to announcing his exit from the presidential election race, which is slated for November 5.

According to The New York Times, some people close to Biden said that he has accepted the idea that he may not be able to win the election. However, he has not yet made up his mind, one person added.


Biden’s June presidential debate debacle, mounting concerns over his health and a renewed wave of support for former President Donald Trump after his assassination bid are among the factors that have compelled his over two dozen party leaders to race against time for alternative options. According to some media reports, former President Barack Obama, considered Biden’s close aide, also features in this list.


Joe Biden likely to make an announcement 

1) Biden, who is currently isolated at his Delaware home due to Covid-19 infection, is expected to make a major announcement related to his re-election bid on Friday. The ‘Biden For President’ campaign will hold an all-staff meeting to chart the further course of their action while the US president is weighing his options.


2) The moment is critical for democrats as Trump already wrapped up a heady Republican convention in Milwaukee on Thursday, accepting his formal nomination and naming Senator JD Vance as his running mate for vice-presidency.


Democrats hurry after Biden tests positive for Covid-19


3) Until testing positive for Covid-19 on Wednesday, Biden was expected to receive the official 2024 presidential nomination from Democrats in late July. This was to be followed by the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on August 19. However, his isolation from the election campaign after the infection has given Democrats a chance to further encourage him to pass the torch.


4) On Thursday, Representative Jamie Raskin of Maryland, who was part of the panel that probed the Capitol Riots, became the latest Democrat to urge Biden to reconsider his bid.


What do we know about Biden’s future plans so far?


5) On the rumours, Biden’s campaign officials remarked that he was even more committed to staying in the race despite the pressure but the president has been informed that the campaign is having difficulty in raising money.


6) Right before testing positive for Covid-19, Biden had remarked in an interview that it wasn’t too late for him to recover politically and added that the race between him and Trump so far is ‘even’.


7) However, with the fresh developments, some Democrat lawmakers are pitching for Vice President Kamala Harris as an alternative to Biden.


8) According to a lawmaker, who did not want to be named, Biden’s advisors are yet to reach a unanimous decision on his next move. To add to his woes, there are reports that in the days ahead more lawmakers are expected to join the leaders calling for him to drop out of the race.


(With inputs from AP, Reuters)

First Published: Jul 19 2024 | 10:12 AM IST

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