Obama urges allies Biden should reconsider re-election bid: WaPo

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: The Washington Post
18 Jul 2024 21:41

Obama believes Biden's chances of winning have diminished and that the 81-year-old should seriously evaluate whether he should continue his candidacy.

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President Joe Biden speaks during a press conference on Tuesday, March 19, 2024, in Las Vegas (AP)

Former US President Barack Obama has advised allies that Joe Biden should reconsider his decision to seek re-election The Washington Post reported on Thursday, citing multiple people briefed on Obama's perspective.

Obama believes Biden's chances of winning have diminished and that the 81-year-old should seriously evaluate whether he should continue his candidacy.

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The newspaper, citing sources familiar with Obama's views, noted that Obama, who served as president while Biden was vice president from 2009 to 2017 and remains influential within the Democratic Party, has not commented publicly on the matter.

Obama would represent a significant figure within the Democratic Party to suggest that Biden consider stepping aside, following criticism of Biden's recent debate performance against Donald Trump, coupled with a long list of gaffes.

US President Joe #Biden's recent comments about needing more sleep and less work have reignited discussions about his cognitive health. Amid a series of notable gaffes, from misstatements in interviews to tripping incidents, concerns are growing.

High-profile figures, including… pic.twitter.com/l20tIPbo8N
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) July 17, 2024

Despite isolating due to Covid at his beach house, Biden has dismissed concerns about his age and health and remains committed to his White House bid.

However, pressure is growing within the party with Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries reportedly meeting with Biden recently to express concerns that his candidacy could jeopardize the party's chances in the November election.

Pelosi warned Biden of dangers Democrats are facing

This comes the same day after Axios cited two sources as saying that former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has warned Biden and his campaign about the political danger the Democratic Party will face if he stays in the race.

Biden has already received requests from House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer to withdraw from the presidential race, as revealed by ABC News.

However, Biden, in a message to Democrats last week, stated it was time to "end the talk" about withdrawing from the presidential race. According to Axios, Biden said he had "intense discussions with party leadership, elected officials, and grassroots members, and most importantly, with Democratic voters, over the past 10 days," acknowledging the concerns people have raised.

Biden confirmed his candidacy, expressing his conviction that he is the best person to defeat Donald Trump. He stated his strong commitment to staying in the race, noting that "the question of how to move forward has been well posed for over a week now. It's time to end it."