WASHINGTON: Former US President and Democratic stalwart Barack Obama has weighed in on frantic discussions in the party about the viability of Joe Biden‘s continued candidacy for the November , reportedly agreeing with other party grandees that his road to victory is now very difficult. Obama however would prefer Biden, who was his vice-president, make his own decision about dropping out.
Obama’s implicit advice to Biden to bail out rippled through Washington on Thursday amid reports that senior Democratic leaders such as Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer, and Hakeem Jaffries among others have been gently goading the President to bow to poll numbers and growing fears in the party that he will lead them to a rout.
The infirm President contracting Covid and appearing even more enfeebled on Thursday has further demoralized the party, already on the backfoot after a Republican surge following the failed assassination bid on Donald Trump.
There is growing speculation in the capital that Biden could announce as early as this weekend that he is bowing out, giving Democrats around six weeks to rally around a new nominee, with vice-president Kamala Harris heading the short-list. Harris is close to Obama, but any decision on a Biden replacement will center on electability.
Biden aides continue to insist that he is not quitting the race, but with his poll numbers nosediving and an even more frail appearance in the last few days, it seems a foregone conclusion that he will bow out.
Obama’s implicit advice to Biden to bail out rippled through Washington on Thursday amid reports that senior Democratic leaders such as Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer, and Hakeem Jaffries among others have been gently goading the President to bow to poll numbers and growing fears in the party that he will lead them to a rout.
The infirm President contracting Covid and appearing even more enfeebled on Thursday has further demoralized the party, already on the backfoot after a Republican surge following the failed assassination bid on Donald Trump.
There is growing speculation in the capital that Biden could announce as early as this weekend that he is bowing out, giving Democrats around six weeks to rally around a new nominee, with vice-president Kamala Harris heading the short-list. Harris is close to Obama, but any decision on a Biden replacement will center on electability.
Biden aides continue to insist that he is not quitting the race, but with his poll numbers nosediving and an even more frail appearance in the last few days, it seems a foregone conclusion that he will bow out.