Biden letter to Congress calls on Democrats to end speculation over presidential bid
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President Joe Biden sent a letter to Congressional Democrats on Monday to say he will remain in the presidential race and call on his party to “end” speculation over his continued candidacy.
“I want you to know that despite all the speculation in the press and elsewhere, I am firmly committed to staying in this race, to running this race to the end, and to beating Donald Trump,” Biden’s letter reads. “The question of how to move forward has been well-aired for over a week now. And it’s time for it to end.”
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Biden’s letter, sent to lawmakers returning to Capitol Hill after the July 4 recess, comes amid growing discontent and unanswered questions over both his ability to beat Donald Trump in November and govern for four more years. Doubts began swirling within the party after the first presidential debate in June, which saw a hoarse and unwell-sounding Biden stumble repeatedly, and at times seem to lose his train of thought.
The White House said he was sick, but concern continued to mount. An ABC News interview with Biden released on Friday did little to allay fears. During that interview, the president remained defiant in his belief that he remains the best person to beat Trump, dismissing concerns from members of his party and denying polls showing he is losing to his competitor. Biden also repeatedly dodged on committing to taking a cognitive test, saying his job is equivalent to getting “a full neurological test every day.”
“If the Lord Almighty came down and said, ‘Joe, get out of the race,’ I’d get out of the race,” Biden said. “The Lord Almighty’s not coming down.”
Key Democrats have planned meetings this coming week to discuss Biden’s future, NBC News reported. Multiple lawmakers have gone on-the-record to politely call for him to step aside, and some have begun eyeing Vice President Kamala Harris as the person to now get behind.
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Two well-connected Democrats have put together an optimistic plan that would involve Biden stepping down and the party hosting a “blitz primary,” Semafor’s Morgan Chalfant reported over the weekend.
