United States: Democratic lawmaker publicly has urged President Joe Biden to end his re-election bid, raising concerns about his physical and mental fitness for office.
Since his awful debate performance against Republican opponent Donald Trump, in which the 81-year-old Democrat stammered and lost his train of thought, Biden’s candidacy has been clouded.
“I represent the heart of a congressional district once represented by Lyndon Johnson. Under very different circumstances, he made the painful decision to withdraw. President Biden should do the same,” Doggett said in his statement.
Texas Representative Lloyd Doggett was the first person in his party to openly urge Biden to withdraw from the campaign on Tuesday. House Representative Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington state stated she thought Joe Biden would lose the election in November while not explicitly calling for his withdrawal on Thursday.
Rep. Jim Clyburn and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi both weighed in on Biden’s condition, stating that it was reasonable to express worries about his health after the debate.
While Democratic insiders have been discreetly raising questions about Biden’s suitability with media outlets for days, the president is under more pressure now to allay public concerns about his electability, which have dominated headlines despite efforts by the White House and prominent Democrats like former Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama to contain the damage.
To ease worries about his health, the White House announced on Tuesday that Biden would undertake several events and meetings in the next few days, including his first sit-down television interview since May and a press conference.
As his staff works to shore up support within the party, Biden is scheduled to meet with Democratic governors on Wednesday.
Biden was suffering from a cold during the debate and had a “bad night,” according to White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, who made this announcement at a media conference.
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