United States President, Joe Biden on Sunday announced he is withdrawing his bid for re-election after weeks of pressure from top Democrats to drop out of the race amid concerns over his cognitive state and his ability to beat his Republican rival, Donald Trump in November polls.
Calls for Biden to step aside followed his June 27 debate with Trump, in which the 81-year-old President seemed at times confused, tired, and unable to articulate his thoughts.
Though there had been some reporting in the weeks leading up to the debate that Biden’s mental acuity was slipping, the primetime debate, watched by more than 50 million people, brought the issue to centerstage.
Biden’s performance ignited concerns among Democrats and prompted some prominent party members to urge him to drop out.
For weeks, the President refused to exit the race and attempted to control the damage through high-stakes interviews, a media conference at the NATO summit, and meetings with Governors and congressional lawmakers.
But his efforts to reassure voters did little to stem concern at the highest levels of the party. More than two dozen top Democrats – many of them members of the House – have publicly called on Biden to withdraw.
Others reportedly expressed concern privately about polling that suggested Trump’s support over Biden was growing.
Meanwhile, President Joe Biden has endorsed his Vice President, Kamala Harris to be nominee as Democratic presidential candidate
Source: MSMBC
(Editor: Terverr Tyav)
