Biden tests positive for COVID-19 amid renewed calls for him to leave the presidential race

Johns Hopkins University political science professor Robert Lieberman explains in Foreign Affairs that four features help cause democratic crises: political polarization, conflict over who belongs in the political community, high and growing economic inequality, and excessive executive power. He adds, “What makes the last four years different is that all of them are present.” Unsurprisingly, following last Saturday’s shooting, four in five Americans polled said “the country is spiraling out of control.”

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Photo From Denison Forum. resident Joe Biden waits for the start of the Independence Day firework display over the National Mall from the balcony of the White House, Thursday, July 4, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Dr. Jim Denison

Denison Forum

President Biden tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday, forcing him to cancel a campaign event in Las Vegas. This after he stated earlier in the day that he would drop out of the presidential race if he had a “medical condition.”

His COVID-19 symptoms are mild and would likely not constitute such a “condition,” but the juxtaposition of the two is interesting with regard to their timing.

Here’s why: Rep. Adam Schiff, one of the top Democrats in the country, called on Mr. Biden yesterday to “pass the torch” and step aside from the race. In a new poll, nearly two-thirds of Democrats agree that Mr. Biden should withdraw.

The Washington Post is also reporting that House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer, in separate private meetings with Mr. Biden last week, told him that his continued candidacy imperils their party’s ability to control either chamber of Congress next year. And former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi reportedly told the president last week that she and other Democratic lawmakers worry that he’s dragging down the party.

Last night, the New York Times reported that Mr. Biden has become more receptive to such arguments, though he has not given any indication that he is changing his mind about staying in the race. He has also asked questions about how Vice President Kamala Harris could win. More Here

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