The End of Biden’s Candidacy Approaches
AtlanticJul 10
Report: Biden 'Receptive' to Calls to Step Aside
Image copyright: Kevin Dietsch/Staff/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Facts
Several Democrats have told the New York Times and CNN that Pres. Joe Biden is "being receptive" and "willing to listen" to calls for him to step aside as he tested positive for COVID and retreated to his Delaware home to isolate Wednesday.
This comes after ABC News reported that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has "forcefully made the case" to Biden that it would be better "if he were to bow out."
The Spin
Narrative A
As Biden isolates for COVID, he looks ever more isolated politically. More prominent Democrats seem to be going public with their wish for Biden to step aside daily, and his donor cash is drying up. The next few days will determine if he can survive this situation or whether this is the end of his re-election campaign.
Narrative B
If the president has said it once, he's said it one thousand times since the debate — he's not going anywhere. Biden is the Democratic nominee; the voters chose him during the primaries, and he intends to win this November. Leading Democrats should focus more on what Biden's second term will look like legislatively.
Republican narrative
This is a great time to be a Republican and to be Trump. While the president is laid up with COVID and powerful Democrats are staging a bloodless coup to remove him from their ticket, the GOP convention is overflowing with unity. Trump has his party's wholehearted support and the type of momentum that will win the November election.