As Biden faces rising pressure to exit, Trump to accept nomination

MILWAUKEE:

President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign faced fresh turmoil after reports emerged that top Democratic leaders had privately pushed the 81-year-old incumbent to end his campaign, while Donald Trump, 78, was set to accept the Republican presidential nomination on Thursday.

US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi have all expressed deep concerns directly to Biden in recent days that he will not only lose the White House but also cost the party any chance of winning back the House of Representatives in the Nov 5 election, according to reports in multiple news outlets.

The White House said Biden was isolating and continuing to work after the president tested positive for COVID-19 during a campaign visit to Nevada, forcing him to return to his Delaware home to work in isolation. His doctor said he was experiencing mild symptoms but his vital signs remained normal.

Biden’s campaign prepared for a tougher fight as opinion polls showed four of the seven most competitive states looking increasingly out of reach. The Trump campaign, meanwhile, said it believes it is now competitive in Democratic-leaning states including Minnesota, New Hampshire, and Virginia. “We’re expanding the map,” a senior campaign adviser speaking on condition of anonymity told reporters.

So far, only 20 out of 264 Democrats in Congress have called on Biden to drop out following his poor June debate performance against Trump, which raised questions about Biden’s ability to win and to carry on in a high-pressure job for another four years if he were to succeed.

Representative Adam Schiff, a senior House lawmaker running for a Senate seat in California, became the latest Democrat to call on Biden to bow out on Wednesday. White House officials believe Schiff was backed by Pelosi, according to a White House source speaking on condition of anonymity.

That could be an ominous sign for Biden, as the former House speaker is still one of the most influential Democrats in Washington. “Nancy is all over this. She doesn’t miss,” the White House source said. Some lawmakers think Biden may now be more open to stepping aside. “He’s done what’s best for America ... I think he’ll keepdoing so,” Democratic US Senator John Hickenlooper told Reuters. “He’s working towards that.”

Hickenlooper declined to say whether he believed Biden should step aside as a candidate. Former President Barack Obama has told others that Biden should rethink his candidacy, the Washington Post reported, citing anonymous sources.

Meanwhile, Trump will cap the four-day Republican National Convention in Milwaukee with his first public address since he survived an assassination attempt in Pennsylvania on Saturday, in which a bullet grazed his ear. Lara Trump, the nominee’s daughter-in-law who serves as Republican National Committee co-chair, said the attempt on his life had prompted him to revise his acceptance speech and emphasize unity.