Biden plans to campaign again, as Democrats meet on nomination process
World
Biden plans to campaign again, as Democrats meet on nomination process
(Reuters) - US President Joe Biden will return to the campaign trail next week, the head of his re-election campaign said on Friday, even as the Democratic incumbent faces growing calls to leave the race.
"He is absolutely in it," Biden campaign chairwoman Jen O'Malley Dillon told MSNBC in an interview, despite several Democratic officials telling Reuters earlier Friday that Biden's upcoming campaign events had been canceled.
A Democratic Party committee will meet on Friday to discuss a virtual voting process, opens new tab to bring forward the official nomination of the 81-year-old to before the party's in-person convention, starting Aug. 19 in Chicago.
It is unclear how the nominating process would unfold if Biden were to abandon his reelection bid amid questions about his mental sharpness.
Biden has been isolating since he tested positive for COVID this week. O'Malley Dillon's remarks come after several reports that Biden is now taking calls to step aside seriously. Several Democratic officials think an exit is a matter of time, Reuters reported on Thursday, opens new tab.
Biden's reflection is an about-face, as he has insisted for weeks that he would stay in the race despite calls from heavyweights in his party to cede his position at the top of the Democratic ticket after a shaky June 27 debate performance against Trump.
Trump, 78, accepted the Republican Party's nomination this week in Milwaukee, speaking before a rapt audience, opens new tab on Thursday.
Some Democrats have now begun openly advertising against Biden. Pass the Torch, a group that wants Biden to step down, has launched a TV ad to air in Washington and Rehoboth, Delaware, where Biden frequently vacations, and features Democratic voters from Pennsylvania urging Biden to "pass the torch."
Former US President Donald Trump on Thursday formally accepted the Republican Party's nomination for president.
For a party already divided, the virtual vote is another point of controversy.
