Many Democrats believe that U.S. President Joe Biden must exit the 2024 presidential race, and Biden may be close to accepting this course of action, multiple media outlets reported on July 18, citing top officials in the party.
One source close to Biden told the New York Times (NYT) that "reality is setting in" and the president might soon announce that he is stepping aside in favor of Vice President Kamala Harris.
Biden is currently in isolation after testing positve for Covid-19 on July 17. He has thus far insisted that he will remain in the race, but some sources indicated he may make a key announcement about his candidacy in the coming days.
"The next 72 hours are big," one Democratic governor told aides on July 18, according to CNN.
"This can't go on much longer."
Biden has become more "receptive" to arguments that he should step aside, sources told CNN.
Top Democrats, including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Representative Adam Schiff, have called on Biden to drop out of the race. Major donors have also reportedly withdrawn their support.
Calls for Biden, age 81, to step down mounted after the president's poor debate performance in June. Questions about his mental acuity and fitness for office increased, and Biden made several public speaking gaffes, including referring to President Volodymyr Zelensky as "President Putin."
Former U.S. President Donald Trump formally accepted the GOP nomination at the Republican National Convention (RNC) in Milwaukee on July 18. In his acceptance speech, he recounted the details of surviving a July 14 assassination attempt .
The Democratic party's official nominee will be named in August at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago.
Asami Terajima
