WASHINGTON, July 9 (NNN-AGENCIES) — US President Joe Biden has promised he will be “running this race to the end” of the November election, despite private calls from some Democrats to drop out.
In a letter sent to congressional democrats on Monday, Biden said he “wouldn’t be running again if I did not absolutely believe” that he could beat Donald Trump.
The letter comes after a group call with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, in which four congressmen were explicit in urging Biden to step aside.
The quartet were joined by others who voiced concerns about Biden’s fitness for office after a recent stumbling debate performance, but stopped short of asking for the president to clear the way.
Scrutiny of Biden’s candidacy is expected to intensify on Monday with the return of lawmakers to Capitol Hill. The president will also be in the spotlight in the days ahead as he hosts a summit in Washington for leaders of Nato countries.
In the letter, Biden said he has “heard the concerns that people have” and “is not blind to them”, but that Democratic voters in the primaries have “spoken clearly and decisively” that he should run.
“This was a process open to anyone who wanted to run,” Biden wrote. “The voters of the Democratic Party have voted. They have chosen me to be the nominee of the party.”
“Do we now just say this process didn’t matter? That the voters don’t have a say….I decline to do that,” he added. “How can we stand for democracy in our nation if we ignore it in our own party? I cannot do that. I will not do that.”
Long-standing questions about Biden’s age escalated after last month’s televised head-to-head with Donald Trump, in which the president stumbled over some answers or appeared to lose his train of thought.
Various explanations were offered by the Biden camp, including that the president had a cold and was exhausted by travel.
Trump has celebrated Biden’s shaky showing and last week labelled his rival “broken-down”. He is three years Biden’s junior as he bids to return to the White House, despite a recent conviction in a New York criminal hush-money case.
Amid mounting speculation over Biden’s candidacy in November, the thoughts of some Democrats have turned to who could replace him.
Some party members have rallied around Vice-President Kamala Harris, who currently occupies the position of Biden’s running mate in November. — NNN-AGENCIES