With family and, supposedly, senior staff members seemingly discussing exit strategies, the current president dropping out of the 2024 race is a hot topic of discussion.
Paraphrasing Biden’s family, NBC News states they discussed how Biden:
“Would want to end his re-election bid on his own timing…with a carefully calculated plan…considerations about the impact of the campaign on his health…family…stability of the country are among those at the forefront of the discussions.”
The exit plan, NBC News says, would have to be calculated carefully. If Biden decides to step down, he has to leave in a way that would put the Democratic Party in a better position to beat former President Donald Trump.
Reports about Biden’s supposed exit included rumors considering the timing of the exit, whether Biden would endorse Vice President Kamala Harris, who would be on the shortlist as Harris’s vice presidential running mate, and that speechwriter and historian Jon Meacham is writing Biden’s exiting remarks.
Despite what Biden’s family has said, many close to Biden claim these accusations and reports are false. As mentioned by NBC News, White House spokesman Andrew Bates said:
“That is not happening, period. The individuals making those claims are not speaking for his family or his team”.
Jen O’Malley Dillon, Biden’s campaign manager, went on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” to give her opinion on the rumors. While acknowledging that the campaign didn’t do great for a moment, she notes movements and claims Biden is still in the race.
Ron Klain, Biden’s former White House Chief of Staff and adviser is quoted as saying “I think he’s feeling the pressure. I want him to stay in”.
Biden and those close to him feel that the push for him to withdraw from the race is “backhanded and disrespectful”, NBC News says. According to the President, he doesn’t plan to back out: “With all these rumors that I’m leaving, I’m not”.
It’s hard to say what’s going to happen or what’s true and what isn’t. Politics are naturally messy, throw any amount of rumors into the mix and we’re only adding to that mess. Only time will tell if Biden steps down, but regarding his party’s stance on it, there seems to be a relatively split opinion on whether he should.
