Biden's Campaign Says He Will 'Definitely' Stay in the Race

Jen O'Malley Dillon, head of Joe Biden's campaign, stated on Friday, July 19, that Biden will 'definitely' remain in the race for the U.S. presidential election and is 'the best person to take on Donald Trump.' This comes as Donald Trump officially accepted the Republican Party's nomination for the U.S. presidential election on the evening of Thursday, July 18, during the fourth night of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. The emphasis from Biden's campaign manager on his staying in the race coincides with his renewed bout with COVID-19 and the increasing efforts of some senior Democratic figures urging the current president to withdraw from the upcoming presidential election. They have recently told Biden that his chances of winning this fall's election are diminishing, and a potential defeat could harm the Democratic Party's hopes of controlling both chambers of Congress (the Senate and the House of Representatives). Former President Barack Obama, under whom Biden served as vice president for eight years, has told Biden's political allies that his chances of winning are decreasing and believes he should reflect on his candidacy. However, the 81-year-old Biden insists he will be the Democratic standard-bearer in the election on November 5 this year and has shown no clear signs of stepping aside in favor of Vice President Kamala Harris. Nevertheless, U.S. news reports indicate that Biden has listened to concerns from Democrats about his campaign against former Republican President Trump in recent days. Biden, who has contracted COVID-19 for the third time, quarantined himself at his vacation villa on Thursday without plans to appear in public to recover from the illness. Hakeem Jeffries, the Democratic House Minority Leader, and Chuck Schumer, the Democratic Senate Majority Leader, told him in separate private meetings last week that if he remains the party's presidential nominee, winning either chamber of Congress will be difficult for Democrats. White House spokesperson Andrew Bates stated that the President has told both Democratic leaders in Congress that 'he is the party's nominee, intends to win, and is eager to work with both of them to pass his 100-day agenda to help working families.' A total of 20 Democratic lawmakers have publicly called for Biden to end his re-election efforts, with many others privately expressing concerns about his political future. Adam Schiff, a California representative and one of Trump's staunchest critics, called for Biden to withdraw from the race earlier this week. Hollywood star George Clooney, a major supporter of Biden, has also called for him to step down. Following last month's debate with Trump, which raised new questions about his age and mental acuity, Biden has resisted increasing calls from Democrats to abandon his presidential candidacy. In an interview with 'BET' published on Wednesday, he stated, 'If doctors come to me and say you have this problem, or that problem,' he would reconsider his candidacy for the upcoming presidential election. Biden implicitly mentioned that he initially intended to serve only one term but changed his mind after witnessing the increasing divisions in the nation. Biden addressed the people: 'In America, we resolve our differences through the ballot box, not with bullets.'