Biden's Response to Calls for Withdrawal: I'm Not Going Anywhere

Joe Biden, under pressure from some financial supporters of his campaign and members of the Democratic Party to withdraw from the race, stated, "I'm not going anywhere." The President of the United States, who will compete against Donald Trump for re-election this November, said in an interview with MSNBC on July 9 that he is confident that the average voter still wants him as the Democratic candidate in this election. He added, "If I weren't completely sure that I am the best candidate to defeat Donald Trump, I wouldn't continue to run." This interview is part of his effort to dispel negative perceptions about his performance in the debate with the Republican candidate. Biden had previously attributed his poor performance in the debate with Trump to "a severe cold and fatigue" in an interview with ABC. The U.S. President also wrote in a letter to Democratic Party members that he is "firmly committed to staying in the race." In this letter, he emphasized, "Now is the time for us to stand together and move forward as a united party to defeat Donald Trump." In the latest developments following Biden's weak performance in the first debate with Trump, several Democratic members of the U.S. House of Representatives have called on him to end his campaign and pave the way for another candidate from the party. Biden stated that only God can dissuade him from running in the elections. Reuters reported that with the return of Congress members to work on Sunday after the holidays, several Democrats have called for Biden to withdraw in phone calls, while others have supported his continued candidacy. The 81-year-old President acknowledged in another part of his letter to Democratic House members that he is aware of their concerns but urged them to end their opposition to his candidacy. He is trailing in polls against his Republican rival, and his shaky and poor performance in the first debate with Trump has increased concerns among some Democrats about his potential defeat in the upcoming elections. Some Democratic Party members are calling for Kamala Harris, the Vice President, to run as a replacement candidate if Biden steps aside. While some prominent financial supporters of Biden's campaign and Democratic-leaning media have also called for his withdrawal, the President explicitly stated in his MSNBC interview that he does not care that major news organizations and experts are calling for him to step down. He also referenced the recent parliamentary elections in France, where the far-right was defeated by the left, saying, "France pushed back extremism. Democrats will do the same here [in America]." Biden, who participated in several public events in Pennsylvania on Sunday, is set to continue his in-person campaign events in the coming days. The New York Times reported on Monday that a Parkinson's disease specialist has visited the White House eight times in eight months. The White House had stated that Biden had met with a neurologist only three times in over three years of his presidency. According to the New York Times, Dr. Kevin Canard, a neurologist from Walter Reed Medical Center, specializes in movement disorders. These visits occurred between last summer and early this spring, but the New York Times noted that there may have been additional visits that have not yet been officially reported. The policy of publicly announcing visitors to the White House, which was canceled during Trump's presidency, has resumed under Biden's administration. The New York Times reported that during one of the visits, Dr. Canard met with Biden's physician. Dr. Canard has not responded to this report. However, a White House spokesperson stated that many specialists affiliated with Walter Reed visit the White House to treat the thousands of military personnel working in that facility. Several neurologists in the U.S. who have not personally met with Biden and have not examined him closely claim that signs of Parkinson's or other diseases are evident in the President's public appearances. This group of doctors points to a lack of dynamism in his speech, irregular speech patterns, and his stooped forward walking. Thomas Friedman, a prominent columnist for the New York Times, wrote in an article following the Biden-Trump debate on June 27 that Biden is a good man and President but should withdraw from the race. The New York Times is generally supportive of the Democratic Party.