US President Joe Biden is looking forward to “getting back on the campaign trail next week”.
This fortified his commitment to stick in the race as more Democrats on Friday called for him to step aside as the party nominee.
“The stakes are high, and the choice is clear. Together, we will win,” he said.
His statement appeared to be in response to the conflicting reports that Mr Biden’s inner circle is discussing the beleaguered president’s future and whether he will remain in the race.
Over the last several weeks, Mr Biden has been caught in a whirlwind of political pressure to step down: Calls from leaders within his own party to withdraw from the race, a loss of big-ticket donors and the added pressure that his decision could cost Democrats control of Congress.
At least a dozen Democratic lawmakers have called for him to step aside on Friday alone, and Vice-President Kamala Harris – considered the top choice to replace Mr Biden – was tasked with comforting worried donors on a Friday afternoon call.
Ms Harris said that she believed “in my heart of hearts” that “we are going to win this election”, an individual who listened to the conversation told the BBC.
“We know which candidate in this election puts the American people first: Our president, Joe Biden,” she added.
Earlier in the day, Mr Biden’s re-election campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon also attempted to push back on speculation that the president would withdraw in an appearance on MSNBC’s Morning Joe.
“Absolutely, the president’s in this race,” she said when asked about Mr Biden’s plans.
She described him as “more committed than ever to beat Donald Trump” and said he’s the “best person” to take on the former president.
In his statement, the president referenced former President Trump’s Republican National Convention speech to say he will continue “exposing the threat” of the former president while “making the case” for his record.
“Donald Trump’s dark vision for the future is not who we are as Americans. Together, as a party and as a country, we can and will defeat him at the ballot box,” he said.
As the conflict played on on Friday, the president was under quarantine at his home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. He tested positive for Covid-19 while traveling in Las Vegas earlier this week. Mr Biden is experiencing “mild symptoms”, the White House said.
Since his poor debate performance last month, Mr Biden has insisted he will continue to run, though his perspective on what it would take for him to step down as the Democratic nominee has evolved.
First telling ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos “only the Lord Almighty” would make him stand down, Mr Biden said this week during an interview with BET (Black Entertainment Television) that he would re-evaluate the campaign if a doctor told him he had a serious medical condition.
According to a campaign memo released on Friday, Mr Biden isn’t going anywhere.
“Joe Biden has made it more than clear: He’s in this race and he’s in it to win it,” according to the memo. “Moreover, he’s the presumptive nominee — there is no plan for an alternative nominee. In a few short weeks, Joe Biden will be the official nominee. It is high past time we stop fighting one another. The only person who wins when we fight is Donald Trump.”
Time is running out for Mr Biden to decide if he will step down.
The Democratic National Convention begins 19 August, but the Democratic National Committee is expected to meet virtually the first week of August to nominate Biden as the official party nominee to meet state ballot deadlines. BBC
