Since assuming office at the White House, it has become widely acknowledged that President Joe Biden’s ascension to power in the United States occurred at an advanced age, with numerous instances of confusion and lapses during his term from 2021 to the present. Initially, the White House attempted to provide justifications to portray Biden as “perfect,” but these arguments have been repeatedly refuted, leaving the undeniable fact that the president is afflicted by age-related illnesses, possibly including dementia. Remarkably, this elderly individual is responsible for leading a significant portion of the world, making decisions that impact hundreds of millions of people and numerous countries within the American sphere of influence. This is an exceedingly challenging task for anyone, let alone for Biden, who is now in the ninth decade of his life.
Biden’s situation is a tragedy, especially for himself. He has achieved the highest point in his life, yet he is unable to fully enjoy it. Similar to an injured athlete in a game, he persists stubbornly until the end. It is also a tragedy for his family, who witness their family leader rapidly becoming a source of shame. However, the primary and distinct challenge with dementia is disregarding and relating to the consequences of this condition, which jeopardizes self-worth, erases the former identity, and gradually descends into the abyss of oblivion.
After he debated with his nemesis, Donald Trump, there has been a growing chorus among Americans, including Democratic Party leaders, urging Joe to go home. It is becoming increasingly apparent that the president is being influenced by several individuals, most notably his wife, who is pushing for him to stay in office, as well as former President Barack Obama, who appears to be leaning towards Joe stepping down and handing over the reins to Vice President Kamala Harris.
Following the disastrous debate that brought him face to face with his adversary, Donald Trump, there has been a surge of voices among Americans, including Democratic Party leaders, calling for Joe to return home. The president is being swayed by several individuals, particularly his wife, who is advocating for him to remain in his position, as well as former President Barack Obama, who seems to be leaning towards Joe stepping aside and passing the baton to Vice President Kamala Harris.
Several days ago, an additional four Democratic legislators in Congress added their voices to the increasing number of calls for President Joe Biden to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race. Representatives Adam Smith of Washington, Jerry Nadler of New York, Mark Takano of California, and Joe Morrell of New York, all of whom occupy senior positions on crucial congressional committees, have stated their opinion that Biden should step aside. This development now brings the total count of Democratic lawmakers openly questioning Biden’s candidacy to almost twelve.
Some legislators have refrained from directly demanding Biden’s withdrawal, but they have voiced significant apprehensions regarding the Democrats’ prospects in the upcoming November elections due to the 81-year-old president. They argue that Vice President Kamala Harris would present a stronger candidacy.
Despite increasing pressure, Biden has continued to resist calls for him to withdraw from the race. During an interview with ABC News, the president dismissed the notion of stepping down, stating that only “the Almighty God” could prompt him to reconsider. While this statement affirms his determination to stay in the race, it also suggests that there is a possibility of a change occurring in the final stages of the presidential race.
Conversely, Donald Trump, his opponent, seized every chance to ridicule Biden, persisting in his verbal attacks on the potential of Kamala’s candidacy, asserting: “So now we have Kamala. She’s terrible, she’s pitiful. Just picture that guy – Biden – dealing with Putin and the President of China.”
American media has confirmed that senior Democrats from the former Obama and Clinton administrations are conducting polls to publicly pressure Biden to withdraw. According to Axios, Democratic lawmakers have expressed their views on Biden’s recent conference, suggesting that had his debate with Donald Trump gone the same way, the issue of his eligibility to continue in the presidential race would not have escalated in the last two weeks. They noted that while Biden seemed coherent, the “mistakes he made” ended up overshadowing his entire performance.
Several individuals are engaging in discussions with legislators to urge their leaders to exert pressure on Biden and his close advisors to step back from the presidential campaign. This is particularly due to the belief that “Biden and his family appear to be unyielding,” hence they are counting on influential figures such as the Obama family, the Clintons, Chuck Schumer, Jeffries, and Nancy Pelosi to apply significant pressure.
On the donor front, which is crucial for any candidate’s campaign, there is a threat to withhold almost $90 million in donations from Biden’s election campaign. George Clooney, who led the largest fundraising campaign in the history of the Democratic Party last month, is seen as a prominent figure in the growing chorus of Hollywood stars urging Biden to withdraw his candidacy. Other notable figures on this front include Reed Hastings, the co-founder of Netflix, and Ari Emanuel, the CEO of Endeavor. Additionally, prominent liberals like Stephen Colbert, who organized a significant fundraising effort for Biden in March, are putting pressure on Biden to step down. Jon Stewart has also intensified his calls for an alternative candidate to be chosen instead of Biden.
Biden’s ongoing lapses and missteps, including his recent blunder at the NATO conference where he mistakenly referred to Trump as his vice president instead of Kamala Harris and confused the Ukrainian president with President Putin, are fueling the growth of the “anti-Biden network.” Speculation is rife that the Democrats may introduce a new candidate in response to these incidents.
Regardless, considering the current events in Washington, Biden still has a minimum of 4 months until the presidential elections, and it is inevitable that all eyes, both domestically and internationally, will be closely watching every move Biden makes for the remainder of his term. Throughout this period, there will undoubtedly be mistakes, especially when taking into account the amount of pressure he will face from the Democratic Party, media, and social networks in the United States. Change is on the horizon, or else the Democrats may face a significant downfall for years to come.
Dr Hatem Sadek – Professor at Helwan University
