His health raises doubts Voices for Biden's withdrawal are getting louder - even among the Democrats

The election campaign in the USA is coming to a head. Since the televised debate almost two weeks ago, there has only been one topic: Biden's health. Now the Democrats are also speaking out - is Biden withdrawing?

The almost curious live debate two weeks ago between Joe Biden (81) and Donald Trump (78) continues to make waves. Now the air is getting thinner and thinner, especially for the incumbent president.

In an interview with ABC News, Biden wanted to dispel all rumors about his health and reaffirm his commitment. But the incumbent president was not really convincing.

When asked about his health, Biden repeatedly searched for words and had to pause several times. He rejected an independent cognitive test by a neurologist. According to Trump's team, such a test would probably be appropriate due to the president's advanced age. The former president had undergone a test on his sanity in the past and published the results.

In an interview with journalist George Stephanopoulos, Biden said that he takes a cognitive test every day. And added in the same sentence: "You know, I don't just campaign, I run the world. That may sound exaggerated, but the USA is the most important nation."

When asked what could persuade him to step down, Biden replied that "only God Almighty" could persuade him to get out of the race. According to a report by Axios, however, there are others who could persuade Biden to withdraw from the presidential race.

Democrats call for his resignation

The voices of critics from his own camp are becoming louder and louder. Action must be taken quickly "so that the election campaign does not become a total disaster", a Democratic MP told Axios.

Congress will resume normal operations on Monday after the National Day break and the discussion on the Biden withdrawal will be relaunched. The decision should be made by this Friday at the latest, so Vice President Kamala Harris (59) would still have time to launch her own election campaign if necessary. If the decision is delayed, it would probably be difficult to launch a proper campaign, also in view of the important Democratic Party convention in Chicago in mid-August.

Although most Democrats would still hold back their opinion, an open letter addressed to Biden this week could be supported by many if the President does not withdraw from the presidential election campaign himself. The Obamas should also be drawn to the side of the critics. They should convince Biden to resign.

According to the Axios article, only First Lady Jill Biden, son Hunter and a few confidants are still backing Joe Biden. This also includes Senator Bernie Sanders. The 82-year-old said in an interview with CBS that Biden could clearly beat Trump, "the most dangerous president in US history".

What about Biden's health?

In an interview with ABC News, Biden said he could not sprint 100 meters, but was still fit enough. He is constantly accompanied by doctors and, according to his own statement, also undergoes regular physical tests. A medical test of his sanity was not necessary because no doctor had advised him to do so.

However, a media report in the New York Post now reveals that Dr. Kevin Cannard, a renowned neurologist and Parkinson's expert, visited the White House on 17 January 2024 and met with Dr. Kevin O'Connor, Biden's chief medical officer, and two of the president's other doctors. According to the newspaper, this can be seen in the White House visitor files.

The timing of the article is sensitive for Biden, but as the New York Post itself points out, Cannard has been working with the White House medical team since 2012. In addition, cardiologist John E. Atwood and a third, unnamed person were also registered for the visit to Washington DC in January along with the neurologist.

Dr. Rob Howard, professor of geriatric psychiatry at University College London, is also quoted as saying that Biden has many symptoms that indicate Parkinson's disease. These include "fluctuations in his attention function, facial expressions and gait", Howard told the New York Post.

Precise instructions for simple tasks

A document that the White House sends to staff preparing for events is now supposed to prove that everything is being done to ensure that even simple tasks do not become a problem for the president.

Axios reports that there is a five-page script in which the procedures for events are described in detail. For example, two pictures on two pages show exactly what the route to the podium looks like.

One person who organized a fundraising event for Biden at a private residence over the past 18 months told Axios, "They treated the event like it was a NATO summit."

The White House confirms the existence of such a document. Such appearances by Biden would have to be prepared in every detail for security reasons, including the movements of the president and vice president. The script has changed in recent years with the advent of recordings that can be made with smartphones. Images, as opposed to diagrams, would simplify such a guide.

Trump on the rise and with malice towards the competition

Someone who is usually in the headlines is watching the discussions surrounding Biden from afar: Donald Trump. The Republican is certain that he would beat Biden and Harris. It could be more difficult against other Democratic candidates, although he is ahead of everyone else in the polls.

However, as the Frankfurter Rundschau reports, Trump has also caught up with Biden in the latest polls and is even ahead of the incumbent president. The reason for this, in Biden's view, is the botched TV debate.

In the social networks, Trump is mainly spreading his word in this presidential election campaign on his own social media "Truth Social" after he was no longer welcome on X (formerly Twitter).

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