Biden bows out: Health speculations spark media frenzy
On Sunday, Joe Biden announced that he is withdrawing from seeking re-election. His decision is being widely discussed. The current president's brother, Frank Biden, also said a few words. The interview caused a stir.
On Sunday, 21 July, Joe Biden issued a statement announcing that he is withdrawing from seeking re-election. He also endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as his successor, who — it seems — will indeed run for the White House. Biden's decision is widely commented on in the media. His younger brother, Frank Biden, also responded to it.
CBS News reporters pressed Frank Biden on whether his brother's deteriorating health condition was the deciding factor in his withdrawal from the White House race. "In my humble opinion, absolutely," said the younger Biden brother.
Frank Biden emphasised that he is "incredibly proud" of his older brother, whom he called a "hero," prioritising the country's good over his own. He also expressed the hope the Democratic party would unite around this act.
CBS News noted that Frank Biden's position is not the official stance of the president's family. White House spokesperson Andrew Bates unequivocally denied the circulating rumours that the president's deteriorating health was the deciding factor in his withdrawal from the election.
CBS News also quoted a "source close to the Biden family," which stated that Frank Biden "suffers from alcoholism and hasn’t spoken to his brother, the president, in weeks". The quoted source emphasised that the claim that Joe Biden's health influenced his decision is "entirely untrue."
This is how Joe Biden justified his decision
President Biden's age and health condition were among the main topics that arose during his run in this year's election. As "Super Express" reminds us, concerns about the American leader's condition intensified after the first presidential debate, in which the current president — to put it mildly — did not perform too well.
It was noted that he often stammered, spoke very slowly and quietly, lost his thread, and sometimes seemed completely absent. After this debate, each of Biden's subsequent public appearances was closely watched, and each blunder he committed was carefully analysed.
In his statement, Biden announced that he would not accept the nomination and would "focus solely on fulfilling my duties as president for the remainder of my term." "Democrats—it's time to unite and defeat Trump. Let's do it," Joe Biden called.
