Biden nears crunch point as pressure grows to drop out

WASHINGTON - US President Joe Biden was reportedly coming closer to dropping out of the White House race as allies including Barack Obama were said to have expressed concerns that he can no longer win the 2024 election.

The 81-year-old Democrat was holed up at his beach house with Covid as multiple US media reports said he was considering the future of his reelection bid amid mounting opposition within his party.

The New York Times cited several people close to Biden as saying they believe he has begun to accept that he may lose in November to Republican rival Donald Trump and may have to drop out, with one quoted as saying: "Reality is setting in."

It quoted the person as saying it would not be a surprise if Biden soon endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to replace him as the Democratic candidate.

Former president Obama meanwhile had told allies that Biden should "seriously consider the viability of his candidacy," the Washington Post reported. His office did not comment.

The Axios news outlet separately quoted party figures as saying that Biden could drop out as soon as this weekend, while broadcaster NBC quoted a person close to Biden as saying: "We're close to the end."

Meanwhile, Jon Tester of Montana became the second Democratic senator to publicly call for Biden to quit the race, saying: "While I appreciate his commitment to public service and our country, I believe President Biden should not seek reelection to another term."

Biden's candidacy has been in peril for three weeks since a disastrous television debate against Trump rekindled fears about his age and fitness.

His campaign however insisted he was staying in. 

"He's running for reelection. Baseless conjecture from anonymous sources isn't a scoop," campaign official T.J. Ducklo said on X.

Harris made no comment on the crisis in a speech in the battleground state of North Carolina but praised the president, saying the "contrast between Joe Biden and Donald Trump, it's like night and day."

She also lashed out Trump's new running mate J.D. Vance, saying November's vote was the "most existential, consequential and important election of our lifetime."