The director of President Joe Biden's reelection campaign affirmed today, Friday, that Biden will return to campaigning next week after being sidelined due to mild symptoms from a "COVID-19" infection. Campaign manager Jen O'Malley Dillon told MSNBC during an interview, "He will definitely participate in the campaign." She noted that while Biden takes concerns from some fellow Democrats seriously, he is committed to tirelessly striving for a second term.
**Discussions Within the Biden Family**
In this context, members of President Biden's family discussed a potential withdrawal plan from the election campaign at the appropriate time and with careful planning, according to NBC News. NBC News cited informed sources stating that "the discussions focused on ensuring any potential withdrawal plan would leave the Democratic Party in the best position to defeat former President Donald Trump." Insiders indicated that "considerations regarding the impact of the campaign on his health, family, and national stability are significant factors in the discussions."
The possibility of Biden considering stepping aside, let alone that his family is working on a potential withdrawal plan, marks an extraordinary development after he has repeatedly stated that he would not abandon his position as the presumptive nominee for the party. White House spokesman Andrew Bates denied that such discussions occurred among the family.
Ron Klain, Biden's former chief of staff and longtime advisor, said in an interview that "Biden hears the public and private calls for him to exit the race." He added, "I think he feels the pressure." Biden and those close to him have felt distressed by the efforts to push him out, with his family expressing anger over how friends have treated the president.
NBC News continued: "There was discussion about how to create an appropriate plan for Biden's withdrawal among senior staff, not just the president's family, according to someone close to his reelection efforts. Bates also denied that these discussions took place." Among the family members on whom Biden relied the most are First Lady Jill Biden, his son Hunter, and his sister Valerie Owens, along with a few long-time close aides who were central to the negotiations.
Discussions about Biden's political future intensified while he remains at his home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, after testing positive for the coronavirus on Wednesday.
