Biden, 81, tested positive a day after he attended the NAACP National Convention in Las Vegas, where he strongly criticised Trump’s policies…reports Asian Lite News
President Joe Biden turned his positive Covid-19 test into a political statement targeting Elon Musk and former President Donald Trump.
Shortly after news broke of Biden’s diagnosis, he took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to express his frustration. “I’m sick,” Biden wrote in his initial post, referencing his current health situation. However, he quickly pivoted to a broader political message, adding, “of Elon Musk and his rich buddies trying to buy this election. And if you agree, pitch in here.”
The post was accompanied by images of both Musk and Trump, along with a link to a donation page for Biden’s 2024 campaign.
Musk has been vocal about his support for Trump in the upcoming 2024 presidential election. On Saturday, Musk endorsed Trump in a post on X, which came in the wake of a violent incident at a rally in Pennsylvania where a gunman fired at the former President.
Musk has also been critical of Biden’s age and immigration policies on the social media platform, and he has expressed frequent support for Trump’s presidential bid.
In a related development, The Wall Street Journal reported that Musk intends to contribute approximately $45 million each month to a pro-Trump political group. However, Musk later responded to the Journal’s report on X with a meme labeled “FAKE GNUS,” casting doubt on the accuracy of the financial figures mentioned.
Biden, 81, tested positive on Wednesday, a day after he attended the NAACP National Convention in Las Vegas, where he strongly criticised Donald Trump’s policies and also condemned the increase in gun violence in the nation.
“He (Biden) will be returning to Delaware where he will self-isolate and will continue to carry out all of his duties fully during that time,” the White House said in its official release on Wednesday (local time).
The President is vaccinated and has also had Covid-19 vaccine booster shots, the most recent being in September 2023, the WH said.
After testing positive, Biden, in a post on X, said, “I tested positive for COVID-19 this afternoon, but I am feeling good and thank everyone for the well wishes.”
“I will be isolating as I recover, and during this time I will continue to work to get the job done for the American people,” he added.
The President’s doctor revealed that Biden had upper respiratory symptoms, including rhinorrhea (runny nose) and non-productive cough, with general malaise.
“He (Biden) felt okay for his first event of the day, but given that he was not feeling better, point-of-care testing for COVID-19 was conducted, and the results were positive for the COVID-19 virus. Given this, the President will be self-isolating in accordance with CDC guidance for symptomatic individuals. PCR confirmation testing will be pending,” a note from his doctor provided by White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre read.
He will be self-isolating at his home in Rehoboth, it said.
“His symptoms remain mild, his respiratory rate is normal at 16, his temperature is normal at 97.8 and his pulse oximetry is normal at 97 per cent,” the White House added.
Earlier, it was in July 2022 that Biden tested positive for Covid for the first time. Also, in the following days, he had a rebound infection, which resulted in isolation for a second time for the President.
Before departing Las Vegas, Biden assured reporters that he felt fine, and he was seen boarding Air Force One without wearing a mask. (ANI)
Nearly two-thirds of Democrats want Biden to withdraw
Nearly two-thirds of Democrats say President Joe Biden should withdraw from the presidential race and let his party nominate a different candidate, according to a new poll, sharply undercutting his post-debate claim that “average Democrats” are still with him even if some “big names” are turning on him.
The new survey by the AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, conducted as Biden works to salvage his candidacy two weeks after his debate flop, also found that only about 3 in 10 Democrats are extremely or very confident that he has the mental capability to serve effectively as president, down slightly from 40% in an AP-NORC poll in February.
The findings underscore the challenges the 81-year-old president faces as he tries to silence calls from within his own party to leave the race and tries to convince Democrats that he’s the best candidate to defeat Donald Trump. The poll was conducted mostly before Saturday’s assassination attempt on Trump at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. It’s unclear whether the shooting influenced people’s views of Biden, but the small number of poll interviews completed after the shooting provided no early indication that his prospects improved.
Meanwhile, as Vice President Kamala Harris receives additional scrutiny amid the talk about whether Biden should bow out, the poll found that her favorability rating is similar to his — but the share of Americans who have an unfavorable opinion of her is slightly lower.
The poll provides some evidence that Black Democrats are among Biden’s strongest supporters, with roughly half in the survey saying he should continue running, compared to about 3 in 10 white and Hispanic Democrats. Overall, seven in 10 Americans think Biden should drop out, with Democrats only slightly less likely than Republicans and independents to say that he should make way for a new nominee.
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