Biden tests positive for COVID; cancels speech at UnidosUS conference in Las Vegas
WASHINGTON - President Joe Biden has tested positive for COVID, the White House has confirmed.
The president was set to deliver remarks at the UnidosUS Annual Conference in Las Vegas but his speech was canceled after Biden reportedly "wasn't feeling well." He was slated to speak at the event in an effort to rally Hispanic voters ahead of the November election.
According to reports, Biden's motorcade headed straight to Air Force One after he tested positive and he will be self-isolating at his home in Delaware. He will continue to carry out his duties from there, the White House said in a statement Wednesday evening.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre added that the president is experiencing mild symptoms and says they will continue to provide regular updates.
The statement also included details from the president's doctor saying Biden is experiencing upper respiratory symptoms, a runny nose and a cough. He has received his first dose of Paxlovid.
The president's health has been in the spotlight for weeks following gaffes during his first debate against former President Donald Trump and in news conferences he's had since then.
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Concerns about his mental and physical well-being have caused an outcry from Democrats who want Biden to step aside and allow another — presumably younger — candidate to take the top of the ticket in the election.
A new AP-NORC poll found that nearly two-thirds of Democrats nationwide say Biden should step aside and let his party nominate a different candidate.
The same poll found that only about 3 in 10 Democrats are extremely or very confident that he has the mental capability to serve effectively as president, which is down slightly from 40% in a February poll.
WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 15: U.S. President Joe Biden departs the White House on July 15, 2024 in Washington, DC. Biden is traveling to Las Vegas, Nevada to deliver remarks at the NAACP National Convention and the UnidosUS Annual Conference. (Photo by K
The new numbers underscore the challenges 81-year-old Biden faces with the election less than four months away.
Despite numerous Democratic leaders calling for him to step aside, the president has remained adamant that he will continue his campaign and has continuously pushed back against suggestions that he may no longer be fit to serve.
"If I slow down and I can't get the job done, that’s a sign that I shouldn’t be doing it. But there’s no indication of that yet — none," Biden said in a speech after wrapping up the 75th NATO Summit in D.C.