Power & Politics: A look at President Biden's reelection campaign
Biden has remained steadfast that he will not leave the race for reelection, despite the growing pressure.
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President Joe Biden faced a massive test on Thursday, July 11, when he held his first solo press conference since late last year. The event served as an opportunity for the president to quiet critics calling for him to drop out of the race ahead of the Democratic nominating convention.
"I think I'm the most qualified person to run for president," Biden said Thursday. "I beat him once and I will beat him again. I'm not in this, for my legacy. I'm in this to complete the job I started."
Hudson Valley Rep. Pat Ryan (NY-18) was the first from New York to call for Biden to step aside in favor of a different Democrat. Ryan said he decided after speaking with constituents in his district.
"The American people have great choices that could prosecute the case against a convicted felon who tried to overturn the election, who wants a national abortion ban, who wants to gut Social Security, who wants to give more tax breaks to big corporations and billionaires," Ryan said.
SUNY Westchester Community College history and U.S. presidency professor Dr. Gary Klein told News 12 concerns about a political candidate's health are not new but this level of infighting is unprecedented.
"Although we've never seen such public calls from within a party to remove its nominee or to reconsider its nominee we've certainly seen an incumbent's health be a central issue in the campaign," Klein said.
Biden has remained steadfast that he will not leave the race for reelection, despite the growing pressure.
