Could Covid offer the president an excuse to bow out gracefully?
The sense of history unfolding with startling speed is inescapable as both of the leading candidates for the 2024 presidency have recently been touched by fate. On 13 July, during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania, a 20-year-old gunman came dangerously close to assassinating Donald Trump. Just four days later, in Las Vegas, Joe Biden’s team announced that the president had tested positive for Covid-19, prompting the cancellation of his upcoming campaign events. This series of events — violence and illness affecting both major candidates — has cast a shadow over the upcoming election, raising the question of whether Biden might step down.
For many Americans, such events of violence and illness are no longer extraordinary but have become tragically routine. Life expectancy in the U.S. has seen a drastic decline in recent years, dropping from 78.8 years in 2019 to 76.1 years in 2021 — the most significant drop since World War II. The U.S. now faces one of the lowest life expectancies among wealthy nations, even falling behind countries like Cuba and Lebanon. This downward trend is a sobering reflection of the broader public health crisis in the country.
As Biden, already frail at 81 years old, deals with Covid, questions about his ability to continue running for a second term grow louder. Could Covid, a legitimate health concern, offer the president a graceful excuse to bow out of the race? Many have speculated that Biden’s age and health might force his hand, especially after his disappointing debate performance in June, which only worsened perceptions of his capability to serve another term.
While Biden’s departure from the race would shake the Democratic Party, it may offer a moment for the party to regroup and nominate a new candidate who could present a stronger challenge to Donald Trump. However, whether that candidate could overcome the deep divisions within the party and win the trust of voters remains uncertain.
In the meantime, the nation’s political scene remains in flux, and the unfolding drama surrounding Biden’s health and Trump’s assassination attempt highlights the volatility of the current election cycle. As both men grapple with the circumstances beyond their control, the question remains whether either can effectively lead the nation in a time of such profound uncertainty.
