President Joe Biden tested positive for covid-19 on Wednesday, according to a release from the White House. Although White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Biden was experiencing “mild” symptoms, it was unclear how long it would take for the president to get back on track in an already chaotic and uncertain campaign.
“Earlier today, following his first event in Las Vegas, President Biden tested positive for COVID-19,” Jean-Pierre said in a statement posted online. “He has been vaccinated and Strengthened vaccination, currently experiencing mild symptoms.”
“He will return to Delaware, where he will self-quarantine, and will continue to fully perform all of his duties during this period,” she continued. “The White House will provide regular updates on the President’s status as he continues to perform the full duties of his office while in quarantine. Responsibilities.”
According to the Review-Journal, Biden was scheduled to attend the UnidosUS conference in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Wednesday, and UnidosUS President and CEO Janet Murguia was the first to announce that Biden would not attend. Will attend because he has coronavirus.
Interest in X arose after news of Biden’s health broke. What began as what appeared to be confirmation that he had contracted the coronavirus ended up being a spoof of tweets aimed at Elon Musk and other tech billionaires who have recently pledged support for Trump.
Elon Musk and his wealthy pals are trying to buy this election.
If you agree, please participate here.
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) July 17, 2024
The fact that Biden contracted covid-19 is not surprising given the surge in cases across the West this summer, according to wastewater sampling data compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In fact, your humble blogger accurately predicted this scenario when Biden gave a speech in Madison, Wisconsin, on July 5 in response to calls for him to withdraw. Anyone could tell from how close Biden stood to the crowd that it was only a matter of time. One man at the Madison event appeared to be trying his best to breathe directly into the president’s mouth.
But it’s unclear where Biden may have contracted the virus. There may be many places. For example, Vice President Kamala Harris’ husband and second-in-command Doug Emhoff also tested positive for the coronavirus a few weeks ago. As far as anyone knows, Harris has not contracted covid-19.
Covid-19 is less deadly than at the start of the pandemic, but Biden, 81, is still in a group at higher risk of severe illness and death than the general population. Biden’s age and cognitive abilities have become big question marks in his campaign, which are sure to complicate his decision to stay in the race. But with assassins trying to take out Republican nominee Donald Trump and disease taking its biggest role against Biden, it’s anyone’s guess what will happen in this race. There is no doubt that this will be a very intense four months.
