Is Biden Done Running The Country?

The White House has downplayed concerns regarding President Joe Biden’s recent sparse public schedule, with the President having no public appearances for two consecutive days. Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre faced numerous questions about Biden’s schedule, particularly after Vice President Kamala Harris was named as the 2024 Democratic nominee last week.

Jean-Pierre assured reporters that Biden’s involvement in governing remains robust, dismissing any notion that his reduced public visibility indicates otherwise. She emphasized that any such impression would be misleading.

Vice President Harris recently made a public statement following a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whereas President Biden did not issue a statement after his own meeting with the leader. Harris is also set to deliver a eulogy for Texas Democratic Representative Sheila Jackson Lee, a role Biden has traditionally undertaken. Additionally, Biden has not commented on Hamas’s claim of the assassination of political leader Ismail Haniyeh amid ongoing Gaza ceasefire negotiations—a critical issue for Middle Eastern stability.

Jean-Pierre pointed out that Biden did address the press briefly early Tuesday morning after returning from a trip to Texas. On Wednesday, the President received his daily intelligence briefing and was updated on the Inflation Reduction Act’s progress before having lunch with Harris. Biden is also scheduled to meet with U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine’s Economic Recovery, Penny Pritzker. However, details of these engagements were not open to press coverage.

When asked about the timing of a joint public appearance by Biden and Harris, Jean-Pierre stated that she did not have specific information on that matter. She did, however, express that Biden is pleased with his decision to step aside for Harris, citing her strong public support and fundraising success. Jean-Pierre posed a rhetorical question to reporters, suggesting that the President’s pride in Harris’s achievements should be reassuring.

This situation highlights a strategic pivot within the Democratic Party as it navigates its future leadership dynamics, with Biden’s low-profile period serving as a backdrop to Harris’s emerging prominence.