(NewsNation) — President Joe Biden is set to address the nation in an Oval Office address following Sunday’s announcement that he would not continue to seek reelection.
While the president has bowed out of the race and endorsed his second in command, Vice President Kamala Harris, he still has six months left of his term. The speech is expected to lay out his plans for the country going forward after a tumultuous few weeks for his campaign.
NewsNation will bring you special coverage of Biden’s address beginning at 7 p.m. ET with a special edition of “On Balance with Leland Vittert.” Then, Chris Cuomo will anchor a two-hour special report around the speech beginning at 8 p.m., followed by a special edition of “The Hill” at 10 p.m. Here’s how you can watch.
Shifting Democratic support
Fears about Biden’s ability to win in November began to surface shortly after the first presidential debate, where Democrats were alarmed by his soft-spoken, sometimes confused answers.
The White House blamed a cold and recent overseas travel for Biden’s performance and attempted to shore up support with a series of interviews and events.
However, Biden’s appearances were marred by verbal gaffes and increased scrutiny of his appearance. An increasing number of Democrats began publicly calling for a new nominee while others reportedly put pressure on the president behind the scenes.
Biden’s campaign took another hit last week when the president tested positive for COVID, forcing a cancellation of campaign events as he isolated in Delaware.
The Biden campaign remained firm that the president was committed to remaining in the race and believed he could win in November until a sudden reversal on Sunday. The president announced in a letter that he would no longer be seeking reelection. Shortly after, Biden endorsed Harris for the role.
Questions about Biden’s fitness
Democrats who raised concerns about Biden’s candidacy expressed shock at his debate performance with some speculating that his team had shielded both the country and his party from the president’s health and fitness.
Following Biden’s decision to exit the race, some in the GOP have also spoken up, suggesting that if Biden is unable to run for reelection, he is currently unable to serve as the president right now.
The White House has maintained Biden is in good health and has not been diagnosed with any cognitive or neurological issues. Biden’s allies have also dismissed the calls, saying that the president is able and committed to serving out the rest of his term.
Following treatment with Paxlovid and a negative COVID-19 test, Biden is resuming in-person duties, including a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday.
