Obama says Biden should consider viability of candidacy

Former US President Barack Obama believes President Joe Biden should seriously consider the viability of his candidacy, according to a report released Thursday.

The Washington Post, citing multiple people briefed on his thinking, said Obama had told allies in recent days that Biden’s path to victory had narrowed significantly.

The former president sees his role as that of a mentor and advisor to his former vice president and has expressed a sense of protectiveness toward Biden, the newspaper said.

Obama has been an active participant in discussions about Biden’s campaign, fielding calls from concerned Democrats like former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. According to the Post, sources who spoke on condition of anonymity said Obama shared his thoughts on the president’s challenges during those conversations.

In various discussions, Obama also expressed concerns about the swing in polls in Biden’s favor, his rival Donald Trump’s growing electoral chances and the withdrawal of donor support for the president.

Biden faces growing calls within his party to step down after a disastrous performance in the late June debate, which further exacerbated public doubts about his mental acuity.

A poll showed that nearly four in five Democrats would support Vice President Kamala Harris to replace Biden if he bows to growing internal pressure and ends his re-election campaign.

Data from this week’s Economist/YouGov poll found that 79% of Democrats would support change four months before the election of the next US president.