Joe Biden ‘doubted VP Kamala Harris can beat Trump which delayed his exit from race’ – as WH insists Covid wasn’t reason

DITHERING Joe Biden hit the pause button on quitting the presidential race as he questioned Kamala Harris’s ability to conquer Donald Trump.

Harris, 59, is two decades younger than her potential Republican rival - who has dismissed her as “crazy.”

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The revelation comes as Biden's youngest brother spilled on the real reason for his sibling’s shock decision to quit the presidential contest.

The current VP has been endorsed by the outgoing president - and she has vowed “to earn and win this nomination."

But, it has been revealed that Biden stumbled over possibly handing the baton to his VP as he and his senior advisers feared she was not a strong enough candidate to challenge Trump, reported Axios.

Questions were raised about her suitability to take on the task because of her infamous unpopularity with staff.

Ex-aides told Axios that Harris was hit by high staff turnover at the start of her VP role, due in part to the way in which the tough former prosecutor treated her employees.

Crooked Joe Biden, he loses the Debate badly, then panics, and makes mistake after mistake.

Donald Trump, Truth Social

Harris’s staff resigned in droves at the beginning of her vice-presidency - with ex-aides slamming her “soul-destroying” management style, reported the New York Post in 2022.

She has also raised questions after showing little progress on her portfolios of protecting voting rights and stemming migration from Central America.

Some of her former aides - speaking anonymously - told Axios that Harris was unpopular for "prosecuting the staff."

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Of the 47 Harris staffers listed back in 2021, just five have remained loyal and still worked for her as of this spring, said Axios, citing Senate disclosures.

But, she was defended by Carmel Martin, her former domestic policy adviser.

"I never felt grilled by the vice president. I think she holds high standards for her staff but she is also a great boss and mentor," she said.

INSULTS FLY

Trump immediately started piling on the insults about his possible White House foe.

He called her “crazy”, “nuts” and “pathetic.”

He also demanded that “crooked” president Biden should leave the White House.

The US President, 81, suddenly quit the 2024 race to remain in the White House on Sunday.

He ended his controversial quest for reelection following a disastrous debate with Trump, 78, just four months before the poll.

He has really reached a place where the only thing that matters to him is the health of this nation.

Frank Biden, ABC News

His announcement stunned the world, as he had appeared to be snubbing calls from fellow party members and Democratic-supporting celebs, including George Clooney, to quit.

Yet Frank Biden told ABC News that the decision to quit "boils down" to his older brother's "health and vitality."

“It really boils down to this: it has to do with his overall health and vitality," he said yesterday.

"Not anything cognitive. But he’s a proud guy, it pisses him off that he shuffles when he walks.

“Joe has one thing uppermost in his mind. It’s not him, not his ego, not his ambition. He has really reached a place where the only thing that matters to him is the health of this nation."

MANCHIN OUT

It also comes as West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin has now confirmed he won't challenge Harris.

"I'm not running for office," Manchin told CBS Mornings on Monday.

"I'm not going to be a candidate for president... I don't need that in my life."

And Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker has today endorsed Harris as the Dems' presidential candidate, it has just been revealed by White House correspondent, Joey Garrison.

Intriguingly, Pritzker has been tipped as her potential running mate.

Just a few days ago, he blasted Trump for his "narcissism and dishonesty."

"He is a man who remains wholly unfit for the office of the presidency, both in temperament and character," he claimed of the Republican champion, moments after his headline address at the Republican National Convention last Thursday.

BESHEAR FLATTERED

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear has also now endorsed Harris, reported Axios.

And there appears to be a big fight looming over who's picked to be her running mate.

Beshear said it was "flattering" to hear he is joining the growing throng of possible VP contenders.

But he remained coy when pressed about his ambitions.

"The only way I would consider something other than this current job is if I believe I could further help my people and to help this country," he said.

"I think if somebody calls you on that, you at least listen."

FULL SUPPORT

Additional endorsements for Harris have come from Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

Whitmer was seen as a possible rival for the Democratic nomination after Biden's massive U-turn.

"Today, I am fired up to endorse Kamala Harris for President of the United States," Whitmer announced.

"She’s a former prosecutor, a champion for reproductive freedom, and I know that she’s got Michigan’s back.

"That’s in stark contrast to Donald Trump, a convicted felon who stokes violence, overturned Roe, attacked our auto industry which hardworking families depend on, left office after losing 100,000 manufacturing jobs, and drove our economy into the ground last time he was in the White House.

"Vice President Harris has my full support."

UNDER PRESSURE

Biden has not been seen in public since testing positive for Covid on Wednesday.

A scathing Trump reacted in a post on Truth Social that Biden “was not fit to run for president, and is certainly not fit to serve.”

"The Democrats pick a candidate, Crooked Joe Biden, he loses the Debate badly, then panics, and makes mistake after mistake, is told he can’t win, and decide they will pick another candidate, probably Harris," thundered Trump.

The Republican star also attacked Biden's cognitive ability.

"It’s a new day and Joe Biden doesn’t remember quitting the race yesterday!" wrote Trump.

"He is demanding his campaign schedule and arranging talks with Presidents Xi of China, and Putin of Russia, concerning the possible start of World War 3."

Biden announced that he was stepping back from the 2024 race after facing increased pressure from his own party.

And his abrupt withdrawal from his reelection bid was not due to his Covid diagnosis, officials have confirmed.

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The announcement came just days after Biden tested positive for Covid-19 leading many to speculate about the reasons for his change of heart.

Just hours before pulling out of the race, Biden was posting on X about his continued desire to run for another term.

However, officials have confirmed that the positive Covid-19 test was not behind the president's decision, per CNN.

A senior White House official reportedly added that while Biden continues to isolate and recover at home in Delaware, no other health issues are related to the withdrawal announcement.

The president released a statement on X just before 2 pm on Sunday, confirming the end of his campaign to further the Democratic Party.

"While it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term," Biden said.

It came after increased pressure from senior party figures and major donors following Biden's disastrous presidential debate against rival Trump last month.

STEADY 'DEMISE'

Since the performance during which the President stumbled over his words and launched into a bizarre conversation about golf, he has made a series of other public blunders.

At the same time, Trump's popularity has increased following his survival of an assassination attempt during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

The former President formally accepted the GOP nomination for president at the Republican National Convention last week.

Things seemed to come to a head on July 17 when Biden tested positive for Covid-19 after weeks of renewed pressure to prove that his health was up to scratch after appearing confused and admitting to being tired.

The decision to back out of his reelection bid just days after getting a positive test has been interpreted by Trump as a sign of weakness and confirmation that Biden was intimidated by his rival.

Trump has claimed on Truth Social that Biden does not have Covid and instead has used it as a way out after the debate which the former president called "the big moment in Joe Biden's demise."

"Does anybody really believe that Crooked Joe had Covid?" he asked in a post on Truth Social.

"He wanted to get out ever since June 27th, the night of The Debate, where he was completely obliterated.

"That was the big moment in Joe Biden’s demise. That was the point in time when Joe was revealed for what he is, an incompetent man who should never have been President."

DAMNING DATA

While there is no evidence that neither Biden or the White House is lying about the positive test, poll data did spell trouble for the Democrats which likely contributed to the president's decision.

A source told Reuters that Biden's last-minute decision came after hours of agonizing data analysis about his dwindling popularity across the country.

Senior officials reportedly showed the President worrying data on Saturday evening about his poll performance that showed he was behind in all six swing states.

It comes as:

• Biden's past his sell-by date, Nigel Farage says.
•  Top Republicans including Trump's VP pick call for Biden to resign now
•  The Sun says Biden's done the decent thing by quitting the race.
•  Trump brands Kamala Harris incompetent.
•  What happens next after Biden exits the presidential race?
•  Chaotic 48 hours before withdrawal emerge.
•  Expert says Biden did the right thing as he was a liability.

Biden was also dwindling in areas like Virginia and Minnesota where the Democrats do not usually have to pool their resources due to higher levels of support there compared to other places.

The president informed aides of his decision just minutes before informing the country.

He "had wrestled with [the decision] over the last 48 hours," an insider told the news outlet.

"This was really closely held. It came as a surprise to most White House folks."

As well as struggling in the polls, Biden was also hugely disappointed in the lack of support from his own party.

"It became hard with the growing opposition within the party. We have to be united going into November. That was a factor," a senior White House official said.

An insider noted that the president is "really pissed off" as he feels betrayed by allies, according to NBC News.

The president said he will further address the country about his decision later this week.

In the meantime, he has backed his vice-president Kamala Harris to be the Democratic nominee for the 2024 election.

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Harris has accepted the President's support and that of other high-profile Democrats and donors.

However, there could be several Democrats who decide to throw their hat in the ring before a nominee is chosen at the Democratic Convention next month in Illinois.