Live updates: Biden ‘staying in the race’ – White House hits back at speculation

The Biden candidacy is under a dark cloud that
seems to be growing and growing since his debate performance.

It’s
being fed hourly and daily by an American media demanding answers and fervently
reporting every twist.

The
White House has denied the New York Times’s claim that Biden is weighing up his options, but
at this point all denials are being treated sceptically.

Democratic Representative Lloyd Doggett was the first out of the gate to say yesterday that the president should
step down.

And
whilst others more senior, such as Nancy Pelosi, aren’t making the same call,
the fact she said Biden’s mental health is a legitimate issue to talk about is telling.

What’s
been interesting is how quiet Donald Trump is right now.

Some
members of Trump’s Republican party have called on Biden to stand down, but most
haven’t.

It
may be that the familiarity of Joe Biden as an opponent is their preference,
especially when the race is fairly static and polls suggest Trump currently
edging him in battleground states.

Introducing
another candidate to take him on is a wildcard the Republicans may not want to
entertain.