After the White House announced President Joe Biden's COVID-19 diagnosis, CNN analyst Van Jones said Wednesday was a "terrible day" for the Democrats, given how former President Donald Trump has responded following Saturday's attempted assassination.
"Today is a terrible day," Jones said Wednesday night on CNN. "If you pull back and look at this thing, strength versus weakness, a bullet couldn't stop Trump. A virus just stopped Biden.
"You've got nominees of this party [the GOP] getting their butts kissed," he continued. "Biden's getting his butt kicked by his own party. The Democrats are coming apart. The Republicans are coming together. That's what's happening. And at some point, this party has to look at the reality of that."
On Wednesday, Biden tested positive for COVID-19. It's the third time in two years he has tested positive for the coronavirus.
In light of the "mild symptoms" he is experiencing, the White House announced that Biden would return to Delaware to self-isolate and "carry out all of his duties fully during that time." The president is also reportedly being treated with Paxlovid and received his first dose of the Pfizer-made antiviral therapy.
Before boarding Air Force One to head back to Delaware, Biden told reporters he felt "good."
The turn of events caps a chaotic past few weeks for the president, whose shaky and halting debate performance on June 27 led to panic among some Democrat lawmakers about his ability to defeat Trump on Nov. 5.
It has also underscored long-running concerns within the party about Biden's age and cognitive fitness.
The 81-year-old president is the oldest to ever sit in the Oval Office and has frequently faced criticism that he is seen by foreign adversaries as weak.
While Biden has steadfastly maintained that he has no intention of exiting the race, he has indicated that they would step aside if a "medical condition" emerged.
Biden's diagnosis came less than a week after Trump was nearly assassinated at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. A former fire chief, Corey Comperatore, 50, was killed shielding his family during the attack, while David Dutch, 57, and James Copenhaver, 74, sustained critical injuries.
Trump traveled to Milwaukee the next day to attend the Republican National Convention from Monday through Thursday and has appeared with a bandage covering his right ear, which was grazed by a bullet during the attempt on his life.
In a show of support for the former president, several RNC attendees were seen sporting bandages on their ears at the event.
Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
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