President Joe Biden is acknowledging behind closed doors he may have no choice but to exit the race — and could do so as soon as this weekend, according to Axios.
This comes after weeks of public and private panic from various Democratic leaders that began snowballing with Biden's low-energy debate stumble against former President Donald Trump in Atlanta last month.
Biden has repeatedly stated he has no intention of leaving the race and has worked to reassure allies and donors of his fitness to continue with a blitz of public events and interviews, and on Thursday morning, Biden's campaign reiterated the president's commitment to standing for election against Trump in November.
But it's been to little effect. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) have both worked behind the scenes in recent days to try to nudge him out.
RELATED ARTICLE: ‘Staying in race’: Aides stick to message as stunning report suggests Biden about to quit
It also comes as Biden is isolating at his home in Delaware after testing positive for COVID-19 with mild symptoms — ironically, just hours after saying that a "medical" issue is one of the only things that could push him from the race.
According to unnamed Democratic sources speaking to Axios, Biden is "resigned to mounting pressure, bad polls, and untenable scrutiny making it impossible to continue his campaign."
ALSO READ: Trump and God: Religion raises the stakes at Republican convention
"His choice is to be one of history's heroes, or to be sure of the fact that there'll never be a Biden presidential library," said a close friend of the president to Axios, adding, "I pray that he does the right thing. He's headed that way." Meanwhile, according to the report, top Biden aides believe that an annoucement of an exit from the race is only a matter of time at this point.
It's unclear exactly what would come next if Biden chooses to leave, as some Democrats appear to be calling for an open convention, but the most likely candidate to replace him would be Vice President Kamala Harris, who would have the easiest time legally continuing the existing campaign operation.
