The last days of the Biden campaign – BBC correspondent’s account

Tom Bateman, a North America correspondent, recently reported on the final days of Joe Biden's campaign in Delaware. Just five nights ago, he witnessed Biden's last public appearance as he carefully descended the stairs of Air Force One at Dover Air Force Base. Dressed in a dark jacket and baseball cap, Biden appeared unsteady, and the signs of aging were evident. At 81 years old, he had just tested positive for Covid after returning from a campaign trip to Las Vegas, which was supposed to be a strong push for his re-election. The scene at Dover, replayed on news channels, marked the end of his candidacy as he announced his withdrawal from the race on Sunday. It was remarkable how much had changed in just a week. Last Monday, when I joined him on the presidential plane for the Nevada trip, Biden seemed confident that he could secure the Democratic nomination. Just two days earlier, Donald Trump had survived an assassination attempt, which provided Biden with a temporary reprieve from the mounting pressure from Congressional Democrats urging him to step down. His campaign aimed to energize black and Hispanic voters, who have traditionally supported Democrats but had shown signs of losing faith in Biden since 2020. On Tuesday, I observed him deliver an inspiring speech to a packed audience at the NAACP convention, where the atmosphere was electric, and some attendees were even dancing in the aisles, chanting 'Four more years! ' However, the following morning, the situation began to unravel. Biden's final campaign stop in Nevada took place at the Original Lindo Michoácan Restaurant in Las Vegas. This was a meticulously planned event where he would interact with voters. As he entered, I was struck by how pale he looked and how much slower he moved compared to the previous day. We shouted questions about the growing concerns among Democrats regarding his fitness to run, but he did not respond. Afterward, we were ushered back to our press vans while he conducted a radio interview inside. We waited for over 90 minutes in the sweltering Nevada heat, and it became increasingly clear that something was amiss. Suddenly, I received an email from a BBC colleague stating that the host of his next speech had announced that Biden had tested positive for Covid. As I attempted to approach a White House staff member for clarification, I was abruptly instructed to return to my van, and we were told we were leaving. The motorcade began to move, and we sped through the suburbs of Las Vegas, heading to an unknown destination. The campaign was shifting course rapidly. Soon, the airport came into view, and it was evident that the president was returning home to Delaware to recover from Covid, marking the end of the campaign trip. Just days later, he would announce from his beachside home that he was no longer running for president. In retrospect, his last appearance at the air force base in Dover seemed like a final attempt to defy the inevitable, as campaign donor George Clooney described it, 'the battle against time. ' On the tarmac, we had asked him one last time about the dwindling support from Democrats. This time, he replied, 'I’m doing well. ' It was not quite the answer we were looking for, and it left us wondering if he had misheard us or if he genuinely believed he could overcome the challenges. Ultimately, it turned out that he could not.