MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:
President Biden has tested positive for COVID. He was in Las Vegas campaigning. The White House said he developed a runny nose and a cough, so he took a COVID test and got the news.
A MARTÍNEZ, HOST:
Yeah, now he's back at his beach house in Delaware, where the White House says he'll continue his normal duties, but this comes at a time when very little in this campaign is actually normal. The health of this president and his ability to seek a second term is definitely under the microscope.
MARTIN: NPR senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith is with us now from Milwaukee. Good morning, Tam.
TAMARA KEITH, BYLINE: Good morning.
MARTIN: So what do we know about how the president is doing?
KEITH: Last night, as he got on Air Force One to return from Las Vegas, the White House said he'd already taken his first dose of the antiviral drug Paxlovid, and his symptoms were mild with a normal respiratory rate and temperature. But his cough was quite noticeable, in an interview he did just before testing positive. We know that his doctor generally says he's in good health for his age. But, you know, he had that cold three weeks ago that he blames for his very bad debate performance.
MARTIN: OK, his age - he's 81. That's been a subject and issue throughout this sort of campaign season, and especially since that debate where he really struggled to explain himself. Democrats have been asking whether he has what it takes to keep the White House and frankly, to govern if he does keep the White House. Now he's got COVID. How is that affecting the conversation about this race?
KEITH: A lot of people are getting COVID right now, but talk about terrible timing. Biden was in the middle of a tour meant to shore up support with Democratic base voters and to show those in his party who are anxious about his chances that they're underestimating him, that he has what it takes, that he's vigorous and has the drive to win. And now he's stuck at home instead. And the timing is really bad in another way. Yesterday, prominent House Democrat Adam Schiff called for Biden to pass the torch, adding to a growing list. And we know that Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer went to see him last Saturday in Delaware, which is unusual. And he's issued a pair of uncharacteristically terse statements since. Schumer said he shared the concerns of Senate Democrats with the president, and that the meeting was good, not exactly a ringing endorsement. And House Democratic leader Hakim Jeffries has been pretty circumspect, as well. So we don't know exactly what these leaders said to Biden, but White House spokesman Andrew Bates told us, quote, "the president told both leaders he is the nominee of the party. He plans to win, and he looks forward to working with both of them to pass his 100 days agenda to help working families."
MARTIN: Well, so that sounds like the president is still quite insistent that he is the best candidate and that he is staying in.
KEITH: Publicly, at least - we aren't seeing any cracks from the president or his inner circle of advisors. Two weeks ago, he said only the Lord Almighty could convince him to get out of the race. He did an interview with BET News earlier this week, and in that interview, he said that one thing that could change his mind would be some kind of serious medical condition. When he walked off Air Force one last night in Delaware, he responded to the reporters shouting questions that he was doing well. But at least for a few days at this key moment in the campaign, with questions swirling about the viability of his candidacy, Biden is going to be largely invisible, isolating at his beach house. Meanwhile, Democrats are fighting among themselves, while Republicans are at their convention here in Milwaukee, projecting massive confidence and presenting a united front behind their nominee who just survived an assassination attempt and came out looking stronger.
MARTIN: That is NPR's Tamara Keith. Tam, thank you.
KEITH: You're welcome. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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