ANDREW NEIL: In a party obsessed with identity politics, her ascent looks unstoppable. But in her own way, she could be just as big a liability as Joe

ANDREW NEIL: In a party obsessed with identity politics, her ascent looks unstoppable. But in her own way, she could be just as big a liability as Joe By Andrew Neil, Daily Mail Published: 22:06 BST, 21 July 2024 | Updated: 22:14 BST, 21 July 2024 e-mail 8 View comments President Biden had spent a miserable weekend at his house in Rehoboth Beach in his home state of Delaware , 100 miles from the White House , self-isolating with Covid, coughing and hacking as the world passed him by. Even Vice President Kamala Harris was on manoeuvres to replace him as the Democratic candidate in November's presidential election.

He headed to Delaware on Friday after cutting short campaigning in Las Vegas , where he'd tested positive. But his people were briefing strongly that he was still running for re-election and he even averred that he would resume campaigning later this week. But by Sunday lunchtime he'd decided the game was up, announcing that, though he'd remain President until his term end in January, he would no longer seek re-election.

Shortly afterwards he said he was backing Harris for the Democratic nomination. He could hardly do otherwise. He'd picked Harris as his VP to show that, though he may be old and ailing, he'd chosen a younger woman who was fit to be President should he die in office.

So how could he possibly not endorse her now? Vice President Kamala Harris was on manoeuvres to replace Joe Biden as the Democratic candidate in November's presidential election Donald Tr.