# President Joe Biden has tested positive for COVID {2024-07-17} **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [July 17, 2024, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-has-tested-positive-for-covid-2024-07-17/1004397 "2024-07-17T23:19:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2024, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-has-tested-positive-for-covid-2024-07-17/1004397/1 "2024-07-17T23:19:03Z")
Story just broke in the media, including [this CNN story.](https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/17/politics/joe-biden-tests-positive-covid-19/index.html) So far it appears to be a mild case. Let’s hope that’s all it becomes. ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2024, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-has-tested-positive-for-covid-2024-07-17/1004397/2 "2024-07-17T23:43:29Z")
Is this the first time he’s had it? Is he boosted? Hoping for healing. ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2024, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-has-tested-positive-for-covid-2024-07-17/1004397/3 "2024-07-17T23:50:29Z")
> [@SuntanLotion](#): > > Is this the first time he’s had it? 3rd time according to some of the news stories reporting it but they seem to be counting testing positive in 2022 with a rebound after Paxlovid as 2 times. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2024, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-has-tested-positive-for-covid-2024-07-17/1004397/4 "2024-07-18T00:08:55Z")
So a question is if he had it during the debate–and if it caused the symptoms people saw (of mental decline)? ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2024, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-has-tested-positive-for-covid-2024-07-17/1004397/5 "2024-07-18T00:14:53Z")
Unlikely. The debate was three weeks ago, and presumably he would have been tested then (he had cold symptoms). It seems pretty improbable that he would be testing positive for the first time right now after having it for weeks. ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2024, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-has-tested-positive-for-covid-2024-07-17/1004397/6 "2024-07-18T00:14:54Z")
No way, that was 20 days ago. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2024, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-has-tested-positive-for-covid-2024-07-17/1004397/7 "2024-07-18T00:15:48Z")
So he’s _worse_ now? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2024, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-has-tested-positive-for-covid-2024-07-17/1004397/8 "2024-07-18T00:17:49Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > So a question is if he had it during the debate–and if it caused the symptoms people saw (of mental decline)? What symptoms of mental decline? Assumes facts not in evidence. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2024, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-has-tested-positive-for-covid-2024-07-17/1004397/9 "2024-07-18T01:49:37Z")
~~This is a breaking news thread, all of you stop this hijack.~~ ~~MODERATING~~ ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2024, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-has-tested-positive-for-covid-2024-07-17/1004397/10 "2024-07-18T02:48:10Z")
I’ll try not to hijack. I’m going on what I know of COVID, after he’s had boosters and the virus before, this will be short lived. Until we know more, that’s all we can assume. Damn it’s bad news tho’. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2024, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-has-tested-positive-for-covid-2024-07-17/1004397/11 "2024-07-18T02:55:30Z")
Getting all the boosters can lesson the risk of Long Term Covid, but doesn’t eliminate it. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2024, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-has-tested-positive-for-covid-2024-07-17/1004397/12 "2024-07-18T03:35:59Z")
At @EddyTeddyFreddy’s request, I moved from #Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share to #Politics & Elections and removed the #breaking-news tag. Have at it. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2024, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-has-tested-positive-for-covid-2024-07-17/1004397/13 "2024-07-18T03:39:03Z")
Thus throwing the floor open to assessment, analysis, and wild speculation: How will this affect Biden’s campaign, given the necessity for isolation and mask-wearing? Not to mention his overall health and strength? ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2024, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-has-tested-positive-for-covid-2024-07-17/1004397/14 "2024-07-18T03:45:41Z")
He didn’t have a mask on in the clip I saw earlier. He looked bad getting on Air force 1. I’m not sure how his campaign can take another hit. He’s had the absolute worst luck you can have this past month. I’m also concerned how a bout with COVID can actually kill him if he has a particularly bad case. He’s been with many people recently from other countries that may have a strain his body hasn’t any antibodies for. It’s not good, any way you look at it. ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2024, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-has-tested-positive-for-covid-2024-07-17/1004397/15 "2024-07-18T07:25:55Z")
Could this be the straw that breaks the camel’s back…and forces the Dems to pick a new candidate at their convention? If the symptoms get a bit worse, it gives Biden a good excuse to quit the race, without humiliating himself. He can legitimately claim that he is too weak physically to campaign, and must remain in the White House to run the country, without constant rallies and travelling. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2024, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-has-tested-positive-for-covid-2024-07-17/1004397/16 "2024-07-18T07:27:40Z")
> [@chappachula](#): > > Could this be the straw that breaks the camel’s back…and forces the Dems to pick a new candidate at their convention? No, because there is no mechanism for “the Dems” to “pick a new candidate at the convention” unless Biden chooses to decline the nomination, and he’s not going to drop out because he’s got a sniffle. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2024, 9:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-has-tested-positive-for-covid-2024-07-17/1004397/17 "2024-07-18T09:12:01Z")
I don’t see any sign that Biden is staying in the race to “save face.” I don’t think he would keep running if he thought someone else could more easily beat Trump, or that the disarray wouldn’t cause the Democrats more problems than it would help. Now, if he gets really sick, his calculations may change. But I don’t think he’s looking for a way out but can’t find it. (Note, I’m not arguing either way on whether Biden is right. That would belong in another thread.) ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2024, 9:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-has-tested-positive-for-covid-2024-07-17/1004397/18 "2024-07-18T09:26:20Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > I don’t think he’s looking for a way out but can’t find it. Biden isn’t looking for a way out. The rest of the Democratic Party is. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2024, 9:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-has-tested-positive-for-covid-2024-07-17/1004397/19 "2024-07-18T09:32:43Z")
> [@chappachula](#): > > The rest of the Democratic Party is. Does the head of the Democratic Party know that? 'Cause it doesn’t sound like he does. > **['Go out and talk about Joe Biden!' DNC chair spits fire at MSNBC over polling...](https://www.rawstory.com/jaime-harrison-rachel-maddow/)** > > Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison was fired up for President Joe Biden despite an MSNBC host suggesting he could not win in 2024.After the White House announced that Biden contracted COVID-19, a panel of MSNBC hosts said Vice... ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2024, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-has-tested-positive-for-covid-2024-07-17/1004397/20 "2024-07-18T11:45:38Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > > [@chappachula](#): > > > > The rest of the Democratic Party is. > > Does the head of the Democratic Party know that? 'Cause it doesn’t sound like he does. It’s not 100%. Instead it’s: **Nearly two-thirds of Democrats want Biden to withdraw, new AP-NORC poll finds** > **[Nearly two-thirds of Democrats want Biden to withdraw, new AP-NORC poll finds](https://apnews.com/article/biden-trump-poll-drop-out-debate-democrats-59eebaca6989985c2bfbf4f72bdfa112)** > > The new poll sharply undercuts President Biden's post-debate claim that “average Democrats” are still with him. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-has-tested-positive-for-covid-2024-07-17/1004397.md?page=2)