What Would Persuade Biden to Step Aside? Here’s What He’s Said.

The president has insisted he is committed to running, but his list of scenarios in which he might reconsider has grown.

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“I mean, if the Lord Almighty came down and said, ‘Joe, get out of the race,’ I’d get out of the race,” he said. “The Lord Almighty’s not coming down,” President Biden said.

Ever since President Biden’s listless performance at a debate last month, he has faced the same question: What would it take for him to consider dropping out of the race?

While Mr. Biden has insisted that he is staying in, he has offered a number of scenarios in which he might withdraw — all while denying that any of them are even remotely likely.

Mr. Biden’s statements offer a bit of insight into his mind-set as he faces the biggest crisis of his presidency.

Here is a look at his comments:

He Would Listen to His Doctor

In an interview with Ed Gordon of BET News, the president said he might reconsider running for re-election if his doctors advised it.

“If I had some medical condition that emerged, if somebody, if doctors came to me and said, you got this problem and that problem,” Mr. Biden said, according to an excerpt released by the network on Monday.

After his halting debate performance, Mr. Biden has faced scrutiny about his age and health, including his consultations with a leading neurologist and Parkinson’s disease expert.

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