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Republican firebrand Lauren Boebert has demanded “proof of life” from Joe Biden in a bizarre rant, following the announcement that he is dropping his reelection campaign – which was delivered via an online statement.
The right-wing Colorado congresswoman, who has gloated at Biden’ leaving the White House race, said she wanted confirmation that the president was alive by 5pm on Monday.
The president’s surprise and momentous decision was made public just before 2pm on Sunday. In the statement, Biden said that stepping down was “in the best interest of my part and the country” but that he would continue to fulfill the duties of his office until November.
In her demand, posted on X on Monday morning Boebert suggested that Biden may not be “aware” that he had dropped out.
“I demand proof of life from Joe Biden today by 5:00pm,” the congresswoman wrote. “He needs to get in front of some camera and discuss if he’s aware that he dropped out.”
And she added: “Hiding is completely unacceptable.”
Biden has not given a public, on-camera address since the announcement, but promised in his statement to address the nation further this week “in more detail” about his decision.
The president is currently self-isolating at his vacation home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, after testing positive for Covid-19 while out on the campaign trail in Las Vegas last week.
Boebert was among the hordes of ecstatic Republicans to celebrate following the announcement and claimed that Donald Trump would “resoundingly defeat whichever failed candidate” the Democrats chose to replace Biden.
“After three and a half years of total failure, Biden is out of the race,” she wrote shortly after Sunday’s announcement. “They can nominate anyone they want to replace him, but it’s all the same.”
“The problem was never just Joe Biden, though he was a major problem, it was and is the Democrat agenda. Trump will resoundingly defeat whichever failed candidate they put up in Biden’s place. Onwards to victory!”
She has continued her online onslaught since, reposting unfounded conspiracy theories online that have suggested Biden was “dying or possibly already dead” following his canceled appearance in Las Vegas.
However, video showed the president arriving at Las Vegas airport – where he told reporters he was “good” – before boarding Air Force One. Video also captured him arriving some hours later in Delaware.