CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – Political analyst Mary Kate Cary, a professor of politics at the University of Virginia and former speechwriter for President George H.W. Bush, shared her insights following President Joe Biden’s Twitter announcement to suspend his campaign for reelection and endorse Vice President Kamala Harris as his successor.

Addressing Republican criticisms, Cary said, “They’re accusing Democrats of having known about Mr. Biden’s inability to pursue a second term and not doing anything about it until it was revealed at the debate.”

She said announcement has also raised questions about the internal dynamics within the Democratic Party. Speculations suggest that significant pressure from party leaders, including Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama, influenced Biden’s decision to step down. Concerns have also been raised about Harris’s ability to unite the party and appeal to swing voters, given her previous struggles in national polling compared to Biden.

Cary expressed concern over Biden’s well-being, noting the unusual nature of the announcement: “Just as a citizen, I’m kind of worried about the President, and if he’s OK, because I think this is very odd that he did not make the announcement in person.”

You can listen to the full conversation here.