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As of early Wednesday morning, President Biden had called just one congressional leader personally in the wake of his faltering debate performance: Hakeem Jeffries.

That the president chose Jeffries is perhaps not surprising. The New York Democrat may be the only thing standing between Biden and a flood of panicked House Democrats few of whom have so far gone on the record demanding the president exit the race, hopefully saving their chances of regaining the slender House majority in the process.

On Wednesday evening, Jeffries led a tightly controlled conference call of House Democratic leaders as concern over Biden ricocheted on and off Capitol Hill. According to four people who either participated on the call or were briefed on it, the leader mainly listened, as some panicked participants worried about Bidens electability and said the president should step aside. Some argued, however, according to one person on the call, that it would be too messy to replace him. Jeffries acknowledged being concerned about Bidens situation but held his fire, according to one person familiar with the call.

So far, the would-be House speaker has succeeded in stemming a tide of defectors calling for Bidens exit after a debate last week in which the president noticeably stumbled at times, spoke in a thin voice, mumbled words and occasionally looked confused. It was a performance that drew immediate worries among Democrats concerned about his age and perceived fragility among voters.

There was a real effort of the leadership team to keep unity, if not unanimity, said a lawmaker on the Wednesday evening call attended by members of House Democratic elected leadership.

Jeffries asked his leadership team to keep talking with each other, their colleagues and their constituents and to stay in touch.

Amid the mounting storm, Jeffries has remained careful and steady.

As he has for every big decision, once again, Leader Jeffries is in listening mode, taking the time to hear members about the impact in their districts and carefully assessing the path forward, said Rep. Ann Kuster (D-N.H.), the head of the moderate New Democrat Coalition. Patience is a virtue. Democratic unity is top of mind for our leadership.

Jeffries has not asked lawmakers to defend the president, according to multiple members who have spoken directly with him. But he has asked them to give Biden the grace to make his own decision about whether to remain in the presidential race. Jeffries has reminded Democrats not to act irrationally, and to allow this week to play out before making any statements. He prefers hashing things out as a group when Democrats return to Washington next week.

The story of how Jeffries is handling perhaps the biggest political crisis of his House leadership hes only been in the job a little over a year and a half is based on interviews with roughly a dozen House Democratic lawmakers and over a dozen aides, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to talk extensively about ongoing private conversations within the caucus regarding their partys president.

The rapidly moving news has once again thrust Jeffries into the middle of a defining moment. But unlike helping Republicans fund the government, averting a debt crisis or sending critical aid to foreign allies, Jeffries is navigating uncharted and very choppy waters four months out from Election Day.

As of Wednesday afternoon, Bidens aides are insisting he wont step aside. Biden press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters that the president was absolutely not dropping out of the race.

And it seems like Jeffries, at least for now, would prefer that his members not ask Biden to.

Only two House Democrats Reps. Lloyd Doggett (Tex.) and Ral Grijalva (Ariz.) had publicly called for Bidens exit, though several others have tread a middle ground in saying Biden cant beat Trump in November.

Its a delicate position for Jeffries, who is expected to be speaker if Democrats retake the House majority caught between a Democratic president and his own fretting, angry members.

Hakeem is a big part of the Democratic unity weve shown for the past two years. So when hes ready to provide guidance on this question, I am certain that many members will be glad to receive it and will probably find it very persuasive, said Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), who was not on Wednesday nights call.

Over the past few days, House Democrats said they felt gaslit by the White House and Biden campaigns weak reassurances that everything remains fine, and some fear the relationship between House Democrats and the president is irreparable.

Worried House Democrats are circulating draft letters that call on Biden to step aside. Democrats are informally brainstorming how to run their races without Biden at the top of the ticket in a flurry of group texts. Above all, most remain focused on their No. 1 goal: a House Democratic majority, which requires reminding voters on the campaign trail what a Democratic House was able to accomplish under a Democratic administration.

When donors ask Jeffries what to do, he directs them to channel their concerns into House races. He has tried to reassure all Democrats who have reached out to him in calls or texts that the House can serve as a backstop to a potential Republican Senate and White House, though people familiar with his thinking stress he does not mean to infer that Biden will lose the election.

Jeffries and other leaders are aware that a wave of private frustrations could soon spill into public view. Two centrist Democrats Reps. Jared Golden (D-Maine) and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-Wash.) have predicted Biden will lose to Trump. After officials insisted Biden would stay in the race, Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), a liberal, expressed late Wednesday his grave concerns about Bidens ability to defeat Donald Trump.

Winning will require prosecuting the case in the media, in town halls, and at campaign stops all over the country. President Biden needs to demonstrate that he can do that, Moulton said. When your current strategy isnt working, its rarely the right decision to double down. President Biden is not going to get younger.

Jeffries has managed to contain the defections thus far, often reminding colleagues in numerous communications that they cannot undo something once its been said publicly.

In typical Jeffries style, he has spent the week gathering input from across the caucus so he could accurately reflect the mood in calls with White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients and other officials.

Despite the chaos, Jeffries has largely been able to keep members united and optimistic about their chances of winning back the House majority. Democrats need to clinch four seats to do so, and members acknowledge that Jeffries is eager to become speaker.

Jeffriess listening style and frequent communication with members is what many believe has led colleagues to be deferential to his guidance. In a Tuesday evening call with the most vulnerable Democrats up for reelection known as the frontliners Jeffries heard from frustrated members who raised their concerns over Biden and his ability to stay in the race.

One member who spoke with Jeffries on Wednesday noted that while many Democrats are circulating letters or discussing going public, they did not want to get ahead of their leaders public statements and feel confident he shares the concerns we all have.

Beyond expressing caution, members say that Jeffries has not been explicit in either defending or championing Biden.

I didnt get any indication that he was someone who was trying to silence anyone, Golden said, who was one of the first Democrats to hear from Jeffries behind closed doors after the debate Friday and has not heard from anyone in leadership since declaring Biden would lose to Trump in an op-ed.

Jeffries hasnt disagreed with members that Vice President Harris would be the best option to lead the ticket if Biden chooses to step aside, said two people familiar with this thinking who spoke on the condition of anonymity to detail private conversations. But he is not openly contemplating that scenario.

In the days after the debate, Jeffries in public remarks acknowledged the reality of Bidens disappointing debate performance. But he did not break with the president.

At a New York fundraiser that raised $3 million for House Democrats, Jeffries asked former president Barack Obama how voters should view Bidens performance which he called a setback making way for an opportunity for a comeback. Obama replied that politics was a team sport and that winning back the House majority should be sufficient motivation for donors to support the Democratic ticket.

During a speech in Hartford, Conn., over the weekend before roughly 1,000 attendees, Jeffries reiterated his position, adding that Trump was an existential threat to democracy. He praised Biden for being a good man, a family man, an honorable man who is up against a con man.

The Democratic Party stands on the side of freedom, Jeffries said in a keynote speech. The Democratic Party will always stand on the side of truth, which is why its an all-hands-on-deck moment to win in November. Because the stakes are too high for us to do anything, other than pour our heart and our soul into victory on Nov. 5, all across the board.

Democratic strategists working to flip the House have advised candidates to continue talking about the issues and counseled them to navigate the Biden situation however they think is necessary in their district.

Rep. Nanette Barragn (D-Calif.) praised Jeffriess leadership style in an interview, calling him a listener who governs with a sense of keeping us all united and to do it very calmly. She added that he was among the best messengers in the Democratic caucus.

But another Democratic lawmaker groused that there was a lack of effort to gather House Democrats as panic-stricken members privately express grave concerns about Bidens ability to stay the course.

We havent had a single caucus meeting or call since the debate, the lawmaker said.

Its for that reason many Democrats know next weeks caucus meeting Tuesday morning will be a momentous test of Jeffriess ability to wrangle emotional lawmakers privately airing their opinions together for the first time.

Some House Democrats are upset with the Biden campaigns argument that they should back the president because the elections stakes are so high, considering that argument condescending. Many lived through the Trump administration and understand the stakes after surviving the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection in the Capitol while Biden and his top officials were not in office. The Supreme Courts decision to grant immunity to a presidents official acts has further reinforced fear of Trump winning the election.

One Democratic frontliner who spoke with the Biden campaign over the weekend said they were shocked to hear officials still defending Bidens performance as a bad night and insisting the president is ready to serve. This frontliner complained that campaign aides failed to provide a clear road map demonstrating how the president would show Americans he is capable of the job. Another frontliner said that campaign officials reached out on Friday, largely to ensure they wouldnt speak out against the president, which they did not find reassuring.

What uniformly had irked Democrats was Bidens lack of communication with Jeffries. That all changed Wednesday evening but a handful of Democrats considered it too little too late.

Its untenable for him to be the nominee if half of his own party in Congress is saying he should go, a senior congressional aide said.

Josh Dawsey and Liz Goodwin contributed to this report.

Original post:
Jeffries seeks to stem House defections, for now, as Democrats panic over Biden - The Washington Post

Democratic leaders in the House and Senate refrained on Wednesday from urging their members to rally around President Biden and were instead listening to a barrage of complaints streaming in from both the partys centrist wing and its progressives.

The private message from congressional leaders was that members should feel free to take whatever position about Mr. Bidens candidacy was best for their districts, according to several people involved in the conversations who insisted on anonymity to discuss them.

For some, that meant joining the trickle of elected Democrats who have blasted the presidents performance and either called on him to withdraw or suggested he should seriously consider it.

Representative Ral M. Grijalva of Arizona became the second Democrat in Congress to urge Mr. Biden to leave the race, following Representative Lloyd Doggett of Texas, who made his call on Tuesday.

If hes the candidate, Im going to support him, but I think that this is an opportunity to look elsewhere, Mr. Grijalva said in an interview. Referring to the president, Mr. Grijalva added: What he needs to do is shoulder the responsibility for keeping that seat and part of that responsibility is to get out of this race.

Other Democrats were not ready to go that far, but hinted they were gravely concerned about Mr. Bidens ability to serve and win re-election.

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Democrats in Congress Weigh Whether to Stick With Biden - The New York Times

Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas, as seen at the Capitol on June 5, 2024. Doggett is the first congressional Democrat to publicly call for President Biden to quit his reelection bid. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images hide caption

Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas,, became the first congressional Democrat to call for President Biden to withdraw from his reelection bid, issuing a statement saying that Biden had failed to reassure voters in last week's presidential debate and was trailing his Republican opponent, former President Donald Trump.

Biden, 81, badly stumbled in the debate, seeming at times to lose his train of thought, and struggled to defend his record. He and his campaign have insisted that he would stay in the race and make a comeback despite calls from some Democrats and donors to step back and let another party leader run instead.

In remarks at a fundraising event in McLean, Va., on Tuesday, Biden blamed his debate performance on a punishing travel schedule through many time zones. He had gone to Europe twice in two weeks in June, and also spent time at a Los Angeles fundraiser.

"The fact is that you know, I wasnt very smart," Biden told donors, quipping that he "nearly fell asleep on stage."

Biden and his campaign have been in damage control mode since the debate. This week, that continues. Biden will meet on Wednesday with Democratic governors some attending in person, and some by Zoom. He is separately making calls to congressional leaders.

On Friday, he plans to campaign in Wisconsin, with ABC anchor George Stephanopoulos in tow. And next week, at the NATO leaders' summit in Washington, D.C., Biden will give a full-fledged news conference, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.

Jean-Pierre said Biden "had a cold and a bad night" at the debate. She said that the White House had been transparent about his medical records. Asked directly if he has Alzheimer's disease, dementia or another degenerative illness, Jean-Pierre curtly said, "no."

"I hope you're asking the other guy the same exact question," she said, referring to former President Donald Trump, 78.

Asked about Rep. Doggett's call, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said that the congressman was entitled to his opinion. It is a big-tent party," she said. The Biden campaign did not respond to a request for comment.

Immediately following the debate, most House Democrats struggled with how to respond, with many acknowledging the presidents poor performance, but none publicly saying he needed to step aside. But five days later, a new CNN poll showed most voters think Democrats have a better chance with another nominee, and there are signs some Democrats are more willing to break with the White House.

President Biden speaks about extreme weather at the DC Emergency Operations Center in Washington, DC, on July 2. Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images/AFP hide caption

Doggett, who represents a safe Democratic district, said that Biden was trailing Trump in most polls. I had hoped that the debate would provide some momentum to change that. It did not, he said in a statement.

"Instead of reassuring voters, the president failed to effectively defend his many accomplishments and expose Trumps many lies," Doggett said.

Top congressional Democrats like former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn, who helped Biden get the 2020 nomination, took to the airwaves over the weekend to defend Biden and pledge support.

But on Tuesday, Pelosis tone appeared to shift, and she opened the door to other Democrats to raise concerns about the presidents ability to continue.

"I think it's a legitimate question to say, is this an episode or is this a condition?" Pelosi said in an interview on MSNBC. "When people ask that question, it's completely legitimate of both candidates."

Ian Krager, a spokesperson for Pelosi, in a written statement to NPR, said, Speaker Pelosi has full confidence in President Biden and looks forward to attending his inauguration on January 20, 2025.

Earlier on Tuesday, Rep. Mike Quigley, D-Ill., expressed public reservations about the impact on downballot Democrats.

I think his four years are, you know, one of the great presidencies of our lifetime. But I think he has to be honest with himself. This is a decision hes going to have to make, Quigley said on CNN.

He clearly has to understand that his decision not only impacts whos going to serve in the White House the next four years, but whos going to serve in the Senate, whos going to serve in the House, and it will have implications for decades to come, he said.

Two other House Democrats said on Tuesday that they think Trump will win in 2024: Maine Rep. Jared Golden and Washington Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez. Both represent swing districts.

"We all saw what we saw, you cant undo that, and the truth I think, is that Biden is going to lose to Trump," Gluesenkamp Perez said on Portland's KATU News.

Golden wrote an op-ed in the Bangor Daily News, and dismissed Biden's argument democracy would be in peril if Trump returns to the Oval Office.

Golden wrote, Democrats post-debate hand-wringing is based on the idea that a Trump victory is not just a political loss, but a unique threat to our democracy. I reject the premise. Unlike Biden and many others, I refuse to participate in a campaign to scare voters with the idea that Trump will end our democratic system.

The House GOPs campaign arm was quick to criticize most Democrats for keeping their opinions about Biden mostly to themselves, or in background quotes to journalists.

The cowards in the Democratic caucus have spent every day after the debate in witness protection, too afraid to say what theyre all thinking, said Jack Pandol, spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee.

Americans remember House Democrats were complicit in covering up and gaslighting the public about the presidents condition, and voters are primed to punish them in November, Pandol said.

Democratic strategists have pointed out that Democratic incumbents in key Senate contests have been outperforming the president in polls for weeks. House Democrats in many swing districts at least for now appear to be seeing the same dynamic, but more calls could come from lawmakers if dramatic changes in internal and public polls emerge in the next few days.

Read the original:
Rep. Doggett calls on Biden to withdraw. He's the first Democrat in Congress to do so - NPR

There are a lot of pundits and reporters and sources out there speculating about what an open competition to become the Democratic nominee for president would look like, should Joe Biden be convinced not to seek reelection. (Thats a possibility thats looking ever so slightly more likely with each hour that passes, and each report about mandatory napping that is published.)

Theyre talking Gavin Newsoms, theyre talking Mayor Petes and Governor Whitmers, theyre leaking polling data about who would do best head-to-head against Donald Trump its a free-for-all. But there are other pundits and sources out there trying to shut that discussion downand frankly being a little smug about itby saying that it would be nearly impossible in that case for the nominee to be anyone but Kamala Harris. Some are doing this because they would want the nominee to be Harris. Others just think its a political reality and speculating otherwise is frivolous and fanciful.

Its admittedly an easy argument to make. Harris is the vice president, the presidents legal successor. Theres no law that says shed have to succeed him on the ballot; vice presidents can be replaced on a ticket, although it hasnt happened since the Truman administration. Still, were Biden to announce that he was releasing delegates at the Democratic National Convention in August to vote for someone else, it would not be surprising if he then endorsed Harris, which would likely carry a lot of weight with delegates whod been planning to vote for her already as veep.

There are plausible reasons for Biden to head off a competition by giving such an endorsement. It would prevent rivals for the nomination from attacking each other and revealing damaging information or other weaknesses that could be exploited by Republicans. Harris (but not other candidates) would have direct control over the $200 million-plus raised by the Biden/Harris campaign committee. Thats a lot of moneyand money is important.

By virtue of her current position, out of all the potential candidates, she also probably has the most existing relationships with important donors and party officials. She would be positioned to secure immediate support because many of these people know and trust her (see her as their best route to access and status in the next administration). A smooth succession would prevent the emotional stress and potential brand damage inflicted by intraparty chaos (rude quotes attributed to a Democratic insider).

Heres something to consider, though: Emotional stress and intraparty chaos are not that big of a deal. Feelings are usually hurt in primaries, and who cares? It rarely (never?) results in long-term damage to the resulting nominees. There has never been a whinier Democratic primary than the one held in 2008, and Barack Obama won the general election that year in a landslide over John McCain. Later, Trump seemingly alienated many Republicans by trashing McCain during the 2016 primary. Trump went on to win the general election. Then McCain died and Trump said he was probably in hell.

Theres also the possibility that Democrats try to hand the nomination to Harris only for things to go sideways. Harris 2020 presidential campaign was a notorious mess that ended with a falling-out between her and her advisers. Shes had similar problems with staff turnover in the White House. Several of the sources in Wednesdays Reuters story about her inevitability spoke with a tone of resignation, not excitement, about the possibility of her candidacy. (When the people in charge of making a decision say it would be nearly impossible not to make a bad one, perhaps it is time for them to do some self-reflection about their own agency.)

If a candidate is selected in an open process, Democrats are even more likely to quickly rally behind them. As a Twitter thread by Aaron Regunberg of the watchdog group Public Citizen observed, the imperative to find a candidate who has one sole qualificationbeing able to beat Trumpis already motivating a cross-ideological movement to replace Biden, uniting centrists, liberals, leftists, and whatever Ezra Klein considers himself to be. It is a climate that would be uniquely friendly to any candidate besides the current one. (As Jonathan Alter writes in the New York Times, Biden could also threaten to withhold his eventual endorsement from any other Democrat who engaged in negative campaigning or other chaotic behavior.)

Lets assume that Dems untangle themselves from their current plan to hold a virtual July nomination vote for arcane formal reasons related to Ohio ballot access. A competition culminating in the convention would also have major upside: It could benefit the partys moral standing, which is arguably important, and generate huge earned media, which is definitely important.

The partys leaders have been insistent to the point of pedantry that democracy is on the ballot in the race against Trumpand now they have a chance to act like it! Whenever the question is asked in a poll, large percentages of voters say they would like to see a major-party candidate besides Trump or Biden. (Half of respondents in a Pew poll said both candidates should be replaced.) Thousands of delegates deliberating (on television) to select such a person would be a substantive response to those voters, and proof that democracy does actually matter to Democrats. The event would further direct national attention onto the new nominee, who would likely have also completed a gantlet of interviews, appearances, and risky TikTok drug-consumption challenges that honed and validated their camera-readiness. It would be a name-recognition bonanza.

And it would also be very good for creating clicks for news and opinion websites that have been suffering from reader fatigue after the pandemic and the chaotic Trump years. Please, our families are starving!

See more here:
Joe Biden withdrawal: Why Democrats should have an open convention. - Slate

CPR has confirmed that Gov. Jared Polis will take part in a callWednesday evening betweenPresident Joe Biden and several Democratic governors.

The call was scheduled after growing concerns about Biden's age following last week's debate performance.

It comes as Biden has seen the first cracks in support amongst congressional Democrats.

Colorado's delegation has thus far stuck by the president. However on Wednesday one Colorado Democratic National Committee member called on Biden to withdraw his candidacy for a second term.

Former Colorado State Rep. Joe Salazar said that after last week's presidential debate he heard a lot of concerns from Coloradans about Bidens prospects this November.

"Im asking that for the good of the country that he steps down and that were able to move forward with another candidate," Salazar said. "Because frankly, with the opponent being a lying treasonous multi felon, we should be wiping him off the board. This shouldnt be a close race."

A meeting at the Jerome Hotel in Aspen the Friday morning after the debate showed some of the earliest signs of eroding support for Biden, the New York Times reported, and itincluded some 50 Democratic donors.. When asked to raise their hands if they believed the president should bow out of the race, nearly everyone in the room did so.

Meanwhile, Independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will appear on Colorados presidential election ballots this November, adding another element to the presidential race in this state. The Libertarian Party of Colorado announced Wednesday that its members had agreed to form a partnership with the RFK campaign.

Democrats in Congress are torn between backing Biden for president and sounding the alarm.

The Democratic president hasvowed to stay in the raceagainst Republican Donald Trump despite the halting and uneven debate delivery that threw a spotlight on questions about Biden's age and capacity to be president. But as Democrats make the case that thestakes of the election are momentous challenging no less than the foundations of American democracy they're wrestling with what to do about the 81-year-old who's supposed to be leading the charge for their party.

Here's how Democrats are handling the debate aftermath:

Prominent congressional Democrats have moved in recent days to open concern not just over Bidens performance during the90-minute debate last weekbut also the level of transparency his team has shown about his mental fitness. Theyve tiptoed toward embracing the idea Biden should withdraw.

One Biden ally, Rep. James Clyburn, on CNN Wednesday openly discussed holding a mini-primary in the run-up to the Democratic National Convention in mid-August.

After the debate last week, Clyburn, who is 83 years old, had initially urged fellow Democrats to stay the course with Biden and chill out, but by Wednesday his tone had changed.

I saw what I saw last Thursday night, and it is concerning, Clyburn said.

In recent days, comments from Clyburn and other senior Democrats including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi have provided signposts for a political party in crisis. Still, it was not clear whether their concerns were reaching Biden, who told aides on a Democratic National Committee callthat no one is pushing me out.

Clyburn, a senior South Carolina lawmaker who is a former top party leader in the House, also had a lengthy call with Biden on Wednesday.

Pelosi, in an interview Tuesday on MSNBC, still emphasized that the president is on top of his game, in terms of knowing the issues and what is at stake.

But she also called on both Biden and Trump, whos 78, to face tests for their health and mental acuity.

I think it is a legitimate question to say is this an episode or is this a condition. So when people ask that question, its legitimate of both candidates, said Pelosi, D-Calif., whos 84.

Minutes after Pelosi's comments on Tuesday, Rep. Lloyd Doggett, of Texas,became the first sitting Democratin Congress to call for Biden to withdraw from the race.

Recognizing that, unlike Trump, President Bidens first commitment has always been to our country, not himself, I am hopeful that he will make the painful and difficult decision to withdraw. I respectfully call on him to do so, said Doggett, who's 77.

Pelosi also nudged Biden to prove to the American people that hes ready for another four years in office by going out and taking tough interviews something he has rarely done in recent years. Biden will sit for an interview with ABC, his first since the debate, later in the week.

Everybody is asking one question within the Democratic Party ... which is how do we defeat Donald Trump and how are we going to defeat the threat of authoritarianism, Rep. Jamie Raskin, a prominent Democrat from Maryland, said on MSNBC late Tuesday.

Lawmakers are also concerned Bidens weaknesses could tamp down potential voters enthusiasm, creating a ripple effect thathurts Democratsas they try to maintain a narrow Senate majority and take back control of the House. Down-ballot Democrats are already confident they can outperform Biden in swing races, but if large numbers of voters reject Biden, it could impact them.

While several vulnerable Democrats have stopped short of calling for Biden to withdraw, they've also cast the situation in stark terms: If Biden continues, Trump will win.

The truth, I think, is that Biden is going to lose to Trump, Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, a Washington Democrat, told an ABC-affiliated television station. "I know that's difficult, but I think the damage has been done by that debate."

WithBidens family urging him to stayin the race, attention has turned to senior Democratic lawmakers who could potentially persuade the president to withdraw his nomination. So far, top Democratic leaders have mostly stood behind Biden in public statements.

There have not been discussions among senior leadership about anything other than making sure we continue to articulate a compelling vision for the future to the American people related to the issues of importance around the economy, House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries told reporters Monday in Pittsburgh.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, posted on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, after the debate that it showed voters there was a choice between four more years of progress, or four more years of attacks on our fundamental rights and our democracy.

After days of no direct talk between Biden and congressional leaders, the president late Tuesday and Wednesday held calls with Schumer and Jeffries, as well as Sen. Chris Coons, a Delaware Democrat who's a close ally to the president, according to people briefed on the calls who insisted on anonymity to discuss them.

Many of Biden's allies have chided the news media for beingfixated on Biden's mental capacities, arguing that instead the focus should be put onTrump's record of refusing to acceptthe results of the 2020 election he lost to Biden and repeatedly lying.

Rep. Veronica Escobar, a Texas Democrat who's part of Biden's campaign committee, conceded on Friday the debate wasn't what she hoped for but added, I think there needs to be a real conversation about the things that Donald Trump said. It is beyond vile.

The June 27 debate infused a new dynamic into an election contest that had been marked by few surprises. Voters were familiar with Biden and Trump and had previously decided between the two in 2020.

Still, many House Democrats were caught in a state of uncertainty as they faced a barrage of questions on the morning after the debate. Some chalked it up as little more than a bad night for Biden, but others are watching closely to see how voters react and whether Biden can execute a quick political recovery.

Already, vulnerable House Democratshave been distancing themselvesfrom some of Bidens policies in recent months. That phenomenon became more pronounced after the debate.

Rep. Jared Golden, a moderate Democrat from Maine, argued the outcome of the election was a foregone conclusion.

While I dont plan to vote for him, Donald Trump is going to win, Golden said in a Bangor Daily News op-ed. "And Im OK with that.

Biden told his campaign staffers on Wednesday that he is staying in the election race, one of a series of closed-door conversations he is having to try to reassure Democrats after last weeks disastrous debate led to calls for him to step down.

Biden and Vice President Harris joined a campaign all-staff meeting, a person on the call said, speaking on condition of anonymity to describe the private meeting.

"I'm in this race to the end and we're going to win because when Democrats unite, we will always win," Biden said, according to the source.

Harris, who has been seen a likely contender should Biden withdraw from the race, told staffers, "We will not back down. We will follow our presidents lead," the source said.

Separately, White House chief of staff Jeff Zients held an all-staff call with White House staffers. He also acknowledged the tough times, and said it was important to focus on their work and support each other, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters.

Biden is under pressure from some in his party to withdraw from the presidential race after his hoarse voice and verbal stumbles during his debate with former President Donald Trump left Democratscollectively wringing their hands.

The White House has blamed it on a cold and a "bad night." On Tuesday, Biden told donors that a punishing travel schedule through many time zones was to blame. He had gone to Europe twice in two weeks in June, and also spent time at a Los Angeles fundraiser.

Later on Wednesday, he will meet at the White House with more than 20 Democratic governors.

Biden spent last weekend trying to persuade supporters that he could still do the job and a rally and fundraising events.

This week, he has a steady stream of events that will provide the public additional insight into whether the president can move past the headlines surrounding his debate performance.

He plans to celebrate the Fourth of July with service members and their family on the National Mall. On Friday, he will campaign in Wisconsin and give an interview to ABC News' George Stephanopoulos. And next week, he hosts NATO leaders in Washington, where he will give a solo press conference.

CPR's Caitlin Kim, Alejandro A. Alonso Galva and Ryan Warner, the AP's Stephen Groves, as well as NPR's Tamara Keith and Deepa Shivaram contributed to this story.

See the original post here:
Polis will be on Biden call with fellow Democratic governors - Colorado Public Radio