Biden's support on Capitol Hill grimly uncertain. A seventh Democrat says he should drop out

🌈 Abstract

The article discusses the growing uncertainty and tensions within the Democratic party as they grapple with the question of whether to stand behind President Joe Biden's reelection bid or push him to bow out amid concerns over his ability to lead them to victory against a potential second Trump presidency.

🙋 Q&A

[01] Democratic Party's Internal Discussions

1. What were the key points discussed by House and Senate Democrats in their private meetings?

• The conversations in the House were described as "dour" and "sad" as Democrats discussed their party leader, President Biden, who refuses to step aside.
• In the Senate, Democrats were even more silent on the matter.
• At least 20 Democratic lawmakers in the House meeting expressed concerns that Biden remaining in the race means the election will center on his age issues instead of Trump.
• Most of those who spoke wanted Biden to end his candidacy, according to one person in the room.
• However, some Democrats, like Rep. Jerry Nadler and Rep. Adriano Espaillat, publicly backed Biden and said they will support him.

2. What were the views expressed by Democratic senators in their private lunch meeting?

• The majority of Democratic senators expressed deep concerns about whether Biden can beat Trump in November, though they stopped short of saying he should step down from the race.
• A handful of senators, like Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, defended Biden and said they are with him.
• There was also some attention turning to Vice President Kamala Harris as a potential alternative.

[02] Potential Consequences for Democrats

1. What are the concerns among Democrats about the potential consequences of Biden remaining as the party's nominee?

• Democrats worry that not only is the presidency in jeopardy, but also their own down-ballot races for control of the House and Senate, as well as the party's ability to stop Trump and the conservative Project 2025 agenda.
• One Democratic lawmaker said there is a real sense of "helplessness" over the situation and the threat of the consequences if Democrats lose the elections.

2. How do some Democrats view Vice President Kamala Harris as a potential alternative?

• Some Democrats are turning more serious attention to Vice President Kamala Harris as an alternative to Biden, with one representative saying "she's good, and she's ready to go."

[03] Biden's Response and Support

1. How is the White House and Biden's campaign team responding to the drama?

• The White House and Biden's campaign team are working more furiously now to end the drama, in part by gathering the president's most loyal supporters to speak out in his defense.
• Biden spent part of his Tuesday evening speaking on a virtual call with more than 200 Democratic mayors, saying he will win reelection with "basic block-and-tackling" and boasting of the thousands of calls being made to voters, doors being knocked, and signs being posted in support of his candidacy.
• Biden also met virtually with the Congressional Black Caucus and was scheduled to meet with the Congressional Progressive Caucus, whose leadership has said publicly they are sticking with the president.

2. How are some Democratic representatives responding in support of Biden?

• Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Texas said there is too much at stake to turn away from Biden at this point in the campaign, and that a second Trump presidency would be extremely harmful to Black Americans.
• Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn., who ended his own 2024 Democratic presidential bid, said that if this is "vindication" for him, "vindication has never been so unfulfilling."