Democratic senators left a meeting with the president’s re-election staff skeptical that Joe Biden can lead the party into the November presidential election.
Two weeks after Biden’s dismal debate performance against former President Trump, fears are mounting on Capitol Hill that his bumbling leadership will hurt Democrats in lower congressional districts.
There are now 14 elected Democrats who have publicly urged Biden to withdraw from the race.
Amid the crisis, Biden campaign advisers Mike Donilon and Steve Ricchetti and Biden campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon arranged a last-minute meeting with Democratic senators.
But lawmakers emerged from their private meeting discussing Biden’s political future with little to celebrate — most with more questions than they had when they entered.
“Some of my concerns have been allayed, others have deepened,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., told reporters after the private meeting.
“I need more analysis of the kind that shows the path to success.”
Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., speaks after Senate Democrats met privately with President Joe Biden’s senior advisers Mike Donlion, Steve Richetti and campaign manager Jen O’Malley Dillon at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee on Thursday. He said that after the meeting some of his concerns about Biden have deepened.
“We need more data, more analysis to allay my concerns,” he said. “More important than my concerns are the questions that the American people have raised.”
“I think Joe Biden needs to stand up to Donald Trump and calm people’s concerns.”
“And I think he’s capable of doing that, but he has to show the American people the stark contrast and existential threat that Donald Trump represents to American democracy.”
Blumenthal’s concerns are shared by many in Congress.
Two Democratic senators who were at the meeting revealed that PunchBowl News that things got heated between lawmakers and the Biden team.
Several lawmakers complained that they “found themselves in an untenable position in defending something that many of their constituents considered obvious.”
Biden’s team apparently tried to illustrate how Joe will beat Trump in November, but not enough data was presented on that point.
“A significant majority of Democratic senators believe the president will not be able to win,” one senator told the outlet.
Another senator, Sherrod Brown of Ohio, spoke at a fundraising event earlier this week and described “nervousness” about the top spot on the Democratic ticket, DailyMail.com has learned exclusively.
Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., who canceled an event to speak about Biden earlier this week, did not take questions before entering the private meeting.
Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., came out to hand out bottles of water to reporters but declined to answer questions from reporters about the private event.
Nancy Pelosi said it’s “up to the president” to decide whether he wants to stay in the race, but “time is running out,” in blunt comments Wednesday morning.
Earlier this week, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi appeared on Biden’s favorite morning show on MSNBC and said the president needs to decide whether he still wants to be the Democratic nominee.
The problem is that he sent a letter to all Democrats on Capitol Hill just days earlier saying he fully intends to stay in the race despite concerns about his age and debate performance.
Her insistence that the president’s decision has not yet been made has led other Democrats to echo the former House speaker’s stance that Biden must make his own decision.
Pelosi also said Biden should focus on his solo press conference at the 2024 NATO Summit in Washington, D.C., and not worry about making a decision until after his long-awaited remarks.
Reports indicate Democrats across Congress could rally against the president after his news conference as early as Thursday evening in an effort not to undermine the country’s leader as he navigates sensitive foreign relations.
“Tonight will be important,” Blumenthal said of the event.
“The press conference can be a turning point, but it has to be more than just a press conference.”
“He has to take on Donald Trump and he has to do it personally. No one can do it for him. His advisers or his staff can’t do it for him.”
Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., who told CNN earlier this week that he doesn’t think Biden can beat Trump, reiterated his view to reporters ahead of the meeting.
“If things continue as they are, Donald Trump is likely to win the election and we will lose the Senate and the House of Representatives.”
As he left the meeting, Bennet barely said a word.
“The meeting was good,” he told a crowd of journalists waiting for news from inside.
He then left without revealing any further details.
Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., has said he thinks Biden will lose to Trump. After the meeting, all he said was that it was “good.”
Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., rushed into the meeting to avoid questions while taking a call.
Only Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., has gone further in his criticism of Biden. On Wednesday, he called on the president to drop out of the race. He remains the only Democratic senator to do so.
“The best way to defeat Donald Trump is to re-elect President Biden,” Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., said after the meeting.
‘I thought the presentation we just had was excellent.’
His optimism about Biden’s campaign was unmatched by any other Democrat interviewed after the meeting.
“I think people are still talking,” he said of what’s happening there.
“Obviously, we have different perspectives on how best to proceed, but again, the President’s team made a very strong presentation and I continue to support President Biden’s reelection.”
Most senators avoided questions from reporters, but Sen. Maggie Hassan stopped to praise the president after the meeting.
Although he admitted that the president’s performance in the debate is influencing Democrats’ view of the president.
“President Biden had a bad debate,” he said, adding, “President Trump not only had a bad debate in which he lied… but he had a really horrible presidency, and that’s what we need to focus on.”
“This is a really strong campaign,” he added.
Biden is expected to deliver his speech at the NATO Summit at 6:30 p.m. (US Eastern Time).