Upon the conclusion of the congressional recess, Democrats in the House have reconvened in Washington with a crucial objective: to deliberate on Joe Biden’s prospective candidacy. Since the June debate, tensions have escalated as a growing number of legislators have voiced their skepticism regarding Biden’s capabilities in the forthcoming contest.
Meanwhile, the president has been actively attempting to dispel any speculation of his resignation. Prior to an important Tuesday meeting referred to as a “come-to-Jesus” session, a smaller group of Democrats from significant swing districts convened for a highly emotional gathering, characterized by the presence of tears.
During the Democrats’ full caucus meeting, there was a divergence of ideas. A legislator who was present at the very emotional gathering characterized it to Axios as “intense.” Another attendee expressed the dominant opinion, stating that it was “pretty much unanimous” that Biden “has got to step down,” noting, “There were actual tears from people, and not for Biden.”
Attendees reported that although many senators supported Biden, others expressed doubts about his capacity to rival former President Donald Trump. A House Democrat who attended both meetings commented, “The majority of our caucus continues to support him, indicating that he will remain in his position.” This is detrimental to our nation.
After the Tuesday meeting, a legislator who had previously informed Axios that the rebellion was “over” reaffirmed their position, stating that the discussion only reinforced that belief. “The lawmaker remarked that there were no unexpected occurrences,”
On Monday, Biden issued an extensive letter discussing his forthcoming plans. In his two-page letter, he provided insight into his thoughts as he resists opposition from other party leaders who are concerned that he is not only endangering their prospects of retaining the White House, but also harming their chances of maintaining a Senate majority and regaining control of the U.S. House.
The president, who is facing difficulties and challenges, has rejected requests to resign, asserting that it is now the moment for Democrats to unite, progress as a cohesive political party, and overcome Donald Trump.
This morning, I sent a letter to my fellow Democrats on Capitol Hill. In it, I shared my thoughts about this moment in our campaign.
It’s time to come together, move forward as a unified party, and defeat Donald Trump. pic.twitter.com/ABtAaJrr0n
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) July 8, 2024
Biden has endeavored to affirm that he would not withdraw from the race, pointing to his significant victories in state Democratic primaries as proof that the party’s grassroots support him as the chosen candidate. In addition, Biden reinforced his message by making an appearance on MSNBC on Monday morning, cautioning Democrats against attempting to pressure him into taking a certain action.
“The bottom line here is that we’re not going anywhere — I am not going anywhere,” he said. “I had a bad night,” he said of his debate. “But the fact of the matter is — if there was something that was wrong that night, it’s not like it’s one night and it goes away. That’s why I’ve been out, I’ve been testing myself.”
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“Run against me. Announce for president. Challenge me at the convention,” Biden added. “The question of how to move forward has been well-aired for over a week now. And it’s time for it to end. We have one job. And that is to beat Donald Trump. We have 42 days to the Democratic Convention and 119 days to the general election. Any weakening of resolve or lack of clarity about the task ahead only helps Trump and hurts us.”
According to the New York Times, a group of influential House Democrats, led by Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), held a private meeting on Sunday to express their dissatisfaction with President Biden’s decision not to resign.