From raising alarm to backing Biden, Democrats in Congress grapple with debate aftermath
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden’s Disastrous Decision debate presentation has resonated within the Democratic Party, forcing lawmakers to address a crisis that could upend the presidential election and change the course of American history.
The Democratic president has indicated he has no plans to withdraw from the race against Donald Trump, despite a choppy and uneven debate that has put a spotlight on questions about Biden’s age and ability to be president. But as Democrats argue that the the stakes of the elections are important —and in doing so, calling into question the very foundations of American democracy itself—they are grappling with how to approach the 81-year-old who is expected to lead their party.
Here’s how Democrats are dealing with the aftermath of the debate:
Rep. Lloyd Doggett, a Democrat from Texas, on Tuesday became the first sitting Democrat in Congress to call on Biden to withdraw from the race. In a statement, he praised Biden but said he has “an opportunity to encourage a new generation of leaders from which a nominee can be chosen to unite our country through an open, democratic process.”
“Recognizing that, unlike Trump, President Biden’s first commitment has always been to our country, not himself, I hope he will make the painful and difficult decision to withdraw. I respectfully urge him to do so,” Doggett said.
A number of other Democrats in Congress have been on edge in recent days, expressing outspoken concerns, not just about Biden’s performance at the 90 minute debate on Thursday eveningbut also the level of transparency Biden’s team provides about his mental fitness.
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., told a local CBS television station this week that he was “shocked” by both Biden’s performance and Trump’s lies during the debate.
“People want to make sure that this is a campaign that is ready to go and win,” Whitehouse said. “That the president and his team are being candid with us about his condition — that this was a real anomaly.”
Rep. Jamie Raskin, a prominent Democrat from Maryland, said on MSNBC: “There are very honest, serious and rigorous conversations taking place at every level of our party.”
Raskin said Democrats needed Biden at the “heart” of their campaign to make the argument that the Republican Party is sliding into authoritarianism under Trump, but also raised the possibility that Biden would not continue as a presidential candidate.
Some are concerned that Biden’s weaknesses could dampen the enthusiasm of potential voters, potentially triggering a domino effect that hurts Democrats as they try to maintain a slim majority in the Senate and regain control of the House. Democrats further down the ballot are already confident they can outpoll Biden in swing races, but if large numbers of voters reject Biden, that could affect them too.
Rep. Mike Quigley, D-Ill., told CNN on Tuesday that he wanted Biden to recognize “how much of an impact this has not only on his race, but on all the other races that happen in November.”
Of Biden’s family urges him to stay The race has focused on senior Democratic lawmakers who might be able to convince the president to withdraw his nomination. So far, top Democratic leaders have largely backed Biden in public statements.
“There has been no conversation among the top leaders about anything other than making sure that we continue to articulate a compelling vision for the American people going forward on the important issues around the economy,” House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries told reporters at an event Monday at Pittsburgh International Airport.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat from New York, posted a message on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, after last week’s debate that showed voters they had a choice between “four more years of progress, or four more years of attacks on our fundamental rights and our democracy.”
Biden planned to meet with congressional leaders this week, the White House said Tuesday. White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said Tuesday that they respect the opinions and thoughts of concerned party members, adding, “that’s what makes this party different from the other side.”
Many of Biden’s allies have criticized the news media for fixated on Biden’s mental capacitiesarguing that the emphasis should instead be placed on Trump’s history of refusing to accept the results of the 2020 election and repeatedly making false statements.
Rep. Veronica Escobar, a Texas Democrat who is on Biden’s campaign committee, admitted the debate wasn’t what she had hoped for, but added: “I think there needs to be a real conversation about the things that Donald Trump said. It’s beyond disgusting.”
Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.), who was one of Biden’s surrogates at the debate, dismissed the concerns.
“We are 100% behind Joe Biden,” he said Friday. “Crystal clear, end of story. He is our nominee. So anything beyond that is just political talk.”
The debate brought a new dynamic to an election that had been marked by few surprises. Voters were familiar with both Biden and Trump, having chosen between the two earlier in 2020.
Still, many House Democrats were left reeling as they faced a flurry of questions Friday morning after the debate. Some saw it as a bad night for Biden, but others are watching closely to see how voters react and whether Biden can engineer a swift political recovery.
Rep. James Clyburn, a South Carolina Democrat who helped Biden win the Democratic nomination in 2020, urged his party last week to “stay the course” and “calm down.”
On Tuesday, Clyburn still supported Biden for president, but he also told MSNBC that “Biden can decide otherwise.” Clyburn added that he would support Vice President Kamala Harris if Biden withdrew.
Clyburn and others like former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., are urging Biden to prove to the American people that he’s ready for another four years in office by going out and doing tough interviews — something he’s rarely done in recent years. Biden is scheduled to appear in an interview with ABC later this week, his first since the debate.
Both Clyburn and Pelosi told MSNBC Tuesday afternoon that they had not spoken directly to Biden since the debate. But Pelosi still insisted that the president “is at the top of his game, in terms of understanding the issues and what’s at stake.”
She called on both Biden and Trump to get tested for their health and mental acuity.
“I think it’s a legitimate question to say whether this is an episode or a condition. So when people ask that question, it’s legitimate — from both candidates,” Pelosi said.
Meanwhile, rank-and-file lawmakers are watching to see how the polls measure the impact and whether it plays out at the lower ballot boxes. For months, vulnerable Democrats in the House of Representatives have been have taken distance of some of Biden’s policies. That phenomenon could become even more apparent after the debate.
Congressman Jared Golden, a moderate Democrat from Maine, has been looking for ways to convince potential Trump voters to support him.
“While I don’t plan on voting for him, Donald Trump is going to win,” Golden said in an op-ed in the Bangor Daily News. “And that’s fine with me.”
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Associated Press editor Farnoush Amiri contributed to this report.