July 8th, Washington, DC:
Several prominent House Democrats have spoken out against President Joe Biden's involvement in the 2024 campaign, voicing serious worries about how he could affect the Democratic Party's prospects in the next elections, according to CNN. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries convened a leadership call on Sunday to solicit feedback from members and leaders before their return to Washington this week. During the conversation, members' feelings were aired.
Concerns about Biden's candidacy and its impact on the Democratic ticket and the party's chances of regaining the House majority supposedly dominated the conversation. But Jeffries didn't say where he stands on the question of Biden's re-election candidacy, so everyone was free to argue their own positions.
House Democrats were sharply divided on the call; more members wanted Biden to resign than had previously spoken out in support of his candidacy. Mark Takano, Adam Smith, Jim Himes, Joe Morelle, Jerry Nadler, and Susan Wild were prominent characters among those who opposed Biden. Reports indicate that Representatives Maxine Waters and Bobby Scott came out for Biden, highlighting the party leadership's internal strife.
During the nearly two-hour discussion, many were worried that if Biden stayed the Democratic nominee, they would miss out on the chance to gain a majority in the House. A number of people who took part in the discussion thought Vice President Kamala Harris would be a better choice to head the ticket than the current president.
An anonymous senior Democratic aide told, "It was pretty brutal" when asked to describe the heated debate that took place on the private conference call with House leaders. According to the aide, there won't be any hasty choices made about formal requests or actions like a meeting with Biden or a letter before the whole Democratic caucus meets on Tuesday. Reportedly, Jeffries stressed that members will have the freedom to express their ideas and make their own decisions regarding the issue.
The overwhelming opinion inside the caucus is in favor of Biden standing away, according to another senior House Democrat. The member stressed that although Biden's long career in public service is respected, the party is more in agreement that good strategy is necessary to advance. Democratic Party insiders said that Tuesday's caucus meeting was going to be a watershed moment for Biden. A number of Democrats who were unhappy with Biden's performance in the most recent debate are waiting for Jeffries to publicly state her position on the issue. While he gauges the mood in his caucus, Jeffries has been careful thus far, without explicitly backing any particular course of action.
Meanwhile, President Biden exuded self-assurance during his visit to Pennsylvania, a key battleground state, as he reaffirmed his conviction in the united support of the Democratic Party. Biden made it clear when asked about the party's support for him by telling reporters that they still stood behind him.
