‘Everybody’s in Panic Mode’ as House Democrats Scramble After Debate

At least one letter circulating among House Democrats would call on Biden to end his campaign.

President Joe Biden walks off stage after the debate.

Fears about Joe Biden’s ability to mount a presidential campaign that spread in the immediate wake of the debate have spiked significantly this week and started to spill into public view.

By ALLY MUTNICK, JENNIFER HABERKORN, ADAM CANCRYN, NICHOLAS WU, ELENA SCHNEIDER and DANIELLA DIAZ

Politico

07/03/2024 04:46 PM EDT

House Democrats are growing increasingly panicked about the 2024 election in the aftermath of Joe Biden’s disastrous debate performance — and furious at the president’s response.

Two safe-seat members have already publicly urged Biden out. Two of the most endangered Democrats told local news outlets they’ve already written off Biden’s chances to win in November.

Behind the scenes, things are even more frenzied. There are multiple drafts of letters circulating among House Democrats and at least one would call on Biden to end his campaign, according to five people familiar with the efforts.

Even for Congress, where rumors constantly fly around the Capitol, this week has been remarkably chaotic, exacerbated by the fact that members are not in session and have been scrambling to connect with each other remotely.

“Everybody’s in panic mode, and I don’t even know what to say,” said one senior Democratic House lawmaker, who has sought to help manage the conference-wide fallout.

“The Frontliners are really worried,” the lawmaker added, using House Democrats’ branding for their most electorally vulnerable members.

The cloak-and-dagger plotting, careful parsing of words in cable TV hits and public pleas for Biden to prove himself in more public settings underscore the growing sense among House Democrats that the situation is untenable.

The debate — and the campaign’s handling of its aftermath — have left swing-seat Democrats deeply shaken and increasingly convinced that Biden’s weakness at the top of the ticket could fuel a complete wipeout down-ballot.

“Everybody wants him to quit. There’s a sense of despair. I think people don’t understand how we get out of this hole. And we’re hurtling toward losing to Trump,” said one House Democrat granted anonymity to shed light on private conversations. “All my text chains in Congress go from a dark humor to ‘let’s take action.’ … I don’t find any discernible group of people who actually believe we’re going to win with Joe Biden.”

But no one can agree on what to do.

Some are waiting for clearer polling data or other signs. Others were hoping to talk to more of their colleagues and advisers. But next Monday loomed for many as an informal deadline. The House will return from its July 4 recess, and members will gather again in one place, increasing the likelihood of collective action that could give everyone cover.

In the meantime, members have been forced to privately discuss their courses of action in group chats and phone calls — with a shift in tone playing out in TV hits and interviews back home in their districts.

The fears about Biden’s ability to mount a presidential campaign that spread in the immediate wake of the debate have spiked significantly this week and started to spill into public view.

Rep. Lloyd Doggett of Texas, a progressive who represents the heart of Austin, became the first sitting House Democrat to call for Biden to exit the race. A day later he was joined by Rep. Raul Grijalva of Arizona.

Two Democrats in red districts, Reps. Jared Golden of Maine and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington state, said the debate made clear that Biden could not beat Trump. Golden said confidently that democracy would survive a second Donald Trump presidency — an argument that undermines his own party’s core message. Neither explicitly called on Biden to bow out.

Rep. Mike Quigley (D-Ill.) raised concerns on CNN about the down-ballot effects of Biden’s candidacy: “I just want him to appreciate at this time just how much this impacts not just his race but all the other races coming in November.”

And swing-seat Rep. Angie Craig (D-Minn.) said at a news conference that she has asked the campaign to make Biden more present in the coming days while also giving him space to “think about whether he wants to continue moving forward.”

Biden knows he needs to 'reassure' voters post-debate, says campaign

On a call with campaign staff on Wednesday, Biden reiterated his commitment to staying in the race, adding “no one’s pushing me out.” Biden has also announced additional campaign stops, a press conference during next week’s NATO summit and is also set to sit down for a taped interview with ABC News.

For many Democrats, just as concerning as Biden’s performance has been his team’s attempts at damage control: a combination of dismissals, rebukes and nothing-to-see-heres that only further deepened the campaign’s credibility concerns among lawmakers.

“Biden’s surrogates calling all of us ‘bedwetters’ is backfiring more than helping,” one Democrat said.

Democrats expressed frustration about the close circle that has enveloped Biden and the lack of outreach from the White House or the campaign from how they’re going to right the ship. It took days for Biden to call either House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, whom he phoned Tuesday, or Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who spoke with the president on Wednesday. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Biden also spoke with Speaker emeritus Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) and Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.).

House Democratic leaders plan to hold a call at 5 p.m. Wednesday.

Mia McCarthy and Sarah Ferris contributed.