Three House Democrats describe chaos within caucus as party navigates Biden concerns

Three House Democratic lawmakers say they have been besieged with hundreds of texts, phones ringing off the hook and numerous video calls as the party looks to blunt the fallout from President Joe Biden’s disastrous debate performance last week and determine what’s next ahead of November.

Three House Democratic lawmakers say they have been besieged with hundreds of texts, phones ringing off the hook and numerous video calls as the party looks to blunt the fallout from President Joe Biden’s disastrous debate performance last week and determine what’s next ahead of November. The lawmakers, speaking on the condition of anonymity with CNN’s Jake Tapper, painted a feverish mood within the House Democratic Caucus as Biden has privately acknowledged that the next stretch of days is crucial to his campaign as he faces a growing number of calls to step aside as the party’s presumptive presidential nominee or risk the party’s chances of keeping the White House and winning back control of the House. “The phones don’t stop ringing. Everyone is talking,” one House Democrat told Tapper, pointing to polling that shows the president’s waning popularity and the prevailing fear that Biden remaining at the top of the ticket could negatively affect House races. “Polling of House members is cratering. We all are out-performing the president, but that’s not sustainable,” the member said. Another House Democrat said one of Biden’s answers during the debate – which ultimately ended in confused silence – made them “get up and leave.” “My blood pressure went through the roof. I went into the other room and had a glass of wine. The president’s performance was so bad so early, it was the first time I thought I could lose my race as well,” the second House Democrat said. A third House Democrat said they had believed the Biden campaign and the White House when they publicly lauded the president as healthy — until they watched the debate.