Democrats’ Private Fears About Biden’s Slow IPO : NPR

Democrats have raised concerns about President Biden in private conversations among themselves, and some of those concerns are becoming public as the week progresses.

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Despite President Biden’s efforts to quell dissent and keep his party united behind his candidacy, congressional Democrats remain concerned that he will lose in November and take down Democrats down the ballot with him.

Lawmakers have said publicly and privately that the party is deeply divided on the issue, giving added power to the information disseminated by individual members who choose to express their opinions. Public concern began to mount after CNN reported that Colorado Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet privately told his fellow senators in a closed-door meeting Tuesday that he feared Trump would win a landslide victory and carry the House and Senate with him.

“I did say that,” Bennet repeated in a CNN interview. “Donald Trump is on track, I think, to win this election and maybe even win it handily and take the Senate and the House of Representatives with him.”

Bennet previously chaired the Senate Democratic campaign committee.

This is a high-stakes battle within the party, as most members agree there is little time left to change course if Biden decides to step down.

Asked about Sen. Bennet’s comments, Oregon Democratic Sen. Jeff Merkley told NPR, “I share those concerns, as do many of my colleagues.”

Asked whether Biden should step down, he said: “I think President Biden should look at all the information and have detailed conversations with key leaders, including Leader Schumer and Leader Jeffries, and should do what’s best for the nation.” He acknowledged that leaders and rank-and-file members are “extremely concerned.”

Biden campaign officials are expected to meet directly with senators on Thursday, according to a Senate leadership source who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private plans.

Democrats will hold a special meeting at their campaign headquarters near the Capitol to hear from Biden senior advisers Mike Donilon and Steve Ricchetti and Biden campaign chairwoman Jen O’Malley Dillon, the source said.

Fears about Biden are being felt among front-line Democrats running in highly competitive districts and states. On Wednesday, New York Rep. Pat Ryan joined New Jersey Rep. Mikie Sherrill as the latest at-risk Democrats calling on Biden to step down.

Even some of his close allies, like former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat, have studiously avoided directly answering questions about whether Biden should step down. In an interview on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, Pelosi reiterated that she thinks Biden has a great president but is taking a cautious approach to questions about his future.

“It’s up to the president to decide whether he’s going to run,” she said. “We all encourage him to make that decision. Because time is running out.”

The public panic is frustrating Biden loyalists who say Democrats are undermining the president and their own chances in the election by publicly expressing their concerns. Sen. John Fetterman, Democrat of Pennsylvania, told reporters that Biden is a great president and that he doesn’t think expressing his concerns is helpful.

“He’s the only one who’s beaten Trump in the election,” Fetterman said. “And it’s going to be close, like it’s always been close, and I think he’s going to win because of that.”

NPR’s Susan Davis and Claudia Grisales contributed to this report.