CNN
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Several top House Democrats told House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries on a conference call Sunday that President Joe Biden should recuse himself from the 2024 presidential campaign, according to a source familiar with the call.
Jeffries held the call to gauge the caucus’ sentiments following Biden’s disastrous debate performance last month. The call, held before lawmakers returned to Washington this week, expressed deep concern about the potential damage to the Democratic nominee and whether it could jeopardize the party’s chances of retaking the House majority.
A source on the call told CNN that Jeffries did not reveal to his colleagues where he stands on the issue of whether Biden should continue to run for reelection.
The number of lawmakers who said explicitly that Biden should not be the Democratic nominee outnumbered those who said he should remain in office, according to one of the sources. Representatives Mark Takano, Adam Smith, Jim Himes, Joe Morrell, Jerry Nadler and Susan Wild were among those who opposed Biden’s inauguration, according to three of the sources.
Five senators – Reps. Lloyd Doggett, Seth Moulton, Raul Grijalva, Angie Craig and Mike Quigley – have publicly called on Biden to withdraw from the presidential race.
Democratic Reps. Maxine Waters and Bobby Scott have spoken out in support of Biden, one of the sources said.
One concern expressed during the roughly two-hour call was that Democrats would lose their chance to win a majority in the House of Representatives if Biden becomes the nominee, one of the people said, adding that there is general agreement that Vice President Kamala Harris should be the nominee.
“It was pretty brutal,” a senior Democratic aide told CNN on the condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations among House leaders.
Though they were not on the call, members of the Congressional Black Caucus, including Reps. Joyce Beatty of Ohio and Frederica Wilson of Florida, defended Biden against colleagues who have called on the president to resign.
Beatty, a former CBC president, said Democrats “should not act independently against our own president” and that black voters are loyal and will continue to support Biden.
“Any ‘leader’ who calls for President Biden to retreat needs to get his priorities straight and stop disrespecting this incredible, real leader who has delivered real results for our country,” Wilson said in a statement.
Aides said a decision on requesting a White House meeting or sending a letter to Biden is not expected until the Democratic caucus meets on Tuesday, but Jeffries has made it clear he will allow caucus members to give their input and make their own decision.
A top House Democrat said he and dozens of colleagues agreed in calls and group chats that Biden should step aside. He said they were “trying to figure out the best way to move forward” while paying due respect to the president’s illustrious record.
House Democratic leaders and other lawmakers believe Tuesday, when their caucuses are scheduled to meet, will be the president’s most important day of the week.
One member told CNN they expect that to be the day the dam will break.
Many Democrats, concerned about Biden’s viability as a nominee given his poor performance in the debates, are waiting for Jeffries to take a public stance.
So far, party leaders have remained intentionally listening: A person told CNN last week that Jeffries has “assertively” avoided offering his own judgment on the issue as he continues to investigate the caucus.
Biden, meanwhile, was busy campaigning in the battleground state of Pennsylvania, speaking at a predominantly black church in Philadelphia earlier in the day and then making a surprise stop at a local campaign office to liven up the impromptu, unscripted events that allies have encouraged him to do. He then headed to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, where he held campaign events touting endorsements from state Democratic Sen. John Fetterman, Rep. Madeleine Dean and Lt. Gov. Austin Davis.
When asked by reporters between those visits on Sunday if Democrats still supported Biden, he responded with an emphatic “yes.”
This story has been updated with new reporting.
CNN’s Jack Forest, Eva McKend, Edward Isaac Dovere, Eileen Graef and Samantha Woldenberg contributed to this report.
