Support of Democrats in the House President Biden He has been criticizing members of his own party for publicly speaking out against Biden’s 2024 candidacy, arguing it is putting the president in a worse position amid the fallout from the 81-year-old’s disastrous debate performance last month.
Congress is in session on Monday for the first time in the immediate aftermath of Biden’s debate performance, and that is expected to bring close scrutiny to Democratic lawmakers.
Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., who has indicated he is supporting Biden, blamed his fellow Democrats for the public disorder.
“Regardless of what position one takes on the question of President Biden’s political future, the mixed messages within the party strike me as deeply self-destructive,” Torres said Monday. “Those who are publicly calling for President Biden to withdraw should ask themselves a simple question: ‘What if the president becomes the Democratic nominee?’ The drip-drip of public statements of no confidence only serves to weaken a president who has been weakened not just by the debates but by the debates about the debates.”
A growing number of House Democrats are expressing concerns about President Biden as a 2024 presidential candidate. (Ting Shen/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
“Weakening a weak candidate seems like a losing strategy for a presidential election. This kind of stacking does not solve the problem but rather complicates it. The process by which we decide to move forward is even more important than the decision itself.”
The debate has further deepened intra-party divisions in the House Democratic caucus, as members are divided over calls for Biden to drop out of the race.
Last week, five House Democrats publicly urged Biden to step down ahead of his November rematch with former President Trump.
A senior House Democratic aide told Fox News Digital on Friday that he expected more people to join the list this week.
However, Biden ally Rep. Frederica Wilson, D-Fla., on Sunday took aim at her colleagues for criticizing the president.
“Any ‘leader’ seeking to oust President Biden needs to get their priorities right and stop undermining this incredible real leader who has delivered real results for our country,” he said in a statement. “What Democrats need to do is stop listening to these political pundits and focus on what’s at stake in this election: our democracy. The story ends here.”
Ritchie Torres, a Democrat from New York, criticized his party’s “mixed messaging.” (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
It is part of the Political landmine The Biden campaign has seen its share of ups and downs since last month’s CNN presidential debate. The 81-year-old president’s raspy voice and sometimes aimless answers have fueled concerns that he is not a viable candidate to face Trump in November and raised questions about whether he is fit to lead in a second term.
This week will give House Democrats the longest stretch of time facing each other and the Capitol Hill media since that debate.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., has said little about Biden’s debate performance, telling reporters only on Friday that he remains dedicated to ensuring Democrats win in November.
“Until he clarifies the path forward in terms of his vision for America at this point, I’m not going to comment on anything related to where we are at this point, other than to say that I stand behind the ticket,” Jeffries said. told reporters on Friday,
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All eyes are on House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who has publicly sided with President Biden. (Getty Images)
House Democrats held a caucus-wide meeting Sunday afternoon to discuss the issue. The way forward in the election. Four senior Democratic lawmakers — Reps. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., Mark Takano, D-Calif., Adam Smith, D-Wash., and Joe Morelle, D-N.Y. — have reportedly said Biden should step aside.
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However, the call caused more confusion among the left after Rep. Don Beyer, D-Va., responded to reports that he also criticized Biden, saying in a statement: “I support President Biden. I support the Biden-Harris ticket, and look forward to helping defeat Donald Trump in November. I’m proud to host an event in Northern Virginia with the president this week, and I will continue to do everything I can to support the Biden-Harris campaign in Virginia and across the country.”
Fox News Digital contacted the four lawmakers mentioned on the call for comment.
