Democrats' private fears about Biden are slowly going public
Despite President Biden's efforts to quell dissent and keep his party unified behind his candidacy, congressional Democrats continue to raise concerns that he will lose in November, and take down ballot Democrats with him.
Lawmakers have said both publicly and privately that the party is badly fractured on the issue, giving heightened power to drips of information from individual members who choose to voice their opinions. Public concern began to pickup after CNN reported Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., privately told fellow senators at a Tuesday closed door meeting that he worried that Trump would win in a landslide and take the House and Senate with him.
"Its true that I said that," Bennet repeated in an interview on CNN. "Donald Trump is on track, I think, to win this election and maybe win it by a landslide and take with him the Senate and the House."
Bennet previously chaired the Senate Democrats' campaign committee.
It is a high stakes battle within the party as most members agree there is little time to change course if Biden chooses to step aside.
Oregon Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley, asked about Sen. Bennet's comments told NPR, "I do share those concerns and so do many of my colleagues."
Asked if Biden should withdraw says "I think President Biden should look at all of the information and carry on detailed conversations with key leaders, including Leader Schumer and Leader Jeffries, and should do what's best for the nation." He acknowledged leaders and rank and file members are "extremely worried."
Biden campaign officials are set to meet directly with Senators on Thursday, according to a Senate leadership source who was granted anonymity to speak about private plans.
Democrats will hold a special meeting at their campaign headquarters near the capitol to hear from senior Biden advisors Mike Donilon and Steve Ricchetti, and Biden Campaign Chair Jen O'Malley Dillon, according to the source.
Even some close allies like former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., have carefully avoided speaking directly to questions about whether Biden should drop out. Speaking in an interview on MSNBC's Morning Joe, Pelosi reiterated that she believes Biden has a great president but she took a careful approach to questions about his future.
“It’s up to the president to decide if he is going to run,” she said. “We’re all encouraging him to to make that decision. Because time is running short.”
The public panic is frustrating Biden loyalists who say Democrats are undermining the president and their own chances in the election by publicly venting their concerns. Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., told reporters Biden is a great president and he doesn't think the venting is helpful
"He’s the only one that’s kicked Trump’s ass in the election," Fetterman said. "And it’s going to be close like it was always going to be close and i think he’s going to win on that."
NPR's Susan Davis and Claudia Grisales contributed to this report.
