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President's support deteriorates as campaign staff struggle to make case the president should stay in the race
Democrat senators left a meeting with the president's reelection staff skeptical that Joe Biden will be able to lead the party to November's presidential ballot.
Two weeks after Biden's terrible debate performance against former President Trump, fears are rising in Capitol Hill that his fumbling leadership will hurt down-ballot Democrats.
There are already 14 elected Democrats who have come out publicly urging Biden to step down from the race.
Amid the crisis, Biden campaign advisors Mike Donilon and Steve Ricchetti and Biden's campaign Chair Jen O’Malley Dillon orchestrated a last-minute meeting with Democrat senators.
But lawmakers emerged from their private meeting discussing Biden's political future with little to celebrate - most with more questions than they entered with.
'Some of my concerns are allayed, some others have been deepened,' Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., told reporters after the private meeting.
'I need more of the kind of analytics that show the path to success.'
Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., speaks after Senate Democrats met privately with President Joe Biden's senior advisors Mike Donlion, Steve Richetti and campaign chair Jen O'Malley Dillon at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee on Thursday. He said after the meeting some of his concerns over Biden have deepened
'We need more data, more analytics to allay my concerns,' he said. 'More important than my concerns are the questions that have been raised by the American people.'
'I think Joe Biden has to take the fight to Donald Trump and allay the people's concerns.'
'And I think he is capable of doing that but he has to show the American people the clear contrast and the existential threat that Donald trump represents to American democracy.'
Blumenthal's concerns are shared by many on the Hill.
Two Democrat senators inside the meeting disclosed to PunchBowl News that things inside got 'heated' between the lawmakers and Biden's team.
Multiple lawmaker vented about 'being put in an untenable position defending something that so many of their constituents felt was obvious.'
Apparently the Biden camp tried to illustrate how Joe will beat Trump in November, but not enough data on that point was presented.
'A significant majority of the Democratic senators feel that the president’s not going to be able to win,' one Senator disclosed to the outlet.
Another Senator, Sherrod Brown of Ohio, spoke at a fundraiser earlier this week describing 'nervousness' about the top of the Democrats' ticket, DailyMail.com exclusively learned.
Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., who canceled an event to discuss Biden earlier this week, did not take questions before entering the private meeting.
Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., came out to hand out reporters water bottles, but he refused to take questions from the press about the private event
Nancy Pelosi said it is 'up to the president' to decide whether he wants to stay in the race but 'time is running out' in pointed comments Wednesday morning
Earlier this week, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi went on Biden's favorite morning show on MSNBC and said the president must decide whether he is still wanting to be the Democratic nominee.
The thing is, he sent a letter to all Democrats on Capitol Hill just days earlier saying he fully intends to stay in the race despite concerns over his age and debate performance.
Her insistence that the president's mind is not made up has led to other Democrats repeating the former speaker's line, that Biden must make his own decision.
Pelosi also said that Biden should focus on his solo press conference the 2024 NATO Summit in Washington, D.C., and not worry about making up his mind until after his highly-anticipated remarks.
Reports indicate that Democrats across Congress may come out against the president after his press even Thursday evening in an effort to not undermine the country's leader as he manages delicate foreign relations.
'Tonight will be important,' Blumenthal said of the event.
'The press conference will potentially be a turning point. But it has to be more than just one press conference.'
'He has to take the fight to Donald Trump and he has to do it personally. it cant be done for him. His advisors or staff can't do it for him.'
Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., who earlier this week told CNN that he does not believe Biden can beat Trump, reiterated his view to reporters before the meeting.
'If things stay as they are, it’s likely that Donald Trump will win the election and we’ll lose the Senate and we’ll lose the House.’
Upon exiting the meeting, Bennet hardly uttered a word.
The meeting was 'good,' he told a throng of reporters awaiting news from inside.
He then scrambled off without revealing any other details.
Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., has said he believes Biden will lose to Trump. After the meeting all he had to say was that it was 'good'
Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., hurried inside the meeting avoiding questions by taking a call
Only Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., has gone further in his critique of Biden. He called on the president to withdraw from the race Wednesday. He is still the only Democratic Senator to do so.
'The best way we can defeat Donald Trump is to reelect President Biden,' Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., said after the meeting.
'I thought the presentation we just had was an excellent one.'
Her optimism over Biden's campaign was unmatched by any other Democrat interviewed exiting the meeting.
'I think people are still talking,' she said of the proceedings inside.
'We obviously have some different perspectives about how to best proceed. But, again, the president's team made a very strong presentation and I continue to support the reelection of President Biden.'
Most Senators avoided reporters' questions, but Sen. Maggie Hassan stopped to praise the president after the meeting
Though she did concede that the president's debate performance is coloring Democrat's view of the president.
'President Biden had a bad debate,' she said before adding, 'former President Trump not only had a bad debate in which he lied ... but he had a really horrific presidency - and that's what need to focus on.'
'This is a really strong campaign,' she added.
Biden is expected to deliver his remarks at the NATO Summit at 6:30 p.m. ET.