U.S. President Joe Biden is holding a meeting today, Wednesday, with Democratic state governors in an effort to reassure his party after a disappointing performance in the presidential debate and to demonstrate that he is mentally and physically fit amid calls for him to step down from the Democratic presidential nomination.
An official stated that Biden will also meet with congressional leaders this week as part of his efforts to rally support from party backers and quell discussions about the necessity of his withdrawal.
A Democratic source in the House mentioned that 25 Democratic members of the House are preparing to call for Biden's resignation if he appears unsteady in the coming days. Prominent figures from the Democratic camp began to publicly question President Biden's health on Tuesday, culminating in the first public call for him to withdraw from the presidential race.
Democratic Congressman Lloyd Doggett from Texas stated in a press release: "I hope he makes the difficult and painful decision to withdraw. I respectfully urge him to do so." He added, "We should not hand over the presidency to Trump in 2024."
Former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi deemed it "legitimate" to question President Biden's health following the debate. Pelosi, who still holds significant influence within her party, said on MSNBC: "I think it is legitimate to wonder whether this is just a chapter or a lasting condition."
Representative Mike Quigley, a Democrat from Illinois, expressed on CNN that "we need to be honest with ourselves that it wasn't just a terrible night."
A poll released by CNN on Tuesday showed that 75% of surveyed voters believe the party would have better chances with a different candidate than Joe Biden, further intensifying Democrats' concerns. Trump received 49% of national voting intentions compared to 43% for his opponent, a margin that has not changed since the last similar poll conducted in April.
