"Freaking the f*** out": Turmoil in the White House over Biden

• "It's the first topic of every conversation," one White House official said. "Senior leadership has given us nothing. To act like it's business as usual is delusional."
• Another official put it more bluntly: "Everyone is freaking the f*** out."
• "The uncertainty after Thursday is palpable and anxiety is only increasing," a third White House official told Axios.
• "People are looking for leadership and direction that they were told to trust, and hoped was there, but aren't yet feeling in what is now clearly a defining moment for this presidency."

Driving the news: On Friday, the day after Biden's debate against former President Trump, many senior White House officials addressed the president's lackluster performance with staffers.

• Many officials felt they only were being given talking points, with no real explanation of why Biden appeared unable to string sentences together or articulate a case for himself over Trump.
• The lack of answers from senior aides has continued this week, leading to growing anger and resentment among many inside the Biden camp.

Reality check: Part of Biden's team sees the debate as just one bad night that will blow over, and points out that many of the president's critics previously have counted him out when he faced challenges.

• One longtime Biden aide told Axios: "Davos Dems love to hedge their bets against us and get hysterical, like they did in 2019. And just like after 2020, they will come back with their DNC convention lanyards in their hands, begging for Christmas party invitations and then for a plus-one."

What they're saying: Axios granted several Biden officials anonymity to describe the atmosphere in the White House and on the campaign in the days since the debate.

• One Biden confidante told Axios: "For everyone who really cares about Biden and his legacy, the debate was just painful to watch."
• "It's dark," said an official involved in the campaign. "It feels like there is zero leadership or information. People are being told to keep their heads down and keep working, but they're not seeing the president or being given any reason why they should have faith in him."

Campaign spokesperson Kevin Munoz told Axios: "Campaigns are hard. No one came here under any other illusion. But I can personally tell you there's a fire lit under all of us and keeps us going every single day."

• He added that "we all immensely believe in President Biden — his mission, his story and his steadfast commitment to fighting for the American people."

• White House spokesperson Andrew Bates said that "we have a lot of experience keeping — and spreading — the faith in moments where we're counted out by staying focused on delivering for the American people and building on the most successful record of any modern presidency."

Others on Biden's team weren't so down, and were waiting to see what the president would do next.

• A White House official: "I am hopeful that debate night was a glitch and not a pattern. The president I know is the one I saw on Friday at the rally" in North Carolina.
• "I hope he gets out there more in coming weeks, so the rest of America sees the guy who we see."
• A person in Biden's orbit said they were "pensive — deciding what I want to do and seeing how things evolve."
• Another person involved in the campaign added: "I think the more that Biden is asked to step down, the more he feels like a scrappy underdog and the more he digs in."
• They added: "The atmosphere now is that he's going to be the nominee, so put your head down. But there is also frustration that we aren't being given the materials to move the news cycle forward. He needs to be out there."

This story was updated to include Bates' comments from the White House.