Biden tells Democrats to "end" talk of him withdrawing
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President Biden told congressional Democrats that it's time to "end" the pressure on him drop out via a Monday letter sent just ahead of Congress' return from its July 4 recess.
Why it matters: Lawmakers have told Axios they expect calls for Biden's withdrawal to grow once lawmakers are back in town. Biden's letter is a clear attempt to tamp down those calls before they arise, but initial reaction shows it could be stoking additional ire.
What he's saying: Biden said in the letter he has had "extensive conversations with the leadership of the party, elected officials, rank and file members and, most importantly, Democratic voters over the past 10 days or so."
- "I have heard the concerns that people have ... I am not blind to them," Biden said.
- But, he said, "I wouldn't be running again if I did not absolutely believe I was the best person to beat Donald Trump in 2024."
- The president wrote that he is "firmly committed to staying in the race" and that "the question of how to move forward has been well-aired for over a week now. And it's time for it to end."
Zoom in: A defiant Biden also called into Morning Joe on Monday, right after the letter went public, saying: "The bottom line here is that we are not going anywhere. I am not going anywhere."
- "I would not be running if I didn't believe I am the best candidate to beat Donald Trump in 2024."
State of play: Biden has faced public calls from five House Democrats to drop out of the race, with several committee ranking members adding their voices to that chorus in a private call Sunday led by Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.)
- Many more Democrats have privately expressed the view that Biden needs to drop out, and an even larger group has voiced concerns about his ability to take on former President Trump.
- The Biden campaign's efforts to address those concerns, largely by dismissing the president's doubters, have stirred further discord among Democrats on Capitol Hill.
What we're hearing: Biden's Monday letter is being met with mixed reaction on Capitol Hill.
- One senior House Democrat, asked if they think the letter will succeed in extinguishing pressure on Biden to withdraw, told Axios: "No."
- Another senior House Democrat predicted it "will make a difference. Especially for those who still believe he is 'open' to a decision to withdraw," but added that it's "likely" some lawmakers will react negatively.
Yes, but: Biden has received public support from Democratic leadership and some rank-and-file lawmakers, such as Sens. Bernie Sanders (D-Vt.) and Chris Coons (D-Del.).
- Others have been rubbed the wrong way by their colleagues' public calls for Biden's withdrawal: "The intra-party mixed messaging strikes me as deeply self-destructive," Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.) said in a statement Monday.
- "Weakening a weakened nominee seems like a losing strategy for a presidential election," Torres added, without specifically saying whether Biden should remain in the race.
Between the lines: Biden made an appeal to democracy in the letter, arguing that the "voters of the Democratic party have voted" in the 2024 primary
- He added: "Do we say this process didn't matter? That the voters don't have a say? I decline to do that."
- "It was [the voters'] decision to make. Not the press, not the pundits, not the big donors, not any selected group of individuals, no matter how well intentioned," he said.
Axios' Erin Doherty contributed to this story.
Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional details throughout.
