Biden told to drop out in "haywire" meeting with Hispanic Democrats
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President Biden, Chrissy Levin and Rep. Mark Levin at a campaign event in Oceanside, California on Nov. 3, 2022. Photo: SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images.
President Biden's meeting with members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus on Friday didn't go as planned, with one lawmaker even urging him to drop his re-election bid, according to two sources briefed on the matter.
Why it matters: It's a rare instance of a lawmaker actually telling the president in a direct encounter that he should exit the 2024 presidential race.
- One lawmaker who was told about the meeting described it as going "haywire."
The latest: Biden was an hour late to the Zoom meeting with Hispanic Caucus members on Friday, which was held through the group's political arm, BOLD PAC, the sources said.
- After Reps. Lou Correa (D-Calif.) and Linda Sanchez (D-Calif.) asked Biden questions, which one source described as "pre-selected," Sanchez, the BOLD PAC chair, tried to "lightly" end the meeting, the source said.
- But Biden offered to take more questions and Sanchez called on Rep. Mike Levin (D-Calif.). He told Biden it is time for somebody else to lead the party, according to both sources. Levin later put out a statement making that position public.
Zoom in: In response to Levin's comment, Biden said, "That's why I'm going out and letting people touch me, poke me, ask me questions. I think I know what I'm doing," according to a source familiar with the call.
- Biden said his age is a "legitimate concern for people," but "that's why I think it's important I gotta get out and show people everything from how well I move to how much I know and that I'm still in good charge."
- After Biden's response, the meeting was ended, one source said.
The intrigue: Several swing-district members — including Reps. Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.) and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-Wash.) — used the raise hand function but had it "repeatedly" lowered, one of the sources said.
- Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-Texas) told The Hill that Sanchez was transparent about her and Correa being "the two people who definitely would get to ask their questions."
- "The chairwoman kept a list of all the members who put their hands up in the call and who wanted to ask questions. And in fact, at one point during the conversation, she announced who was in the queue," Escobar said.
Zoom out: Biden is engaged in an outreach campaign to try to cut off the steady flow of public statements from congressional Democrats calling on him to end his campaign.
- Biden also met with the political arm of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, ASPIRE PAC, on Friday.
- The ASPIRE PAC meeting went much smoother than BOLD PAC's, according to a source briefed on the call who said it was "incredibly staid" and consisted of four members asking "softball" questions.
- So far, 19 House Democrats and Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) have urged Biden to withdraw his candidacy, including nearly half a dozen after his NATO press conference on Thursday night.
What they're saying: "More than grateful that President Biden took time to talk to our caucus. He spoke frankly to us, he answered hard questions, and most importantly, he showed up," Correa said in a statement to Axios.
- "He knows how important our community is. It was a productive conversation that covered many important issues."
- BOLD PAC did not offer comment on this story.
What's next: Biden's talks with lawmakers will continue into the weekend, with the president scheduled to meet with the Progressive Caucus and the center-left New Democrat Coalition on Saturday.
Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional details and corrected to state that Sanchez, not Biden, called on Levin.
