🥊 President Biden faces a growing revolt among frustrated congressional Democrats who say he should abandon his re-election bid — but he spent today signaling he was digging in for a fight.

• "I am running. I am the leader of the Democratic Party. No one is pushing me out," Biden told his campaign staffers on a call in which he was joined by Vice President Kamala Harris.
• 📞 The call — along with a similar one Chief of Staff Jeff Zients held for those at the White House — was aimed at boosting morale among Biden staffers, who were frustrated and angered by top Biden aides' slow, dismissive response to concerns about his debate performance last week.
• Biden also met with several Democratic governors this evening.

⛈️ But trouble for Biden continues to brew among Democrats on Capitol Hill.

• ⚡️ A growing number of House Democrats want the 81-year-old president to step aside, fearing that the longer he's in the race, the worse it'll be for the party's congressional candidates — and the better it'll be for Donald Trump.

👀 Several described to Axios significant movement away from Biden just today, with one saying that "over the last few hours, I am starting to hear from [Democratic] delegates that they really love Joe but want him to step aside."

• Another House Democrat said Biden should "step down and help lead a transition of candidacy," and that a "very large majority of the caucus shares this sentiment."
• A third lawmaker said House Democrats have been "inundated" by nervous constituents: "So many people are telling us he can't win, he's got to withdraw."

As Biden tries to shore up support from congressional leaders and members, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) is hearing from members who say Biden needs to go.

• One House Democrat told Axios that Jeffries has had "a lot of communication" with his members to "gauge feelings and sentiment and ... figure out where the consensus really is."
• The lawmaker added that a "very broad swath of the House Democratic caucus representing diverse ideology, geography and backgrounds ... believes that a change in candidacy is necessary."
• Biden and Jeffries spoke by phone late yesterday, a source familiar with the matter told Axios.

👂 What we're hearing: A group of newer House Democrats, most first elected in 2018 and many representing swing districts, told Jeffries they can't risk their reputations by supporting Biden, several sources familiar with the conversation told Axios.

• The "consensus" was that lawmakers are "resigned to the inevitability" that Democrats need a new candidate and have come around to Harris as the likely replacement, one source said.
• 📄 A draft letter calling for Biden to withdraw is circulating among lawmakers, according to two House Democrats, with one saying it is "all anyone is talking about." The letter was first reported by Bloomberg.

😒 Several Democrats continue to express annoyance at how Biden's team has responded to their concerns about his age and acuity.

• Rep. Scott Peters (D-Calif.) told Axios that Biden's campaign has been "arrogant" by blasting Democratic doubters as "bedwetters" and "Davos Dems." He added Biden's team "needs to answer some questions that are serious, and I don't think they will because this is not moving in the right direction."

👉 One House Democrat cautioned that not all Democratic lawmakers think Biden should step down.

• Members of the Congressional Black Caucus are urging colleagues to back Biden, the lawmaker said.
• Publicly, Jeffries, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and other senior Democrats such as Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.), the former House majority whip, have affirmed their support for Biden.

The bottom line: "Hakeem is the key," said one House Democrat. "When you start seeing signals from him, I think the whole herd will follow quickly."

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Delegates to the Democratic National Convention are pleading for as much time as possible to decide whether Biden should lead their ticket, delegates and state party officials told Axios.

• 🤷‍♀️ The delegates are still in the dark about when they are required to hold their "virtual roll calls" to nominate their presidential candidate.
• 😳 Democrats — from lawmakers facing re-election to activists who make the party run — are still spooked by Biden's jarring debate performance last week. They want time and options in case Biden steps aside or is forced out by donors or lawmakers.

In May, the Democratic National Committee announced plans to nominate its ticket via virtual roll calls of delegates weeks before the party's convention in Chicago, which starts Aug. 19.

• Officials have said the roll call needs to happen before Aug. 7, the deadline to get on the ballot in Ohio.

🗣️ What they're saying: "We need as much time as possible," a party delegate from the Northeast told Axios. "There's no way we can make a decision in two or three weeks."

• "We are still waiting to hear what Biden is going to do," Gilberto Hinojosa, chair of the Texas Democratic Party, told Axios. "Our national Democratic leadership has to make a decision on what is ultimately the best for America — and this world."

"The primary is over, and in every state the will of Democratic voters was clear: Joe Biden will be the Democratic Party's nominee for president," DNC chair Jaime Harrison said in a statement.

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🎤 Biden has engaged in fewer press conferences and media interviews than any of the last seven presidents at this point in their terms, according to an analysis by presidential scholar Martha Kumar.

• He's sitting for a rare interview with ABC News on Friday amid growing concerns about his age and acuity — and accusations that his inner circle has taken pains to hide the president's true condition from public view.
• Biden's media engagement particularly contrasts with that of Trump, who despite demonizing the press often was willing to talk — and talk.

🧮 Kumar has tracked press conferences, media interviews and informal question-and-answer sessions between presidents and small groups of reporters.

• Biden has participated in just 36 press conferences so far — including solo and with other government or foreign leaders. Among the seven most recent presidents, only Ronald Reagan had fewer, at 25.
• Biden has given fewer media interviews than any other president since at least Reagan, with just 125. George W. Bush had the second-fewest at this point in his presidency, with 166.
• ☎️ The interview category includes various forms of direct conversations with reporters, including phone calls and off-the-record meals.

Yes, but: Biden has been more prolific with less formal Q&As with select, small "pools" of reporters, engaging in this way more than any other recent president except Trump.

• Kumar counts 588 such sessions for Biden to Trump's 664. Barack Obama had just 103 examples of this kind of press engagement.

"Joe Biden has always stood up for the critical role of the free press in our democracy, and looks forward to his next press conference next week," White House spokesperson Andrew Bates said.

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