As President Joe Biden’s campaign struggles to calm nerves over the president’s disastrous debate performance, Democrats on Capitol Hill are increasingly furious with those around him and increasingly discouraged about his re-election prospects — and the their own chances of winning majorities in the House and Senate.
Talks about a change in strategy are already underway, with some Democratic lawmakers and many deep-pocketed donors planning how Biden should continue in the race to ensure a congressional check on a second term for Donald Trump.
“The way I talk to my donors is: the Chamber is the last firewall, folks. Us to have to flip the House,” a frontline House Democrat told Playbook last night. “Ninety-nine percent of the people I’ve talked to can’t get their credit cards out quickly enough.”
These private discussions could eventually turn into an explicit campaign to put Democratic control over an expected Trump presidency – just as Republicans in Congress did in 1996, when Bob Dole was headed for defeat.
Democrats aren’t there yet. We were told that the party’s main leaders are prepared to continue betting on Biden as the party’s best choice for November, just as they did on yesterday’s Sunday show circuit. Part of this is a collective action problem — no one wants to be first, and potentially last — and part of it is that many believe that speaking out can only make Biden dig deeper.
But make no mistake: the desperation and frustration are real and growing within the party. This was felt acutely by front-line members — the swing-district Democrats who would be the cornerstone of any majority. Donors blew up their phones over the weekend, and some urged them to publicly release a group letter calling for a new candidate, an idea some discussed over the weekend.
“The party leadership should go to the White House, knock down the doors and say, ‘Time is up,’” said an adviser to major Democratic donors. “Anyone who tries to prolong the inevitable here is basically putting us on a giant fucking death march towards the end.”
This sense of anger is palpable among the Democratic base in Congress, many of whom blame Biden and his family for hiding the reality of his condition. The House Democrat regretted defending the president during the campaign despite receiving political advice to run away from him, only to find out how bad things were on Thursday.
“It’s just your selfishness and enabling your family,” the person said. “Jill [Biden] of all people – she sees him every day. She is the only person who could stop this train wreck. … This should have been a one-term president.”
Many senior Democrats have not given up hope that Biden will change his mind if new research reveals massive internal bleeding. They are prepared to argue that, rather than dishonoring his legacy, a graceful exit would be among his greatest and most selfless acts to save democracy.
“There is enormous affection and deference toward the president — but no one thinks this is sustainable,” a Democratic aide told Playbook.
Republicans, meanwhile, are preparing to paint Democrats as enablers of a weak president.
At the weekend, the NRSC Teased New Strategy of making Democrats eat their words by downplaying concerns about Biden’s fitness for office. In Pennsylvania, Republican David McCormick went live with a new ad that ping pong of current Senator Bob Casey expressing confidence in Biden’s leadership with the president’s halting debate performance.
“Casey knew about Biden’s condition,” the words on the screen said.
The NRCC has compiled a similar dossier and is planning to “weaponize the silence of vulnerable House Democrats…capitalizing on Biden’s political meltdown to expand the map and increase the Republican majority in the House,” according to a new memo obtained by the Playbook.
“House Democrats have stood by and allowed this crisis due to their own irresponsibility and loyalty to their party to the detriment of the people of this country,” the memo continues.
DCCC spokesman Viet Shelton dismissed the GOP threat, arguing that “House races have always been about the strength of our candidates, combined with the fact that Democrats deliver when they are in charge, while Republicans extremists sow chaos.” He also noted that Democrats outpaced their Republican opponents.
What was left unsaid: They also outpaced Biden considerably. But if recent history is any guide, that could easily change.
Did you like this content? Sign up for POLITICO’s Playbook newsletter.
This story originally appeared on Politico.com read the full story
