SCOTT DETROW, HOST:
Congressional Democrats are still divided about whether President Biden should remain their party's nominee for president. But increasingly, some are saying in public something that they have been privately worrying about, that Biden could lose to Trump in November and bring down Democrats' hopes of flipping the House and keeping control of the Senate. NPR congressional correspondent Deirdre Walsh joins us now from the Capitol. Hey, Deirdre.
DEIRDRE WALSH, BYLINE: Hey, Scott.
DETROW: You have been talking to Democrats for two weeks about this, and it looked like the Biden campaign's efforts to stop the bleeding was working. But then, Deirdre, today, it seemed like there was a new wave of deep concerns that became public.
WALSH: I really think the vibes on this among House Democrats seem to be shifting by the hour. The public support from leaders of the Congressional Black Caucus and Congressional Hispanic Caucus did appear to stem more public calls for Biden to withdraw. But Democrats from critical swing states and purple House districts are seeing polls that their races are tighter.
At a private lunch yesterday with Senate Democrats, Colorado Senator Michael Bennet said he thought the President could lose in a landslide and take the House and Senate with him. CNN reported that first, and then Bennet went public with an interview. I talked to Oregon Democrat Jeff Merkley, who said many of his colleagues and he agree with Bennet. When I asked him if Biden should withdraw, he stopped short.
JEFF MERKLEY: I think President Biden should look at all of the information and carry on detailed conversations with key leaders including Leader Schumer and Leader Jeffries and should do what's best for the nation.
DETROW: And Deirdre, we have one key input that it looks like the campaign is really scrambling here to respond to senators.
WALSH: Right. They are. A Senate leadership source tells NPR that Biden's top White House and campaign advisers are coming up to Capitol Hill tomorrow to have a special lunch meeting with all Senate Democrats.
DETROW: What about the leaders, though? I know you've been watching them very closely, and they are the influential voices here. What are they saying?
WALSH: You know, publicly, both Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries say they support Biden. But it was notable yesterday that Schumer was pressed three different ways whether Biden is still viable as the nominee. And three different times, he gave the same three word answer, quote, "I'm with Joe."
Jeffries has just been in listening mood. He's heard another call today from a fellow New York Democrat, Pat Ryan, who's running for reelection in a swing district. Ryan said, Joe Biden is a patriot but is no longer the best candidate to defeat Trump and said he should step aside.
DETROW: So there is a shift happening here. But still, it's hardly a flood of lawmakers calling on Biden to withdraw, right? So what dynamics could change that?
WALSH: Right. I mean, I think tomorrow's sit-down with Biden senior aides and Senate Democrats will be critical. Multiple Democrats I talked to are trying to give President Biden some space. They got this letter from Biden days ago saying he's made the decision that he's not leaving. But a lot of Senate Democrats and House Democrats don't seem to take that as the final answer. They're now avoiding saying outright that he should go and instead saying the President should make, quote, "the decision that's best for the country.".
There was just a lot of attention on comments by another top leader, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, this morning on MSNBC. After the debate, she publicly backed Biden in multiple interviews. But today, she urged people not to go public with concerns because Biden's hosting this NATO summit, but she also said it's up to the president - decide if he's going to run, and time is running short.
This race was always going to be close. That's something that Biden supporters stress. But all Democrats really want to get back to making the contrast with Trump and what another Trump term could mean for issues that Democrats care about.
DETROW: Yeah. That's NPR's Deirdre Walsh. Deirdre, thank you so much.
WALSH: Thanks, Scott.
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