House Democrat Meeting With Biden Turns To Chaos After Lawmaker Confronts The President Directly

During a virtual meeting with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus's political arm on Friday, President Joe Biden was confronted directly by Rep. Mike Levin (D-CA) on the 81-year-old Democrat's decision to stay in the race. Levin, a Democrat congressman in a battleground district, said that Biden should end his re-election campaign and allow a more youthful candidate to take the reins. 

The meeting was initially set up to allow only two Biden allies, Reps. Sylvia Garcia (D-TX) and Lou Correa (D-CA), to ask questions of the president, but Biden decided to open up the conversation to hear from other elected Democrats. However, Reps. Gabe Vasquez (D-NM) and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA) both attempted to ask questions but were denied by organizers. 

In response to Levin's comment, President Biden attempted to reassure the Congressional Hispanic Caucus by emphasizing his record and expressing his understanding that he needs to prove his fitness to the public. "That's why I'm going out and letting people tough me, poke me, ask me questions," Biden said in response. "I think I know what I'm doing - because the truth of the matter is - I'm going to say something outrageous - No president in three years has done what we have in three years other than Franklin Roosevelt because of your help. That's not hyperbole. That's a fact. No president."

"And so that doesn't answer the question. That's - that was great when you were feeling good, Biden, are you okay now? That's what's underlying," the president continued. "That's what people are worried about. 'I've got a grandfather who's 85 years old, and he can't walk.' It's 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."

The meeting ended soon after President Biden's response to Rep. Levin, and the president's answer didn't seem to satisfy him, given that he released a statement following the meeting calling on the president to step aside. "I have deep respect for President Biden's five-plus decades of public service and incredible appreciation for the work we've done together these last three and a half years," he stated. "But I believe the time has come for President Biden to pass the torch."

President Biden is scheduled to meet with the political arms of the Progressive Caucus, the centrist New Democrat Coalition and the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus on Friday to answer questions from elected officials and reassure Democrats wary of his re-election chances.

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