‘Every Democrat Needs to Do Soul-Searching’: Biden’s House Allies Are Stressed About His Future

House Democrats tried to spin or avoid questions about the president’s debate performance and his place at the top of the ticket. But most stopped short of a confident defense.

President Joe Biden during the 2024 CNN Presidential Debate.

Ben Hendren/Sipa USA via AP

NOTUS reporters Riley Rogerson, Tinashe Chingarande, Nuha Dolby, Casey Murray, Claire Heddles, John T. Seward, Ben T.N. Mause and Oriana González reported this story.

After President Joe Biden’s debate performance Thursday night, House Democrats came to Capitol Hill on Friday with a simple mission: Don’t make it worse.

For the lawmakers willing to go on the record — and many brushed off the eight NOTUS reporters stationed around the House floor before they could even ask a question on Friday — most were desperate to spin a dire situation.