Biden is trying to salvage his campaign. Democrats say things are only getting worse

CNN —

President Joe Biden has said repeatedly that there is a simple cure for his political troubles: Get out there and show the skeptics that he has what it takes to run for – and win – a second term.

Since his disastrous debate performance that sent his party into a tailspin, the president has sat down for numerous interviews, held a rare solo news conference, held calls with factions of the House Democratic Caucus, met with top Democratic leaders and hit the campaign trail. Unfortunately for the president, he has hardly reassured worried Democrats – if anything, the concerns inside his party have only grown more serious.

“Anyone who thinks this is over is mistaken,” said one House Democrat about the ongoing conversations happening behind the scenes.

Another Democratic lawmaker told CNN that Biden’s full court press in recent days following Saturday’s assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump has only exacerbated the panic inside the party.

“Getting worse” is how the member put it.

A third House Democrat who watched Biden’s interview with NBC News’ Lester Holt on Monday described feeling “profound sadness watching an admirable man tread water instead of leading us through it.”

As Biden travels back to Delaware from Las Vegas on Wednesday night, cutting his trip short after testing positive for Covid-19, he faces one of the most momentous decisions of his long political life.

While the nation reeled from the shock of an assassination attempt on Trump on Saturday before the political spotlight quickly turned to the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Democrats had briefly put their public griping on the backburner. But those in the party who are fearful of Biden remaining their