House Democratic leader met with Biden about 'the path forward'

• House Democratic caucus leader Hakeem Jeffries said he met with President Joe Biden to share opinions from his caucus about "the path forward," as a growing number of Democratic members of Congress have called for Biden to quit the election contest.
• The meeting Thursday night between the New York congressman and Biden came on the heels of a rare news conference by the president.
• Biden that media event insisted he would remain in the race against Republican presumptive nominee Donald Trump. Jeffries had earlier said he intended to poll every member of the House caucus about their feelings on keeping Biden as the party's nominee.

The leader of the House Democratic caucus said Friday that he had met with President Joe Biden to share opinions from his caucus about "the path forward," an apparent reference to Biden's status as the party's presidential nominee.

The meeting Thursday night between Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., and Biden came on the heels of a rare news conference by the president, who at that event insisted he would remain in the race against Republican presumptive nominee Donald Trump.

Jeffries earlier Thursday had said he intended to poll every member of the House caucus about their feelings on keeping Biden as the party's nominee.

In a letter Friday to his caucus, Jeffries said that in his meeting with Biden he "expressed the full breadth of insight, heartfelt perspectives and conclusions about the path forward that the Caucus has shared in our recent time together."

As of Friday morning, 18 House Democrats and one Democratic senator have publicly called for Biden to drop out of the race, allowing another party member to take his place as the nominee.

Biden did not arrive back at the White