Maroc - RAWSTORY.COM - Raw Story - 03/Jul 00:41

Dems disparage Biden as 'donkey in the room' during messaging meeting: report

A meeting to get House Democrats on the same page to mobilize political messaging spun into a post-debate pity party with many slamming President Joe Biden as a "donkey".Axios reported that the temperature grew hot amongst lawmakers participating in the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee meeting. Those in attendance during the virtual meeting Tuesday afternoon became frustrated that the president's performance and cognitive state were on full display in front of 50 million TV screens last week when the incumbent competed to win over voters ahead of the Nov. 5 election, according to the outlet.The agenda was swept up by widespread misgivings toward Biden, a member of the meeting and another source confirmed to the outlet.Read also: Revealed: Chuck Schumer reportedly signaled to allies pre-debate jitters about Joe BidenThroughout the gathering, Biden was repeatedly disparaged as the "donkey in the room," they said.Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas), who became the first sitting member of Congress to call for Biden to throw in the towel and let someone else run in his stead, confirmed that there "were a lot of people not very happy."While Doggett was first, he isn't expected to be the lone voice pleading for a change of the ticket, especially if the campaign and the White House can't "start to show that they get it."Already, Rep. Jared Golden (D-ME) published an editorial accepting that "Donald Trump is going to win. And I’m OK with that."The outlet has learned that one Democratic lawmaker suggested Biden "step aside outright" and that while there is still support for Biden, there needs to be "at a minimum" a "decisive change in course by replacing his top campaign advisers."Meanwhile, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) pledged his support for Biden and confirmed that the party wouldn't be "holding people back" from expressing their public views — even if they are unflattering to Biden in public.