'Terrified' and 'vulnerable' Democrats feel they're in a bind with defiant Biden

A New York Times congressional correspondent gave an eyebrow-raising answer when asked on CNN how "terrified" Democrats in contested areas are preparing for an election season with President Joe Biden atop the ticket this November.

Annie Karni spoke with CNN's Abby Phillip on Tuesday night about reporting that some fearful Democrats are feeling "boxed in."

They want to see him do more "unscripted" events, such as a town hall and news conference.

Biden made a surprise call to the MSNBC show Morning Joe on Monday to defend his position as the presumptive Democratic nominee and to slam Trump for telling lies and playing golf. His appearance came as his team released a defiant letter promising to pursue his presidential campaign despite calls that he step aside.

This year looks a lot like the Trump era, where lawmakers privately criticize their party's president, then "publicly pledge their fealty to him," Karni said.

While few are publicly calling for Biden to step aside, privately: "They're fretting about what they can do."

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"And some of them think it will take another big event to convince him himself or to give them the courage to say, 'This can't go on.' So they're thinking, 'Maybe it will take a huge stumble at the press conference on Thursday to get them to say something, to get him to admit, 'This can't go on' on his own."

For now, they're stuck in a bind, relegated to private feelings of terror and publicly unable to change course.

Phillip noted these feelings are especially true for Democrats in contested races and competitive districts, where having Biden atop the ticket could do more harm for their chances than good.

Phillip asked Karni point blank: "What are they doing about it?"

To which Karni responded, "For now, very little! Again these vulnerable House Democrats from my reporting really feel like they'll have a better chance of winning the majority with [Kamala] Harris at the top of the ticket."

"They have expressed that vociferously to Hakeem Jeffries, the minority leader. And they feel heard by him," she added.

Watch the clip below or at this link.