As Biden digs in, some top Democrats want him out of the race this week

Defiance has become as much a part of Joe Biden’s psychology as Delaware.

Defiance has become as much a part of Joe Biden’s psychology as Delaware. But as the president and his inner circle dig in following his disastrous debate performance last week, a growing number of Democratic leaders are saying they want him to step aside for the good of the party – and the country. Democratic Rep. Lloyd Doggett of Texas was the first to break ranks. “I represent the heart of a congressional district once represented by Lyndon Johnson. Under very different circumstances, he made the painful decision to withdraw. President Biden should do the same,” Doggett said in his statement Tuesday. “There’s a large and increasing group of House Democrats concerned about the president’s candidacy, representing a broad swath of the caucus,” another House Democratic lawmaker told CNN on condition of anonymity to speak candidly. “We are deeply concerned about his trajectory and his ability to win. We want to give him space to make a decision [to step aside], but we will be increasingly vocal about our concerns if he doesn’t.” The White House is now eyeing a meeting with Democratic governors Wednesday after some of them expressed concerns about Biden’s performance, a source familiar with the matter said. The governors, one source said, were worried about going public with their concerns out of fear it would lead to Biden digging in further.