Biden issue: Many Democrats evasive in Congress

For years, Republican House and Senate members evaded questions from the Congressional press corps when former President Trump made headlines for his controversial statements or actions.

When asked about the former President's tweets, former House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wisc., responded by saying, "I don’t read the tweets."

Others would provide boilerplate answers. Or some might just avoid answering altogether.

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Many GOP members privately didn't support or like former President Trump, but they had to be careful about their public statements during the 2016-2022 period.

Congressional Democrats are facing a dilemma as many privately believe President Biden is no longer capable of performing his duties. Two major foreign policy portfolio holders, Rep. Jim Himes and Rep. Adam Smith, have called on Biden to step down. However, many others are left in a state of political limbo, even if their own future depends on it.

They give vague statements about President Biden or do not explicitly support his candidacy but express their support with "I'm with Joe."

In recent days, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., used the phrase "who" three times in less than a minute, even when asked questions that were not related to his personal relationships.

Art of the deflection is one tool.

Another option is to not respond to questions at all.

On Thursday, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., walked from the Capitol to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) and met with aides and officials close to President Biden, who were panicked about the state of the race and the campaign.

I asked Whitehouse what he needed "to hear" in the session.

Whitehouse stated that he would not discuss the meeting.

"Are you concerned about the president?" I followed up.

Whitehouse stated that he would not address the issue until after the meeting.

How tense are Democrats feeling at the moment? I asked.

"I can’t respond to that either," said Whitehouse.

I peppered Whitehouse with questions as we walked in the scorching sun on a 95-degree day in Washington with no clouds.

What is the reason for members' evasiveness on this matter? Are they concerned? If they were openly supportive, would individuals be more willing to engage in conversation?

"Yes, that's what you say," replied Whitehouse as he walked across the street near the Supreme Court.

My words were not the only factor. Actions are more telling than words in politics.

Few Democrats strolled the 200 yards from the Capitol to the DSCC meeting. While senators did attend, it was a short walk from the Senate wing of the Capitol to the nondescript building that once housed former Vice President Al Gore, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, and former Senator Russ Feingold. The building, which is situated in a triangular block between the Dirksen Senate Office Building and the Supreme Court, is an old apartment building.

The DSCC is located near the Dirksen Building, making it easy for some senators to slip out of the building and into the DSCC. However, many senators had drivers take them from the Capitol to the DSCC, with some citing the heat and sun as reasons for the trip. Some senators, like Whitehouse, remained silent on the matter, while others didn't want to express their true feelings publicly due to the political weight.

The only senators Fox spoke with or saw as they walked to the meeting were Whitehouse, Sens. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., John Hickenlooper, D-Colo., Chris Murphy, D-Conn., Mark Warner, D-Va., Chris Coons, D-Del., and Joe Manchin, D-W.V. However, the Democrats' two most vulnerable members, Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., and Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, were not present at the huddle.

The races for tester and brown this fall could result in significant losses for them. Similarly, senators Casey and Baldwin, both Democrats, may also experience significant losses in their respective races.

No one with a close race made the outdoor trek from the Capitol to the DSCC. Instead, they either took a car or skipped across the street from the Dirksen Building.

The Democratic senators remained hidden from the public eye, just like some GOP lawmakers concealed themselves from the press when they knew they would face tough questions about former President Trump. This is nothing new, especially when dealing with a sensitive topic like the health of a President. The situation becomes more complicated when it involves a President that Democrats generally support and may be asked to leave office.

The Senate and House are currently on a break for over a week, allowing Republicans to attend their convention in Milwaukee. However, this break works to the advantage of Democrats, as they can make important statements or urge the president to resign when they are back in their districts with their constituents. By releasing a written statement or posting on social media, Democrats can create a barrier between themselves and the press.

One lawmaker took a direct approach to express their grievances with President Biden, while others preferred to air their concerns through the press corps. Rep. Mike Levin, D-Calif., told the president to withdraw and published a statement saying it was time to "pass the torch."

It's unclear if President Biden will pass the torch.

Now that Congress is out of session, lawmakers can easily bypass the press corps on this nettlesome question.