President Joe Biden urged his supporters to stay unified during a series of Sunday stops in critical Pennsylvania on Sunday, even as some leading congressional Democrats privately suggested it was time for him to abandon his reelection bid because of intensifying questions about whether he香蕉视频直播檚 fit for another term.

Addressing a rousing church service in front of stained glass windows bathed in sunshine at Philadelphia香蕉视频直播檚 Mount Airy Church of God in Christ, the 81-year-old Biden joked, 香蕉视频直播淚 know I look 40香蕉视频直播� but 香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檝e been doing this a long time.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淚, honest to God, have never been more optimistic about America香蕉视频直播檚 future if we stick together,香蕉视频直播� he said.

There and during a subsequent rally with union members in Harrisburg, Biden offered short speeches that touched on familiar topics. But he also left plenty of room for key backers to discuss standing by him. In that way, the Pennsylvania swing seemed meant to showcase support for the president from key political quarters more than proving he香蕉视频直播檚 up to four more years.

His party, though, remains deeply divided.

As Congress prepares to resume this week, House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries convened top committee lawmakers Sunday afternoon to assess their views. Several Democratic committee leaders, including Rep. Jerry Nadler of New York, Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut and Rep. Mark Takano of California, said privately that Biden should step aside, according to two people familiar with the meeting and granted anonymity to discuss it.

But other top Democrats, including members of the influential Congressional Black Caucus, argued just as forcefully that Biden remain the party香蕉视频直播檚 choice. The conversation was wide ranging, with the committee leaders sharing various views on the situation, but there was no unanimity on what should be done, the people said.

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Biden was personally calling lawmakers through the weekend. He also joined a call with campaign surrogates and reiterated that he has no plans to leave the race. Instead, the president pledged to campaign harder going forward and to step up his political travel, according to two people who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations.

One Democrat the president spoke to, Sen. Alex Padilla of California, said he and others are pushing the Biden campaign to 香蕉视频直播渓et Joe be Joe, get him out there.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淚 absolutely believe we can turn it around,香蕉视频直播� Padilla told The Associated Press.

Meanwhile, a person familiar with Sen. Mark Warner香蕉视频直播檚 thinking said there will be no meeting on Monday to talk about Biden香蕉视频直播檚 future, as had been previously discussed, and that those discussions will take place in Tuesday香蕉视频直播檚 regular caucus luncheon with all Democratic senators. The person said a private meeting was no longer possible after it was made public that the Virginia Democrat was reaching out to senators about Biden, and that a variety of conversations among senators continue.

Five other, different Democratic lawmakers have already publicly called on Biden to abandon his reelection campaign ahead of November. Meeting this coming week in person means more chances for lawmakers to discuss concerns about Biden香蕉视频直播檚 ability to withstand the remaining four months of the campaign 香蕉视频直播� not to mention four more years in the White House 香蕉视频直播� and true prospects of beating Republican presumptive nominee Donald Trump.

Biden香蕉视频直播檚 campaign team was also calling and texting lawmakers to try to head off more potential defections, while increasingly asking high-profile Biden supporters to speak out on his behalf..

Calls to bow out nonetheless popped up from different directions.

Alan Clendenin, a Tampa city councilman and member of the Democratic National Committee, on Sunday called for Biden to 香蕉视频直播渟tep aside and allow Vice President Kamala Harris to carry forward his agenda as our Democratic nominee.香蕉视频直播� Director Rob Reiner, who has helped organize glitzy Hollywood fundraisers for Biden in the past, posted on X, 香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 time for Joe Biden to step down.香蕉视频直播�

The Democratic convention is fast approaching and Biden香蕉视频直播檚 Friday interview with ABC has not convinced some who remain skeptical.

Democratic fundraising bundler Barry Goodman, a Michigan attorney, said he香蕉视频直播檚 backing Biden but, should he step aside, he香蕉视频直播檇 throw his support to Harris. That香蕉视频直播檚 notable since Goodman was also a finance co-chairman for both of the statewide campaigns of Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who has also been mentioned as a top-of-the-ticket alternative.

香蕉视频直播淲e don香蕉视频直播檛 have much time,香蕉视频直播� Goodman said. 香蕉视频直播淚 don香蕉视频直播檛 think the president gets out. But if he does, I think it would be Kamala.香蕉视频直播�

There was no such suggestion at Mount Airy, where Pastor Louis Felton likened the president to Joseph and the biblical story of his 香蕉视频直播渃oat of many colors.香蕉视频直播� In it, Joseph was sold into slavery in Egypt by his jealous brothers, only eventually to obtain a high place in the kingdom of the pharaoh and have his brothers beg him for assistance without initially recognizing him.

香蕉视频直播淣ever count Joseph out,香蕉视频直播� Felton implored. Then, referring to Democrats who have called on Biden to step aside, he added, 香蕉视频直播淭hat香蕉视频直播檚 what香蕉视频直播檚 going on, Mr. President. People are jealous of you. Jealous of your stick-to-itiveness, jealous of your favor. Jealous of God香蕉视频直播檚 hand upon your life.香蕉视频直播�

Felton also led a prayer where he said, 香蕉视频直播淥ur president gets discouraged. But today, through your holy spirit, renew his mind, renew his spirt, renew his body.香蕉视频直播�

After the church service, Biden visited a campaign office in Philadelphia, where Sen. John Fetterman, a Pennsylvania Democrat who won a tough 2022 race while recovering from a stroke, offered a forceful endorsement.

香蕉视频直播淭here is only one guy that has ever beaten Trump,香蕉视频直播� Fetterman said. 香蕉视频直播淎nd he is going to do it twice and put him down for good.香蕉视频直播�

Later stepping off Air Force One in Harrisburg, the president was asked if the Democratic Party was behind him and emphatically responded, 香蕉视频直播淵es.香蕉视频直播�

Joining him at the union event, Rep. Madeleine Dean, also a Pennsylvania Democrat, said that 香蕉视频直播渄emocracy is on the line. There香蕉视频直播檚 one man who understands it it香蕉视频直播檚 Joe Biden.香蕉视频直播�

Isabel Afonso, who saw Biden speak in Harrisburg, said she was worried when she saw the president香蕉视频直播檚 debate performance, but doesn香蕉视频直播檛 think he should drop out of the race and that he can still win. 香蕉视频直播淚 know he is old, but I know if something happens to him, a reasonable person will replace him,香蕉视频直播� said Afonso, 63.

At the same event, 73-year-old James Johnson said he knew what it was like to forget things as he香蕉视频直播檚 gotten older but called Biden 香蕉视频直播渁 fighter.香蕉视频直播� He said replacing the president at the top of the Democratic ticket would only cause confusion.

香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檓 talking about lifelong Democrats and people that have been in the Democratic Party for a long time,香蕉视频直播� Johnson said. 香蕉视频直播淭hey may just decide to jump ship, because of that.香蕉视频直播�

Still, others aren香蕉视频直播檛 fully convinced.

Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut told CNN that Biden 香蕉视频直播渘eeds to answer those questions that voters have香蕉视频直播� while adding, 香蕉视频直播淚f he does that this week, I think he will be in a very good position.香蕉视频直播�

Biden has rejected undergoing independent cognitive testing, arguing that the everyday rigors of the presidency were proof enough of his mental acuity. Yet California Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff told NBC on Sunday that he香蕉视频直播檇 be 香蕉视频直播渉appy if both the president and Donald Trump took a cognitive test.香蕉视频直播�

As some Democrats have done, Schiff also seized on Biden suggesting during the ABC interview that losing to Trump would be acceptable 香蕉视频直播渁s long as I give it my all.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淭his is not just about whether he gave it the best college try,香蕉视频直播� Schiff said 香蕉视频直播渂ut rather whether he made the right decision to run or to pass the torch.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播�-

Weissert and Mascaro reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Zeke Miller and Kevin Freking in Washington, Michelle Price in New York, Meg Kinnard in Chapin, South Carolina, and Bill Barrow in New Orleans contributed to this report.

Colleen Long, Will Weissert, Marc Levy And Lisa Mascaro, The Associated Press