New reporting from veteran journalist Carl Bernstein on the immediate future of President Biden's campaign and the power brokers and major donors inside his own party, trying to get the President to stop. It comes as a source tells CNN that President Biden, at home in Delaware, and recovering from COVID, is seething at the pressure campaign and those behind it. Today, nearly a dozen Democratic lawmakers came out in a steady progression, calling on the former President to withdraw. 34 Congressional Democrats now want him to give up his campaign. A Democratic lawmaker tells CNN that House Democratic Democratic leader, Hakeem Jeffrey, is not discouraging more members from doing so. Today's defections include senior and younger members of the Democratic caucus, progressives, also members of the Hispanic and Black caucuses, as well as a third and fourth senator. Also today, congressman Seth Moulton, who called on President Biden to exit about two weeks ago, expanded on his reasons and opinion piece in the Boston Globe, writing, and I quote, More recently, I saw him in a small group at Normandy for the 80th anniversary of D-Day. For the first time, he didn't seem to recognize me. Of course, that can happen as anyone ages, but as I watched the disastrous debate a few weeks ago, I have to admit that what I saw in Normandy was part of a deeper problem.

That's a comment that could renew concerns about Biden's ability to serve another four years, but also, unlike most other pleased to withdraw, concerns about his ability to serve now. Today's round of defections follow more uncomfortable moments for the Biden campaign this week, including an interview with the BT Network that was taped Tuesday, in which he appeared to stumble over the name of his Secretary of Defense. Hence Lloyd Austin.

Look at the heat I'm getting because I named the Secretary of Defense, the black man. I named Khatanji Brown. I mean, because of the people I've named.

No indication the pressure tactics are working. Biden's campaign today said there is, No plan for an alternative nominee. And the President himself issued a statement saying, I look forward to getting back on the campaign trail next week. Meanwhile, Vice President Harris tried to reassure donors on a phone call call that, We are going to win this election. Biden's campaign chair also made a rare TV appearance today.

Absolutely, the President's in this race. You've heard him say that time and time again. He's also hearing from voters, and what they're saying is, We've got you, Joe. We are in this. Stay with us. For every person that said that they are concerned, we've had another person that's seen him and have said, You are our guy, and we want to be with you.

While the campaign chair suggests voters on the ground still back the President, a A poll by the Associated Press and National Opinion Research Center conducted last week shows that about 65 % of Democrats believe President should withdraw. We should note, the Democratic National Convention begins August 19th, exactly one month from today. Carl Bernstein joins us now with his new reporting. So talk about what you have learned about President Biden's candidacy.

Well, the President himself has now moved from being what was called contemplative about his situation to recognition that it is very unlikely that his candidacy can be sustained. And it's true of his family as well. The President is angry. He feels abandoned. The word abandoned was used it matter with these people who you've brought through this process? Where is their loyalty? Where is their appreciation for what you've done? But meanwhile, you have a hell of a mess, as somebody put it, in that Biden has to leave his campaign, assuming he's going to, in an orderly way in which he's recognized for his achievements on behalf of the party that will continue, and hopefully, will put forth a nominee who is a successful candidate to succeed him in the presidency. But right now, you have a really ugly scene around the President, around the leadership of the House and the Senate, at whom he's angry.

We've never been in a place quite like this before.

So you talk about the leadership of the House and Senate. Is there anyone in particular he's disappointed in? Have you been given names?

Yes. He's particularly angry and disappointed at Chuck Schumer, the Senate majority leader. He's angry and disappointed and feels abandoned by his old friend, Nancy Pelosi. He has trouble recognizing why these folks would turn their backs on him, given what he sees as his accomplishments. But now, there's also the question of donors and fundraising because the money has dried up. I was told about an extraordinary Zoom meeting last Wednesday involving the top donors and fundraisers for Biden, who said, not another penny, was the phrase that was used several times, not another penny, not only to the Biden campaign, but to the House and Senate Democrats, because the message that these donors and bundlers wanted to convey to Chuck Schumer, especially to Hakeem Jeffrey, was, We must have this election go forth without Joe Biden being our candidate, and you need to do more, Mr. Leader, or Mr. Leader, plural, to ensure that he is not going to be the candidate. We have a retribution almost felt in the air, and it's not a very pretty scene.

And on that call, did these donors talk about who their preferred candidate would be if the President leaves?

Interestingly enough, they said they wanted an open process in which Kamala Harris would not be, quote, anointed, that she would have to compete to be the presidential nominee, along with everybody else. Somewhere along the The proposal put forth by James Carville in which there would be a open preparatory to the convention in which the presidential nominee would be chosen. But there also is a movement among Biden's aides and those who have served him for so long, they want to see this end with a pretty picture. They want to see this end with Joe Biden and the Democratic Party looking like winners, not like losers. Right now, there is a chaos that is prevailing, and people are looking for a way out. They're talking about Monday as a possible time for the President to, in some way, make an announcement or have an announcement be made that he will no longer be the candidate for President of the United States of his party. Not a definite Monday pick, but it's looking that way. But there's an awful lot work to smooth these rough edges out.

Carl Bernstein. Fascinating. I'm joined now. Thank you. I'm joined now by Democratic strategist Maria Cardona, former senior adviser of President Obama, David Axelrod, Ashley Allison, former National Coalition's campaign for the 2020 Biden-Harris campaign and Democratic strategist Paul Bacala. David, I mean, 24 hours ago, felt like the President's campaign could be nearing an end sooner rather than later. Tonight, he and his team, they're making public statements that he's continuing. What do you expect to see in the next day or two? What do you make of this reporting by Karl?

Well, look, I expect that they would continue to say such things until such time that he's changed his mind because you want to keep your options open. I would hope and I expect that while he's up in Rehoboth recovering from COVID, that he'll take the time to meet with his family and meet with his aides and really evaluate where he is in this race. He keeps confusing, if the reporting is correct, disrespect for his record with concern about what happens moving forward and what happens in this election. Two things can be true at once. People can have deep affection and respect for him and the things that he's accomplished, not just as President, but over 50 years, and still recognize that he is not in a position to win this race, and that, as he has said, this is a race of existential importance, not just to the Democratic Party, but to the country. I think that's what's going on here. I hope that people will say to him, Don't personalize this as an attack on you. Want to win this election because the election is of extraordinary consequence. To the extent that you step aside to allow that to happen, that only enlarges you.

That doesn't diminish you.