In a significant development within the Democratic Party, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Representative Jim Clyburn have publicly acknowledged concerns about President Joe Biden's fitness following his stumbling performance in the first debate with former President Donald Trump. Their comments mark one of the first instances where high-profile Democrats have validated anxieties surrounding the president's ability to effectively campaign against Trump.

During separate interviews on MSNBC, Pelosi and Clyburn expressed that it is fair to question whether Biden's debate performance was an isolated incident or indicative of a larger medical issue. Pelosi emphasized the need to pose this question to both Biden and Trump, suggesting that it is a legitimate consideration.

Clyburn echoed Pelosi's sentiment, highlighting that he would defer to medical experts to assess the extent of any underlying medical concerns. He also disclosed that he had a scheduled phone call with Biden later in the day.

In response to Pelosi and Clyburn's remarks, the White House acknowledged the legitimacy of questioning the president's cognitive abilities. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stated during a press briefing that the administration has been transparent regarding Biden's medical records and yearly reports from his medical team have been released. Furthermore, Jean-Pierre noted that Biden's medical team does not find it necessary to conduct further cognitive testing despite his poor debate showing.

Pelosi's and Clyburn's comments come at a time when Democrats are closely monitoring the repercussions of Biden's challenging debate. Recent polls indicate that the Biden-Trump rematch remains a close race, with a new CNN poll showing Trump leading Biden by 6 points in a head-to-head matchup, consistent with the April results.

Despite raising concerns, both Pelosi and Clyburn affirmed their support for Biden as long as he remains in the presidential race. Clyburn, in particular, played a pivotal role in Biden's 2020 victory with his influential endorsement, thereby securing significant support among Black voters.

While Pelosi's team reiterated her support for Biden, her previous acknowledgment of concerns has provided an opening for other party members to voice similar sentiments. Representative Lloyd Doggett from Texas became the first Democrat to officially call on Biden to withdraw from the presidential race, expressing hope that Biden would make the difficult decision for the benefit of the country.

The Biden campaign responded to Doggett's call by stating that the president is committed to staying in the race. However, Adam Frisch, a Democratic contender who narrowly missed defeating Republican Representative Lauren Boebert in Colorado's previous election cycle, echoed Doggett's stance, urging Biden to withdraw for the sake of the nation.

As of now, the Biden campaign has not publicly responded to Pelosi's and Clyburn's television appearances. The impact of these comments and their potential influence on the Democratic Party's perception of Biden's fitness remain to be seen.