CALIFORNIA, USA — California Democratic leaders said they will be watching President Joe Biden's speech from the Oval Office Wednesday night with mixed emotions.
Congressman Juan Vargas told CBS 8 he has known President Biden for years and considers him a friend.
"I think people are going to be very moved by what he says, he's a fatherly figure," said Congressman Vargas. "He's not a bad guy at all. Even people around here, Republicans who beat up on him in public, privately they all say the same thing, he's a great guy, a good person. For a lot of us, this is heartbreaking."
"I still think he could've gone forward, still think he's a good president. I still think he could've beaten Trump, but people lost confidence, and once you lose confidence, he read the tea leaves and said 'I gotta step down.' He did the right thing," he added.
Congressman Vargas said he supports Vice President Kamala Harris as the presidential nominee and that it's clear the party is uniting around her.
"I think California has taught her how to build a coalition and it is going to take a coalition to win this election," said Senator Laphonza Butler. "And I'm confident she knows how to build it, not just invite people to the table, but to listen."
She said there's a mood in D.C. today of excitement, anxiety and tension.
"She is gonna take no voter for granted, she is going to roll up her sleeves, do the work every single day for the next 105 days," said Senator Butler. "Because California taught her every voice matters, every ideology has to be respected."
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