This week could be“absolutely critical” for President Biden to show that he is capable of leading the country — and his party’s ticket — following his disastrous debate performance. 

That’s the outlook from one Democratic senator from Connecticut, Chris Murphy, who is warning that the “clock is ticking” for Mr. Biden to show voters he is “still the old Joe Biden.” A growing number of Democrats are calling on Mr. Biden to withdraw from the race as Republicans are demanding to meet with Mr. Biden’s physician over his “declining mental state.” 

“I think the president needs to do more,” Senator Murphy said on CNN’s State of the Union, suggesting he appear at a town hall or press conference to assuage voters concerned about his age. 

Four House Democrats on Sunday called for  Mr. Biden to drop out of the race, despite Mr. Biden’s indication during an ABC interview last week that only an intervention from the “Lord Almighty” would deter him. The four Democrats, Representatives Adam Smith, Jerry Nadler, Mark Takano, and Joe Morelle — all of whom hold key committee leadership positions — said Mr. Biden should withdraw during a call on Sunday, NBC News reports.

A representative from Texas, Lloyd Doggett, last week became the first sitting Democrat to publicly call for Mr. Biden to resign, reasoning that“too much is at stake to risk a Trump victory.” Since his announcement, other Democrats have followed suit, citing similar concerns. 

“President Biden is a good man and I appreciate his lifetime of service,” Representative Angie Craig wrote on X on Saturday. “But I believe he should step aside for the next generation of leadership. The stakes are too high.” This comes as the Washington Post reports that Senator Warner “is attempting to assemble a group of Democratic senators to ask President Biden to exit the presidential race.”

Meanwhile, Republicans are opening an investigation into Mr. Biden’s physician, Dr. Kevin O’Connor, requesting that he get in touch to schedule a transcribed interview by July 14. 

“Americans question President Biden’s ability to lead the country,” the House Oversight Committee’s chairman,  Representative James Comer, wrote in a letter to Dr. O’Connor on Sunday. “The Oversight Committee is concerned your medical assessments have been influenced by your private business endeavors with the Biden family.” 

It also came to light over the weekend that Dr. O’Connor met with a Parkinson’s disease expert in January, the New York Post reported, in a meeting reckoned to be “highly likely” about the president. 

Citing refusals from Mr. Biden to engage in press interviews and “mixed and confused messaging” from the White House about Mr. Biden’s health and mental state, Mr. Comer expressed concerns about Dr. O’Connor’s role at the White House and his previous involvement in the Biden family’s “influence peddling schemes.” 

“Recent evidence obtained by the Committee shows Dr. O’Connor’s and James Biden’s involvement with Americore Health, LLC, a company that operated rural hospitals and is currently involved in bankruptcy proceedings,” Mr. Comer’s memorandum discloses. “James Biden, the President’s brother, used funds from Americore to pay Joe Biden $200,000 as the company was facing financial distress.” 

Mr. Comer said these “connections with the Biden family” led the committee to seek if Dr. O’Connor can “provide accurate and independent reviews of the President’s fitness to serve.” 

The Sun reached out to the White House for comment.