House Democrats remained neutral as they met Tuesday to consider the future of President Biden’s reelection bid following their disastrous performance in last month’s first debate with President Donald Trump.
The day after Biden, 81, told Democrats he had no plans to resign, House members gathered for a full caucus, but most in attendance were content to follow and obey their leaders.
Notably, Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.), chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, who told lawmakers on a conference call Sunday that Biden should withdraw, offered a starkly different opinion on Tuesday morning.
“He’s the best candidate, the only candidate, right now,” Nadler said of the president outside the Democratic Campaign Committee headquarters on Capitol Hill.
“Remember, only he can back out,” the Manhattan congressman added. “He’s made it very clear that he’s not going to back out. That’s the end of the story.”
But Nadler acknowledged in a highly-anticipated interview with ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos that aired Friday that he was not impressed with Biden’s performance.
Specifically, Judiciary Committee leaders took issue with Biden’s statement that if he loses to Trump on November 5, “it’s okay as long as I put my all into it and I do the best job that I think I can.”
“That was not the best comment, and for the president to think about it, well…” Nadler said, pausing.
More than 20 lawmakers spoke and shared their opinions during the meeting, The Washington Post reported.
Several speakers pointed to polling data and other indicators that showed the impact the debate had on voters in their districts.
Several Democrats tried to downplay the conflict, characterizing the meeting as a “family conversation,” but as the meeting drew to a close, it was clear there was no consensus among members on how to handle the situation.
When asked by a reporter whether he and his colleagues were “on the same page” about Biden, Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) replied, “No, we’re not even on the same page.”
Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.) argued that more Democrats are warming to Biden: “As the president said, we’re about 10 or 11 days out from the debate and it’s time to move on. And I think more of us feel that way today than we did last week.”
Six House Democrats have publicly called on Biden not to run for a second term, and those who spoke on Tuesday indicated their stance would not change.
“My position hasn’t changed,” Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) said bluntly, reiterating his call for Biden to consider his own record and avoid entrusting the country to what Doggett called a “tyrant.”
Doggett also dismissed as “totally unrealistic” Monday’s challenge to disgruntled Democrats to challenge Biden at next month’s national convention in Chicago.
The Texas native also said he would “absolutely” support the president if he ultimately wins his party’s endorsement.
The other two defectors, Reps. Mike Quigley (D-Ill.) and Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), also stood their ground.
“I think it’s time for President Biden to show the fighting spirit, the pride and the courage he served our country with four years ago,” Quigley said before the meeting. “He should just step down.”
“I’ve made my position very clear,” Moulton told The Post last Thursday when asked about his call for Biden to “follow in the footsteps of George Washington and step aside so a new leader can rise.”
After the meeting, Quigley was unimpressed.
“I’m worried that he’s going to hurt my election results,” he said. “I don’t want to quote anybody. I don’t want to be excommunicated. I’m already off the Christmas card recipient list.”
In addition to those three, Reps. Raul Grijalva of Arizona, Angie Craig of Minnesota and Adam Smith of Washington state have also called on Biden to drop out of the 2024 presidential race.
One Democratic lawmaker even refused to comment on questions about Biden’s mental state.
“I’m not a doctor,” Rep. Jahana Hayes (D-Conn.), who was confronted by Republican National Congressional Committee pursuers after the meeting, said, according to video footage of the exchange obtained exclusively by The Washington Post.
Asked whether the president’s repeated references to her as “Jonah” during a Rose Garden event last year were a sign of “cognitive impairment,” Hayes also denied that.
“Do you know how many Republicans have pronounced my name wrong? Do you know how many there are?” she shot back. “Jahana. Or ‘Congresswoman,’ if you’re having trouble.”
Despite the apparent divisions, most Democrats wanted to put an end to the drama.
“We support Biden,” Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-South Carolina) declared after the meeting.
“We stand with Dad,” declared Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), who represents Manhattan and the Bronx, while Rep. Kweisi Mfume (D-Md.), leader of the Congressional Black Caucus, shouted “Joe Biden only!” and gave a big thumbs up to reporters on his way into the conference room.
“The president has made a decision, and we have to make the best of a complicated situation,” said Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.), a self-described “pragmatist.”
“I think these conversations were necessary,” Lynch said, acknowledging that the intraparty turmoil could hurt Biden’s electoral prospects and that the talks are likely not over yet.
“I think he’s one of the candidates with the best chance of beating President Donald Trump in this election,” the Massachusetts native said in his summary of the president.
But at a later event hosted by The Washington Post, progressive Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) stopped short of calling for the candidates to run for reelection, but argued the dynamics of the race needed to change.
“We are the underdogs and we have to come back and fight to win,” he said, “and of course we need change and we can’t continue doing what we’re doing right now.”
Khanna predicted Biden would be the nominee, but that Vice President Kamala Harris would beat Trump once the president leaves office.
