- House Democrats have failed to agree on what to do about Biden.
- Many described the meeting in solemn terms, highlighting party divisions that remain.
- Despite the controversy, it seems likely that more Democrats will rally around the president.
House Democrats described their Tuesday morning meeting as a “family conversation,” making the discussion sound more like a tension-filled Thanksgiving, where the dreaded topic of politics comes up and chaos erupts over turkey.
In private meetings, delegates discussed what to do about Biden, but failed to bridge deep rifts between factions of the party. Many ignored questions from reporters as they emerged from the meeting, but those who did comment painted a picture of division and sadness.
Asked if Democrats were on the same page, Rep. Steve Cohen painted a dire picture: “We're not even on the same page.”
A person briefed on the meeting said the general mood was “sad and frustrated,” Politico reported, and a representative for the president added to the sadness by saying the meeting “felt like a funeral.”
Another representative, when told about the funeral comments, said the comparison was “an insult to funerals.” Semaphores report.
“Caucus morale is at a historic low,” they continued.
Despite the solemn atmosphere, the so-called funeral was lively and raucous. “There was a spirited discussion,” Rep. Seth Moulton of Massachusetts, one of six House Democrats who called on Biden to step down, told The New York Times.
Biden supporters filed out of the room in a show of support for the president, and one key ally, Rep. Jim Clyburn of South Carolina, repeated the phrase “we stand with Biden” nine times as reporters peppered him with questions.
Despite deep divisions and suspicion, more Democrats seem to be rallying, even if reluctantly, behind the president. Just before the party-wide talks, House Democrats from battleground districts held a small gathering. The mood? “Genuine tears,” Axios reported.
One delegate simply described the meeting as “intense,” while another predicted Biden would continue his campaign with disappointment.
In a conversation late Monday, a House Democrat concerned about Biden's reelection told Axios that his colleagues were “breaking in here and there” and “starting to give up that Biden holds all the cards.”
Senate Democrats discussed Biden's fate at a luncheon on Tuesday, and it seems like everyone in Washington, D.C., is waiting to see what comes out of that family dinner.
Correction: July 9, 2024 — An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated the name of the Massachusetts representative: Seth Moulton, not South Moulton.
