House Democrats emerged from a critical private meeting on Joe Biden’s future sullen, scrambled and downcast – as though they just got out of a funeral procession.
The summer heat beat down on dejected Democrats as they exited a secretive closed-door meeting where it appears there was no agreement made about Biden’s future at the top of the 2024 ticket.
Not a single Democrat who emerged from the hour-long session indicated that there was consensus on whether Biden, 81, has the full backing of the caucus at his age over a week since his disastrous debate.
One lawmaker admitted to DailyMail.com there were major disagreements inside at the meeting over whether Biden has the health and wherewithal to secure the nomination.
Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., emerged saying that not only are Democrats not on the same page, ‘we are not even in the same book.’
One anonymous Democrat lawmaker supportive of the president told Punchbowl News the meeting ‘felt like a funeral.’
There is no consensus on whether Biden was the man best suited for the presidency, the lawmaker added.
Another nameless Democrat who attended the Biden meeting told Semafor, ‘The morale of the caucus is at historic lows.’
When asked about the funeral comparison they said, ‘That is an insult to funerals.’
A few expressed support for President Joe Biden remaining atop the party’s ticket, but the vast majority of Democrats refused to answer questions about whether they supported the incumbent.
Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas, the first Democrat to publicly call on the president to withdraw from the contest last week, seemed to be pulled back from the brink by his pro-Biden colleagues.
‘I made my case for Biden and for a replacement,’ he said – indicating that despite his July 2 statement calling on Joe to withdraw, the Texan also argued in favor of the president.
Senior Rep. Jerry Nadler of New York – who expressed he wanted Biden to withdraw during a private phone call between lawmakers Sunday – said Tuesday that he had flipped positions and that he is now on the president’s side.
‘He’s our nominee and we’ve got to elect him,’ he said coming out of the meeting.
Though, when pressed on whether he has concerns about the president, he retorted, ‘I am not going to comment on that now.’
Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., who similarly expressed on the Sunday phone call he wanted to see Biden step aside, ignored questions on whether he was supportive of Biden after the meeting.
On the call he reportedly said Biden ‘is not the best person to carry the Democratic message.’
But on Tuesday after exiting the meeting he kept a steady gaze on the horizon and made no facial expressions indicating whether his previous concerns had been addressed.
He certainly did not speak out against the president.
A friend of Biden, Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., also excited the building without addressing any of the questions hurled her way.
Just last month she ferociously supported the president against a bombshell Wall Street Journal report calling into question his age and ability, calling the report ‘bulls***’ and saying he was capable of the presidency.
She did not answer whether there were any reservations about the president in the private Democrat meeting.
Progressives seemed to be galvanized around the president, however, just a day after Squad leader Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez confirmed she is supporting Biden.
‘I have spoken with [Biden] extensively,’ AOC revealed. ‘The matter is closed. Joe Biden is our nominee.’
Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., said Tuesday after the meeting that she was ‘not distracted by a 90-minute debate’ and instead is ‘focused on guarding against 90 years of harm.’
Her fellow Squad member Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., also said she was for the president, noting how right-wingers are attacking him just like they do to her.
When members were asked whether Democrats had an agreement on anything from the meeting many stayed silent – indicating they have not reached a consensus on Biden’s place atop the party’s ticket.
The meeting may have raised more questions than it answered as many of the Democrats who were talking about their support of Biden heading into the meeting were silent on their way out.
And as reporters were largely ignored after the private meeting, it is unlikely that lawmakers will stop receiving questions about their support for Biden any time soon.