‘He has to step down’: Democrats in Congress say mood is grim as a ‘funeral’ as Biden refuses to drop out

There was very little enthusiasm visible from members of President Joe Biden’s party as they continued to trickle back onto Capitol Hill this week for the return of business in the House and Senate.

Congressional Democrats who emerged from meetings on Tuesday indicated two main sentiments to reporters: that Joe Biden would not be getting out of the race; and that no progress has been made in convincing even some of his own supporters that he isup to the task of running for president and serving another four years in the White House.

Even those who have urged Biden to make the hard choice and withdraw from the race — like ranking Judiciary member Jerry Nadler — admitted to reporters on Tuesday that they were at an impasse. The president remains the only one with the ability to release his delegates to the Democratic National Convention (DNC) next month, making the nomination his unless he steps aside.

“The president made very clear yesterday that he’s running,” Nadler told a gaggle of reporters. “We have to support him.”

Nadler added that his concerns about the president’s ability to run an effective campaign were now “beside the point” — in other words, no longer relevant, given Biden’s apparent refusal to listen to those concerns.

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“We have to support [Joe Biden].” pic.twitter.com/60m1aKY9h7

But both privately and publicly, the mood remains grim. One member inside today’s House meeting described the mood as «like a funeral” in a comment to Punchbowl News.

Few Democrats are now willing to give an enthusiastic endorsement of the president’s communication or cognitive functions. More are willing to