Top Democrats, Swallowing Fears About Biden’s Candidacy, Remain Behind Him

Lawmakers in the House and Senate met privately to hash out their concerns about President Biden’s viability, but leaders emerged from two separate meetings pledging allegiance to their candidate.

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“He’s going to be our nominee,” Representative Jerrold Nadler of New York said Tuesday of President Biden. “And we all have to support him.”

Top Democrats in Congress indicated on Tuesday that they were unwilling — at least for now — to mount an effort to push aside President Biden even after a day of meetings in which their members expressed grave concerns about his age, mental acuity and ability to win re-election.

Both in public and behind closed doors, House and Senate Democrats from across the political spectrum, including ultraliberals in safe seats and centrists in politically vulnerable districts, have raised profound fears about Mr. Biden’s viability as a candidate. But no Democratic leader on Capitol Hill was willing to ask the president to withdraw.

Instead, they emerged on Tuesday swearing allegiance to Mr. Biden, if not exactly in enthusiastic or expansive terms.

“I’m with Joe,” Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the majority leader, repeatedly replied, as he sidestepped multiple questions about Mr. Biden’s fitness for office.

“We are ridin’ with Biden,” Representative James E. Clyburn of South Carolina proclaimed nine times as he sought to shut down reporters’ queries.

Still, House and Senate Democrats left their respective private meetings on Tuesday deeply fractured. Asked whether Democrats were on the same page after the discussion, Representative Steve Cohen of Tennessee replied, “We’re not even in the same book.”

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