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- Biden sent a stern letter to congressional Democrats reiterating that he has no plans to drop out.
- He said questions about him were "well-aired for over a week," adding, "It's time for it to end."
- The list of Democrats calling for Biden to drop out is likely to grow this week.
As lawmakers head back to Washington on Monday after their one-week recess, President Joe Biden is issuing a stern warning: I'm not going anywhere; time to pipe down.
In a letter to Democrats in both chambers, Biden struck a defiant tone, even as he acknowledged "good faith fears and worries about what is at stake in this election."
"The question of how to move forward has been well-aired for over a week now," Biden wrote. "And it's time for it to end."
Five House Democrats have publicly called for Biden to drop out, and more are likely to do so this week.
Biden argued that Democratic voters spoke "clearly and decisively" during this year's presidential primary, noting that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. dropped out to become an independent while Rep. Dean Phillips of Minnesota "attacked me for being too old" but "was soundly defeated."
Much of the letter reiterated Biden's record as president while highlighting the threat Democrats see from Donald Trump and "MAGA Republicans."
Here's the full letter Biden sent on Monday morning:
Several news outlets reported that several high-ranking House Democrats — including Reps. Jerry Nadler of New York, Mark Takano of California, Adam Smith of Washington, and Joe Morelle of New York — said during a private call with colleagues on Sunday that Biden should step aside.
Most lawmakers have been able to avoid questions about Biden's viability in the days since his disastrous debate performance. House Democrats largely dodged questions the following day, while senators have not been in session since before the debate.