Joe Biden's reelection bid received a much-needed boost on Tuesday from senior Democrats, even as the party's lawmakers fell short of reaching a consensus on keeping the president as their 2024 White House nominee. The 81-year-old president is trying to shore up his international reputation in a speech at a NATO summit in Washington, while his own party is in crisis mode weighing whether to jettison him before the November election.

The Democrat leader in the House of Representatives, Hakeem Jeffries, huddled with members from districts who fear that Biden's age - exacerbated by his disastrous debate performance against Donald Trump - threatens their seats in November. One participating lawmaker, speaking to US media on condition of anonymity, described the meeting as "intense", with another member saying the mood was "pretty much unanimous" that Biden should step down.

The meeting came as Biden faced a barrage of criticism from both within his own party and from Republicans. Some Democrats have expressed concerns about Biden's age and his ability to win a second term, while Republicans have seized on his recent stumbles to paint him as a weak and ineffective leader.

The White House has defended Biden's record, arguing that he has made significant progress on a number of key issues, including the economy, healthcare, and climate change. However, the president's approval ratings have been slipping in recent months, and there is growing concern among Democrats that he may be vulnerable in the 2024 election.

The decision of whether or not to keep Biden as the party's nominee will ultimately be up to the Democratic National Committee. However, the meeting on Tuesday suggests that there is growing pressure on Biden to step aside and make way for a new candidate.

If Biden does decide to step down, the Democrats will have a number of potential candidates to choose from. Vice President Kamala Harris is the most obvious choice, but she has also faced criticism from some Democrats. Other potential candidates include former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Senator Bernie Sanders, and former South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg.

The 2024 election is shaping up to be a close race, and the Democrats will need to choose a candidate who can unite the party and defeat Donald Trump.