Nancy Pelosi smiles slyly as she denies hatching plot to make Biden withdraw from 2024 presidential bid
WASHINGTON, DC: President Joe Biden's decision to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race was abrupt. Amid much speculation, former House speaker Nancy Pelosi has found herself at the center of the controversy.
Despite her claims of not influencing Biden's decision, numerous reports suggest otherwise.
Nancy Pelosi’s public stance vs behind-the-scenes influence
In an interview with CBS Sunday Morning on Sunday, August 4, Nancy Pelosi addressed the rumors about her role in Biden's decision to step down. “It’s said that he’s furious with you,” anchor Lesley Stahl began. While Pelosi did not deny it, she responded, “He knows I love him very much.”
“I understand that you don’t want to own this,” Stahl continued. “It’s been very well-reported that you were the leader of a pressure campaign [to convince Biden to step aside].”
Pelosi firmly denied this, while smiling. “No, I wasn’t the leader of any pressure [campaign]. Let me say things that I didn’t do: I didn’t call one person. I did not call one person. I could always say to him: ’I did not call anybody,'" she declared.
Biden’s performance in a debate against former president Trump in June was disastrous, leading to widespread panic within the Democratic Party. This manifested in leaks criticizing Biden’s age and mental acuity, with some lawmakers calling for his withdrawal.
Despite this turmoil, top Democrats publicly maintained their support for Biden, albeit with subtle hints that he had a difficult decision to make.
Pelosi, known for her political savvy and influence, has been reported to have played a key role behind the scenes. Even after stepping down as the leader of the Democratic caucus in 2023, she retained a vast network of alliances, including key figures like Adam Schiff, Katherine Clark, and Hakeem Jeffries.
Reports suggest that Pelosi directly informed Biden that polls indicated he couldn’t win the November election. When Biden argued otherwise, she had his longtime adviser Mike Donilon intervene, CNN reported.
Nancy Pelosi’s allies and broader Democratic mutiny
Nancy Pelosi’s influence extended to her allies, with prominent Democrats like Reps Adam Schiff and Zoe Lofgren joining the calls for Biden to step down. Observers noted that Pelosi’s tacit approval might have emboldened her colleagues to question Biden’s fitness for a second term.
Publicly, Pelosi initially defended Biden after his debate performance, which triggered the revolt against him. However, her stance soon shifted. On MSNBC’s 'Morning Joe', she suggested that Biden’s candidacy was an open question.
“It’s up to the president to decide if he is going to run,” Pelosi said. “We’re all encouraging him to make that decision because time is running short. The, I think, overwhelming support of the caucus, it’s not for me to say. I’m not the head of the caucus anymore, but he’s beloved, he is respected, and people want him to make that decision. Not me.”
Biden’s decision to stay in the race initially did not quell the discontent within the party. Various Democrats continued to urge him to reconsider. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, while avoiding public disclosure of their conversations with Biden, were reported to have played roles in the push for his withdrawal.
ABC reported that Schumer explicitly urged Biden to step aside, a claim Schumer has not denied.
