Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi revealed she hasn’t spoken to President Biden since the Democratic push for him to drop out of the race.
“Not since then, no,” she said on The Guardian's Politics Weekly America podcast. “But I’m prayerful about it.”
Pelosi denies being part of a pressure campaign against Biden, though the president says it influenced his decision.
“I have the greatest respect for him,” Pelosi said. “He’s one of the great consequential presidents of our country.” She added that his legacy needed protection, which wasn’t happening with the election course.
Her call was for a “better course,” but Biden made his decision. “We’ve been friends for decades, but I think he has some unease,” she admitted.
Pelosi acknowledged that some of Biden's supporters might still hold her responsible. But she argued a Trump victory would’ve been worse.
“When you decide to win, you have to make decisions in favor of winning,” she said. That includes mobilization, message, and money, but the most crucial factor is the candidate and their campaign.
The Guardian asked if she thought Biden couldn’t win. “No, I thought the campaign couldn’t win,” she replied. “He might have won, but the campaign had to change, and he decided to step aside.”
Pelosi, along with other Democrats like Chuck Schumer, reportedly urged Biden to step down after a poor debate performance in June.
Even after Biden declared he was staying in the race, Pelosi hinted otherwise on MSNBC’s "Morning Joe." She said, “It’s up to him, but we’re encouraging him to make a decision soon.”
The interview marked a pivotal moment, and less than two weeks later, Biden withdrew from the race.