Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has publicly supported President Biden as he faces calls to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race, but she has reportedly privately urged lawmakers to continue pressuring Biden to reconsider his decision to seek reelection.
Several House Democrats The Hill Pelosi is reportedly advising members of her caucus not to rally around Biden before there’s a broader discussion about whether he’s the best candidate to beat former President Trump. While Pelosi hasn’t called on Biden to step down, she has reportedly told vulnerable members in battleground states to step down if they think it will help them get re-elected.
“I’ve spoken to her and she’s very concerned,” one House Democrat told The Hill. “She’s not like, ‘We’re sticking with this guy.'”
The lawmakers quoted in the report were granted anonymity and spoke candidly about sensitive discussions at the meeting.
House Speaker Pelosi lashes out at reporter who asks if she wants Biden to drop out of race: ‘Am I speaking English to you?’
Speaker Pelosi welcomed Biden in the Rotunda as he arrived to pay tribute to the late Rep. Don Young (R-Arkansas), who will be given a state funeral in Statuary Hall at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on March 29, 2022. (Drew Ungerer/Getty Images)
“I’ve had conversations with her myself,” the second Democrat was quoted as saying.
“This is a clear concern. The stakes are so high. We can’t afford to do anything but give ourselves the best chance to win,” the lawmaker said, conveying Pelosi’s message to the conference, according to The Hill.
Pelosi is a longtime ally of Biden, having led House Democrats during Biden’s two terms as vice president and serving as speaker of the House for the first two years of his presidency, helping to pass key pieces of Biden’s agenda, including the American Rescue Plan and a bipartisan infrastructure bill.
Still, she’d love to win, and Pelosi has repeatedly said Trump is an existential threat to democracy and must be defeated in November, but Democrats are unsure whether Biden can achieve that.
Media members shocked by Biden’s ‘terrible’ debate performance: ‘A total disaster’
Biden and Pelosi arrive at a signing ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, on August 9, 2022. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Pelosi’s behind-the-scenes activity is reportedly a response to the way the Biden campaign and White House responded to criticism of his dismal performance in the June 27 presidential debate – by denying that Biden’s age or mental ability was an issue and stubbornly insisting that Democrats have no choice but to maintain the status quo.
Biden stuck to that position during a roughly hour-long news conference on Thursday, answering multiple questions from reporters and easing concerns that he is too old and mentally frail to lead the Democratic Party to an election victory and keep the White House.
“I’m determined to run,” Biden declared.
“Am I getting the job done? Can you name someone who’s passed more significant legislation in three and a half years than me? I created 2,000 jobs just last week,” the president said. “So if I slow down, I’m not getting the job done. That’s a sign that I shouldn’t be doing my job. But there’s no sign of that yet. None at all.”
Leading Democrats cast doubt on Biden’s insistence he will continue to campaign
Biden speaks during a press conference during the NATO summit in Washington, DC, Thursday, July 11, 2024. (Graham Sloane/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The president sent a letter to Democratic lawmakers on Monday arguing that criticism of his candidacy “will only help Mr. Trump and hurt us.” But his attempts to bully Democrats have not stifled opposition. Instead, they appear to be emboldening those who think Mr. Biden isn’t taking criticism seriously.
“Pelosi is speaking for the idea that if we’re going to come together, we need more people who are united,” a third Democrat told The Hill. “We have to have a serious discussion with the people to come to a decision together. We can’t pass judgment on the people.”
Pelosi’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment, and the White House and Biden campaign did not immediately respond to inquiries from Fox News Digital.
Ian Craiger, a spokesman for Speaker Pelosi, told The Hill, “Speaker Pelosi fully supports President Biden in whatever decision he makes. We must focus on why this election is so important. Donald Trump would be a disaster for our country and our democracy.”
Democrats defend Biden during key press conference, calling it ‘a very strong performance’
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi suggested Wednesday that Biden has not yet decided whether he will seek reelection, even though the president has already said multiple times that he will continue to run.
“It’s up to the president whether he runs or not, and time is running out and we’re all urging the president to make a decision,” House Speaker Pelosi said Wednesday on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” “The president is loved and respected and the public wants him to make a decision.”
Asked about Biden already announcing his intention to run, Pelosi again suggested there was still a decision to be made.
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“I want him to do whatever he decides to do. That’s the way it is. Whatever he decides to do, we’ll follow it,” Pelosi said.
Whatever private discussions may have been taking place, Pelosi has publicly contradicted the president, paving the way for other Democrats to do the same. At least 17 Democrats have publicly called on Biden to recuse himself from the nomination. The debate is far from over, and Biden’s future remains unclear.
Fox News Digital’s Aubrey Spady and Emma Colton contributed to this report.
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