Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is pushing back against reports that she was a key player in the pressure campaign to convince President Joe Biden to step down as the 2024 Democratic nominee. In an interview with CBS, Pelosi denied leading the effort, saying she didn’t make any calls to persuade Biden to drop out.
“I didn’t call one person,” Pelosi said. “I could always say to him, ‘I never called anybody.'” She also downplayed reports of tension between her and Biden, saying “he knows that I love him very much” and declining to share details of their discussions.
However, Pelosi’s comments on MSNBC after Biden’s debate with former President Donald Trump were seen by many Democrats as a sign that she was open to the idea of Biden stepping aside. At the time, Pelosi said it was up to Biden to decide whether to run, and that Democrats were encouraging him to make a decision because “time is running short.”
When asked if she wanted Biden to run, Pelosi replied, “I want him to do whatever he decides to do, and that’s the way it is. Whatever he decides, we go with.” Despite her denials, Pelosi did speak with Biden at least twice during the pressure campaign, reportedly telling him that he could lose the House for Democrats if he continued to run.
Pelosi’s role in the pressure campaign has been the subject of much speculation, with some reports suggesting that she was on the receiving end of calls from other high-profile Democrats, including former President Barack Obama and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
