Pelosi Behind Biden’s Removal?

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has recently sought to downplay claims that she spearheaded a campaign urging President Joe Biden to step down as the Democratic nominee for the 2024 election.

In a recent CBS interview, Pelosi firmly rejected the notion that she led any such initiative. “No, I wasn’t the leader of any pressure [campaign],” Pelosi stated. “Let me clarify what I didn’t do: I didn’t make any calls. I never reached out to anyone. I can truthfully say I never called anybody.”

Pelosi also addressed speculation that President Biden was “furious” with her due to her alleged involvement in the pressure campaign and her lack of public endorsement. She noted that key Democrats, including close allies such as Reps. Jared Huffman, Zoe Lofgren, and Adam Schiff, were instead suggesting that Biden consider stepping aside. “He knows that I care deeply for him,” Pelosi commented, choosing not to divulge specific details about her private conversations with Biden.

Despite Pelosi’s denials, her statements following Biden’s debate with former President Donald Trump were interpreted by many Democrats as an endorsement of open discussions about Biden’s age, mental fitness, and potential challenges in the upcoming election. Pelosi had previously indicated that it was up to Biden to decide on his candidacy. “It’s up to the president to decide if he will run,” she remarked. “We’re all encouraging him to make that decision because time is running out. The caucus’s support isn’t for me to determine. I’m no longer the head of the caucus, but he is well-loved and respected. People want him to make his decision, not me.”

When asked directly by MSNBC’s Jonathan Lemire if she wanted Biden to run, Pelosi responded, “I want him to do whatever he decides to do, and that’s how it is. Whatever his choice, we will support it.”

Pelosi reportedly engaged in at least two conversations with Biden amidst the reported pressure campaign. During one call, she allegedly warned Biden that his decision could impact Democratic control of the House, prompting a defensive reaction from him. She had even requested that Biden’s advisor, Mike Donilon, provide her with positive data regarding the president’s prospects.

While Pelosi maintains she did not make any calls urging Biden to step down, she was reportedly on the receiving end of communications from figures such as former President Barack Obama and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.