Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi revealed in a new interview that she had hoped for an “open process” to select a replacement for President Biden at the top of the Democratic ticket. However, she indicated that Vice President Kamala Harris “took advantage” of the opportunity to secure the nomination.
“Many of us who were concerned about the election wanted to have an open process. It was an open process, anyone could have gotten in,” Pelosi said during an interview with The Wall Street Journal.
Pelosi: "You know what? I had to do what I had to do", and said Harris "took advantage" of the opportunity.
This is damnably heinous. This borders upon true sin. It boggles me how anyone considering themselves a Democrat can approve of this most decidedly un-democratic process!… pic.twitter.com/ssRPkMwK9k— 🇺🇸James in🍑SW🍑GA🍌🇺🇸🇮🇱Go🏈Noles!🍢 (@JamesInSWGA) August 21, 2024
Biden withdrew from the race in July after facing increasing pressure from Democrats and quickly endorsed Kamala Harris as his successor. While Pelosi has denied any involvement in pushing Biden to drop out, she has admitted in interviews that she was concerned about his campaign and was not impressed with his political strategy.
Nancy Pelosi holding a “we love Joe” sign after she forced Joe Biden to step down is incredible to see. Again, these people are so full of shit. pic.twitter.com/LGP9UPUecC
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) August 20, 2024
Pelosi also mentioned that she communicated concerns from other House Democrats to the White House, as they feared their campaigns were being negatively affected by Biden’s struggles. Although Harris appears to have reinvigorated the party, the fact that she secured the nomination without any primary votes being cast in her favor has sparked criticism against a party that frequently champions itself as pro-democracy.
“The convention is, of course, a different one than was envisioned one month ago, and it’s one that is going to be enthusiastically attended,” Pelosi said. “He made the decision about how we would proceed, and I respect him for the decision. His selflessness is something that the American people admire greatly, and the reaction that people have had to it, I hope, is satisfying to him in return.”
Pelosi has faced numerous questions about the factors that influenced President Biden’s decision to withdraw from the 2024 race and whether she played a role in that decision. In an interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper on Monday, Pelosi stated that she did what she had to do, although she also denied orchestrating the pressure campaign that led to Biden stepping aside.
President Joe Biden remains infuriated and angry that Barack Obama wouldn’t tell him to his face that he must leave the race. He’s angry with Nancy Pelosi and views her as ruthless for ushering him out the door. And he’s still disgusted at the role Chuck Schumer played, too. pic.twitter.com/SDHZvQAely
— Armstrong Williams 🇺🇸 (@Arightside) August 20, 2024
“You know what?” Pelosi said. “I had to do what I had to do. He made the decision for the country. My concern was not about the president, it was about his campaign. As he has seen with the exuberance, the excitement that has come forth in our country.”
Reports suggest that Biden is displeased with how he was treated by powerful Democrats, including Pelosi, who played a role in pressuring him to exit the race. Despite this, Pelosi does not seem to have any regrets about her involvement.
“I have my relationship with the president, and I just wanted to win this election. So if they’re upset, I’m sorry for them. But the country is very happy,” the California lawmaker told CNN on Monday.
