Nancy Pelosi helped pressure Joe Biden to end his 2024 campaign
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
July 22, 2024, 9:00 AM UTCBy Scott Wong and Ali Vitali
WASHINGTON — Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi stepped down from her powerful perch leading House Democrats nearly a year and a half ago. But behind the scenes, sources say, Pelosi, a Democrat from San Francisco, played a critical role in delicately nudging President Joe Biden to the exits.
Although Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Pelosi's protege, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, both of New York, also told Biden about Democrats' concerns about him continuing his campaign, three sources told NBC News thatany time the issue of his dropping out began to die down and lose momentum, they viewed Pelosi as the one fanning the flames.
Unlike Schumer and Jeffries, Pelosi is no longer on the Democratic leadership team and could afford to be more front and center in the effort to push Biden out after his disastrous debate performance last month.
"I think Pelosi continues to show she's a master political tactician," a House Democratic leadership aide said Sunday.
Throughout Democrats' painful three-week ordeal, Pelosi never publicly called on Biden to quit the race; neither did Schumer or Jeffries. Doing so could infuriate Biden and cause him to become intransigent and never step aside.
Instead, Pelosi worked quietly and methodically, speaking to scores of rank-and-file lawmakers, members of her old leadership team and her large network of Democratic donors who had once made her the party's most prolific fundraiser.
For those vulnerable rank-and-file lawmakers who reached out to her seeking guidance, two sources said, Pelosi advised that they "speak their conscience" in the days leading up to Biden's stunning decision to drop out. A source close to Pelosi made it clear that she was not initiating conversations but fielding calls. On Friday, 13 congressional Democrats called on Biden to exit the race, the most defections in a single day, handing him what would be the fatal blow to his campaign.
"That groundswell on Friday of members calling for him to step down was all Nancy's doing," said a vulnerable House Democrat who spoke with Pelosi last week.
During their call, the lawmaker said, Pelosi asked twice about poll numbers — both for the lawmaker and for Biden in this person's swing district — so she could write them down.
"The gist was that she felt our ability to take back the majority was at risk," the Democrat, a member of the party's "Frontline" program for vulnerable congressional incumbents, told NBC News.
Asked how responsible Pelosi was for Biden's stepping down, the lawmaker replied: "50%."
It was all vintage Pelosi, who made history as the first female speaker of the House and ruled House Democrats with a velvet glove for two decades: guide Democrats to where they needed to go and have them make the decision.
In this case, the key Democrat was Joe Biden. And all in the party knew that he would have to be the one to make the final call to bow out.
When Biden dug in and declared he absolutely wouldn't drop out of the race, Pelosi appeared on his favorite show, MSNBC's "Morning Joe." She kept the issue alive by saying Biden needs to make a decision "because time is running short," even as he and his campaign insisted he had decided to stay in.
In a private phone call a week after her MSNBC appearance, Pelosi warned Biden, 81 — someone she has known in Washington for more than 30 years — about the realities of the 2024 race: He could lose so badly to their mutual political foe, Republican Donald Trump, that he could damage Democrats down ballot and possibly cost them control of the House and the Senate.
And after last weekend's assassination attempt on Trump shocked the nation and appeared to stall momentum to push Biden out, a trio of close Pelosi allies brought the story back to the forefront.
Rep. Adam Schiff, a vocal Trump critic who is the favorite to be California's next senator, on Wednesday became the highest-profile Democrat to call on Biden to step aside. Rep. Jared Huffman, who represents a Bay Area district next to Pelosi's, organized a successful effort to delay the Democratic National Committee from quickly coronating Biden as the party's nominee through a virtual roll call. Huffman and a third Pelosi ally, Bay Area Rep. Zoe Lofgren, were among the surge of lawmakers calling on Biden to leave the race Friday.
No other Democrat understands the stakes of a possible second Trump term better than Pelosi, Schiff and Lofgren. Pelosi, hunted by pro-Trump rioters during the Capitol attack and later targeted at home by a man who fractured her husband's skull with a hammer, appointed Schiff, Lofgren and others to the Jan. 6 select committee that concluded that Trump was to blame for the effort to overturn the 2020 election results and the deadly riot.
"It was certainly notable that so many of her longest California allies were so outspoken," said Rep. Katie Porter, who lost the Democratic nomination for the Senate in California to Schiff this year after Pelosi endorsed him.
A Democratic lawmaker said of Pelosi's strategy to affect the outcome she desires, "She deploys her assets."
A former Democratic leadership aide added: "Biden has a history of losing and winning. Pelosi doesn't make moves unless she knows she will win."
Asked about the impetus for her statement Friday, Lofgren didn't dismiss her proximity to Pelosi — they've served together for nearly three decades — but said it was a decision she made herself. "She is not directing anyone to do anything. This is from me," Lofgren said on MSNBC.
Biden was angered and hurt when Pelosi, his former running mate Barack Obama and other Democratic leaders declined to support him, sources said. But when he announced his decision Sunday, Pelosi was quick with a magnanimous statement.
"President Joe Biden is a patriotic American who has always put our country first. His legacy of vision, values and leadership make him one of the most consequential Presidents in American history," she said. "With love and gratitude to President Biden for always believing in the promise of America and giving people the opportunity to reach their fulfillment. God blessed America with Joe Biden's greatness and goodness."
Shortly after he announced he wouldn't stand for re-election, Biden quickly endorsed his vice president and running mate, Kamala Harris, to replace him on the ballot. Party luminaries quickly followed his lead, including Schiff; Bill and Hillary Clinton; Rep. James Clyburn of South Carolina, a top Biden ally and longtime member of Democratic leadership; Senate President Pro Tem Patty Murray of Washington, who is third in line to the presidency; and progressive Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York.
But Pelosi, Schumer and Jeffries haven't yet endorsed Harris, a former San Francisco district attorney who has known Pelosi for decades. Given her track record, Pelosi could play a key role in either securing the nomination for Harris or helping a potential rival get the nod at the convention in Chicago in August, though many of Harris' potential rivals, including a fellow Californian, Gov. Gavin Newsom, have already endorsed her for president.
Pelosi is "politically still our leader," the Frontline Democrat said. "She and she alone can ensure Kamala's success."
Not all Democrats believe Pelosi's efforts have put the party in a better position for November. Some worry that Republicans will follow through on threats to sue to keep Biden on the ballot, arguing that to replace him would disenfranchise 14 million primary voters who cast their votes for him.
"Pelosi pushed him and left us with no plan. Is it Harris? Who knows?" a former House Democratic leadership aide said. "But I do know that Republicans will definitely spend millions of dollars trying to tie this up in court. It could be worse than the 2000 election."
Scott Wong
Scott Wong is a senior congressional reporter for NBC News.
Ali Vitali
Ali Vitali is a Capitol Hill correspondent for NBC News, based in Washington.
Liz Kreutz, Julie Tsirkin and Sahil Kapur contributed.
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Et Tu Nancy?
There was a huge enthusiasm gap. He had to go.
Hard to say if this is going to work well for the Ds. Personally, I did not see how Biden was going to recover. He might have, but it was not looking very promising. Harris, now, has all sorts of opportunities but she is very time-constrained. This is uncharted territory, but right now I am encouraged that the Ds have a seemingly better chance to victory and thus keep Trump away from the office of the presidency.
Given a solid VP, this is a ticket many would vote for rather than simply against Trump.
Why does this confuse you? Biden's debate performance and his subsequent events caused many in the D party (and elsewhere) to conclude that he would not be able to beat Trump. If the party believes they are going to lose with their incumbent, it is perfectly logical to switch candidates and improve their odds.
Who is confused? it illustrates the absolute hypocrisy of the democrat party and what liars they truly are.
They knew he was a cognitive mess, yet they were going to white-knuckle him right through to election day.
They finally got caught during the debate. Now we hear it is just a matter of winning.
There is still a hardcore group of Biden supporter who have so little integrity that they will not admit the truth, they are clinging to the, "he's just old lie", and not mentally impaired.
If the party believes they are going to lose with their incumbent, it is perfectly logical to switch candidates
so long as you don’t believe party members should have any say in who represents them, sure. Democrats haven’t really allowed their voters to choose their nominee since 2008 so it makes sense for the party to ditch the pretense anyway. It’s a top down party that doesn’t tolerate dissent, so anointing a leader is right in line with that ethos.
Biden got 14,465,519 votes and ultimately a knife in the back.
Harris won nothing.
Democracy in action.
She’s a black female. That’s her success.
So, she is only half successful? sounds about right.
This is uncharted territory and the Ds have an extremely short runway. You of course take the necessity of foregoing a second primary as a deliberate act by the D party to disenfranchise voters. Find the most negative connotation and run with it. Fully expected.
You are suggesting that you care about Biden being pushed aside?
Looks to me as though the Trump supporters are now worried. Good. I hope that worry is for good reason because Trump supporters are the agents that would enable a scoundrel to have the powers of the presidency.
Ah there we go. A racist / misogynist declaration that her defining characteristics are gender and race.
Pot meet kettle.
And an awful lot of baggage.
I wish I could produce Trump's campaign videos.
I would first focus on her support for the 2020 rioters including the get out of jail fund.
She was picked as VP because she was a black female. Now it is racist /misogynistic to bring it up. Already making excuses in case she loses, just like Hillary in 2016.
Of course not. I hate what was done to this country under his name. I'm showing what type of people run the democrat party.
Looks to me as though the Trump supporters are now worried.
Not in the least. You are trapped with Harris
I hope that worry is for good reason because Trump supporters are the agents that would enable a scoundrel to have the powers of the presidency.
I'd gladly explain it to anyone who knows the difference between right and wrong.
Have a good day.
A comment that defines Harris in terms of her race and gender is, by definition, racist and misogynistic.
I am not a D. But I will absolutely vote for Harris with the primary intent of preventing Trump from gaining the powers of the presidency.
You did not and cannot effectively and honestly make a case that electing a vindictive, narcissistic, loose-cannon scoundrel to the office of the presidency is the right thing to do.
Didn't define her as such, just said why she was put in a position. But it is expected that folks are going to start with the accusations of racism and misogyny if you don't vote for her. If you have an issue with why she got the position I suggest you contact the folks that keep bringing people on because they check the boxes.
If you are going to argue for Sean, you have to also own the statement he made:
Why no I don't
Only because their plot to coverup his mental issues was blown up beyond hope of recovery at the debate. By lying to the American people, they created the problem.
It certainly makes sense for you to now try to distance yourself from the statement you were defending.
Negatively defining Harris strictly in terms of her race / gender will not end well.
Including what happened to some of the people she helped get out of jail
Nobody is going to care about these allegations. I encourage you to continue trying to make the case that the Ds lied given the GOP has nominated the most prolific liar of our age.
Exactly. Glad you see how poisonous the successor ideology Democrats have adopted en masse the last 10 years is. Now that you undertande how racist Democratic idealogy is, it's impossible to support that party.
It was terrible of Biden to set those as the defining characteristics he wanted in a VP, wasn't it?
My comment said no such thing. It is no surprise you try shove words down my throat when you can't refute what I actually said.
I absolutely agree millions of voters don't mind being lied to and will parrot those lies over and over in service of the Democratic Party. When they get exposed their brain just apparently resets (Biden's competency being the latest example) and they move onto the next lie. I would imagine people who don't drink the Democratic Kool-Aid are probably getting tired of being played for fools by the Democratic Party.
I disagree with limiting choices based on race and gender. The best person for the job regardless.
But race and gender were not used as negatives by Biden. You, in contrast, dismissed Harris and focused on her race and gender as her qualifications. Big difference.
... the same tired, pathetic excuse.
Ignoring the truth. How predictable.
Those were the qualifications set forth by Biden. All I said is that she successfully filled them. That's not positive, or negative. Merely a statement of fact.
Sean, look, if you want to continue to argue that Harris is merely a black woman then knock yourself out. I encourage you to take that route.
That is more than enough for many on the left to start the name calling and accusations
Donald Trump Makes Lewd Remarks About Women on Video | NBC News
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Like Guinness World Records, our national record-keeping tracks national 'first' in achievements. Thus, the first ______ anybody will be noted (recorded) as such for the purpose of records.
Also sadly, as it as always existed in our nation between Whites and Non-Whites, with perceptions of "full-persons" and "sub-persons," Whites are identified primarily by ethnicities -not race. Minorities are distinguished racially because of white morality and white ideological conditioning and even through violence.
Or, as Donald ("moth-ball') Trump would put it, were he to declare about himself:
'There has never been a LIAR LIKE ME in the history of the world!'
In didn't work in 2016 and it definitely won't work after a Trump Presidency.
Also funny that the dems want to quickly move past supporting Bidens big lie to the American people. They knowingly hid his capacity to be president from Americans and now hope they can get away with it without being held accountable.
And the partisan hacks will excuse this lying bitch while accusing trump of lying
Kamala Harris spent months shooting down concerns over Biden's mental competency | Fox News
So much for caring about country first. She was a willing participant in the big lie and now she is looking to be rewarded for it. Sounds about right for the party with no ethics.
Hopefully the balance of Trump supporters will make the very same feeble and pointless arguments you are making.
Hopefully the balance of Biden supporters will try to get people to ignore the big lie with the argument you are attempting to make.
Most "Trump supporters" aren't voting for Trump. We are voting to keep Democrats out of power at every level of government.
Republicans weren't the ones that tried to pack the Supreme Court. They are also not the ones trying to overturn the Constitution by imposing term limits and introducing new justices every two years.
Republicans weren't the ones that tried to federalize all elections in direct violation of the Constitution.
Republicans aren't the ones allowing millions of illegal immigrants into the country trying to alter electoral districts.
Republicans aren't the ones raiding medicaid for illegal immigrants; giving them access to VA services; offering them welfare benefits; or stealing funding from minority projects to give to illegal immigrants.
So long Republicans follow through on their promise to close the border; stop illegal immigration (and try to deport those here); end the war in Ukraine (and concentrate on the real threat of China); remove the restrictions on oil and gas companies so they can increase their production to meet growing demands; rid the FBI, CIA, DOJ, and IRS of Democrat influence; and continue to put Constitutionalist Supreme Court judges in place- then I really don't care who they have at running for president.
Democrats have lost the right to lead the country after the last 8 years and counting of the shit they have put us through.
If that were the case then Trump would not have a chance. I think the more accurate statement is that many Trump supporters are too embarrassed to publicly admit that they are going to vote for Trump and find it much easier to pretend that they are simply 'not voting for Trump'. Especially those who defend Trump at every turn.
We always hear about what questions the moderators need to ask at the debates,
Watching this develop, it seems like the Spirit of Harry Reid has never left the party. When caught lying about Romney he laughed about it and said "we won." Democrats got caught engaging in an even much bigger conspiracy to hide Biden's incompetence and they just don't care. Lying and being lied to just doesn't matter to them.
The ends always justify the means.
Deflection fail, Ear gate is the biggest conspiracy so far.
This is already old news. Any coverup of Biden's frailties will be seen as normal politics. Look for example at what you and the GOP do with Trump. Trump has historical, major league negatives and the GOP not only does not admit his many problems, failings, and wrongdoings but they have created an alternate reality where Trump is a religious superhero martyr for the people.
Blind partisanship rots minds.
Lol. That's the next step of the playbook the Democrats have been running since the 90s.
Step One : Lie. Deny the truth as an impossibility. We would never do X..
Step Two: Attack media and anyone who starts the questioning the lie
Step three: Attack evidence as it come out as made up, and part of a conspiracy. Personally demonize anyone associated with the evidence and then add the the Biden addition of calling the truth a deep fake.
Step Four: When evidence of lie gets too overwhelming to continue pushing it , start saying "so what? Of course X is true. It's time to move on."
How many times are you going to go through the process before you figure it out? The coverup is one of the biggest stories in decades. Imagine trusting Harris or anyone associated with this on anything going forward.
Any coverup of Biden's frailties will be seen as normal politics.
Than our republic is truly doomed if this is normal. When an entire administration simply lies and tells Americans not to believe their eyes and ears and half the country accepts that, than what' are we even doing here ? "We were always at war with east asia," indeed
ook for example at what you and the GOP do with Trump
You mean declare he's not fit for office? Imagine trying to ignore this lie and claim some moral high ground over Trump.
Blind partisanship rots minds.
It sure does. Imagine hand waving a conspiracy to elect a mentally impaired man that caused an entire administration to lie to the public on an almost daily basis, including lies that seem more fitted to Kim Jong worship. He's as sharp as ever! his 30 year old staff can't keep up with him he has so much energy! He's a six handicap in golf!
Biden is no longer the candidate.
And that makes your conspiracy-theory-based hyperbolic rhetoric even more ridiculous.
The reality is that we no longer have two candidates who should not be running for the office of PotUS. Now we have by all measures a 'normal' candidate in Harris and arguably the worst candidate ever nominated for PotUS by a major party (Trump).
The game is fundamentally different now. The Ds are at a substantial disadvantage given their historically tiny runway in uncharted territory, but the GOP is stuck having to promote a 78 year old (who would be oldest person ever elected to the office) vindictive, narcissistic scoundrel as their nominee.
There is no predicting the outcome, but the Ds have an opportunity to run a positive campaign with a 59 year old, experienced, rational human being while the GOP has to deal with a loose-cannon who cannot stop with the incessant lies and negativism.
Hopefully they will pick a solid VP who can encourage swing states and bring more executive experience (e.g. a governor) to the ticket.
they won\t be able to get over Biden. We will hear about Bidens decline and coverup well past the election, unless of course the election is 'fair ', and Trump the victor, with US the loser, but I believe Harris can defeat Trump, as she doesn't have Joes baggage. So lets hope the cults grip is able to be loosened, so someone sane can again be elected and directed be this country down the right path, not the one of vengeance and wrath...
Then that is good. Let the Trump supporters keep beating up on Biden and spewing pointless negativity while the Harris ticket speaks positively about the future.
Trump, their nominee, certainly cannot stop himself from negative campaigning.
But Harris, who lied about Biden's condition and tried to cover it up, is.
It's truly amazing how comfortable so many Democrats are with being played for fools. I know if I'd spent the last few years posting nonsense on social media because I trusted party leaders to be honest, I'd have hard time going right back to mindless cheerleading. But rah rah for Harris and just flush yesterday's lies down the ole memory hole works for some, I guess.
Now we have by all measures a 'normal' candidate in Harris
Harris has never competed in a Democratic primary. There hasn't been anything normal about being selected solely by the proverbial smoke filled room of party elites for generations.
The entire GOP is being played by a con-man and you make that naive statement simply because the Ds (as would any major party) held back on publicly damaging their candidate?
You think there's a distinction that favors democrats between a con man and a party's leadership deciding to lie to the American public about the President's cognitive ability to perform his job? Seems the only lies that matter are those that don't help Democrats.
Hopefully this is the line of argument that the Trump campaign will push.
what say ye of the 30,000 plus that Trump uttered during 45, or to you, is thata nother Democrack in the armor of the naked and afraid emperor to be...?
On Biden's campaign X account @BidenHQ,
LOL, the jokes write themselves.