Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., is reportedly maneuvering behind the scenes to persuade President Biden to step aside, allowing another Democrat to challenge former President Trump in the upcoming election. Pelosi, who has been a staunch Biden ally, is now “convinced” that Biden’s continued candidacy could jeopardize the Democrats’ hold on the White House. This information comes from a stunning Politico report published on Monday.
Pelosi has consistently described Trump as an existential threat to democracy, emphasizing the importance of defeating him in November. However, concerns about Biden’s mental fitness have made Democrats uncertain about his ability to achieve this. According to Politico, Pelosi has been discreetly making phone calls since June 27, seeking a strategy to gently remove Biden from the ticket.
“Pelosi, convinced Biden will lose, has been working the phones since June 27 in hopes of finding a way to ease him off the ticket,” Politico reported. “One of her colleagues was struck to see her chatting, furtively but openly, with Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries last week in a corner of the House Democratic cloakroom in plain sight of a dozen lawmakers,” Politico continued. “The extent of Pelosi’s behind-the-scenes role hasn’t been fully revealed and may never be if the former speaker has her way.”
Sources close to Pelosi reveal that she has coordinated phone calls with Jeffries, strategized with top Democratic figures, and bluntly informed one former official that Biden’s legacy should not be tarnished by risking the party’s future.
This activity reportedly began before the assassination attempt on Trump, yet Pelosi isn’t the only prominent Democrat sounding alarms. Representative Adam Schiff, D-Calif., recently warned in a private meeting that keeping Biden as the nominee could lead to significant losses in the upcoming election. Schiff expressed his concerns to donors during a Saturday meeting, prior to the assassination attempt on Trump.
“I think if he is our nominee, I think we lose,” Schiff said, according to a transcript obtained by the New York Times. “And we may very, very well lose the Senate and lose our chance to take back the House.”
Given that Schiff made these remarks before the assassination attempt, it is unclear if he maintains the same views. As reported by Breitbart News, the Democratic Party has momentarily quieted any discussions about replacing Biden following the failed assassination attempt on Trump. The current focus has shifted toward unity in response to this unprecedented event.
The unfolding situation indicates deep concerns within the Democratic Party about their leadership and strategy heading into the election. Pelosi and Schiff’s actions highlight the urgency felt by some party leaders to reassess their approach in light of the challenges ahead.
