WASHINGTON — Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., on Wednesday fully endorsed President Joe Biden to stay in the 2024 race, saying it was up to him whether he would run, but warned that the clock was ticking.
“It’s up to the president to decide whether he’s going to run. We all encourage him to make that decision because time is running out,” Pelosi said in an interview on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” when asked if Biden supported her. To be the leader of the Democratic ticket.
Pelosi said she could not say whether Biden would have the overwhelming support of Democrats in Congress, especially since he is no longer in a leadership role.
“But he’s likeable, he’s respected, and people want him to make that decision. Not me,” he said.
Asked if she wanted to run, Pelosi said, “I want him to do what he decides to do, and that’s it. Whatever he decides, we’ll go with it.”
Pelosi’s remarks are notable because she remains a prominent member of Democratic caucuses, the speaker emerita whose rank and staff still look to her for leadership.
The former speaker told fellow Democrats to refrain from publicly expressing their views on Biden staying in the race.
“I said to everyone, let’s stop, whatever you think or tell someone privately, but it’s not necessary to put it on the table until we see how we go this week,” he said.
In response to Pelosi, a Biden campaign official said the president is “resolutely committed to staying in this race, taking this race to the end, and defeating Donald Trump,” pointing to a letter the president sent to Democratic lawmakers on Monday.
“I’ve always been loyal to him,” the official said, referring to Pelosi’s comments to a reporter on Tuesday. In this same exchangewhen asked if Biden was the best person for the ticket, Pelosi said, “I’m not making any statements in the room right now. I will when I’m ready to make a statement.”
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, DN.Y. and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., including Democratic leaders, This week they reiterated their support for Biden as a candidate, many other Democrats remained silent. At least nine House Democrats have publicly called on Biden to withdraw from the race. Senator Michael Bennett On Tuesday, the Colorado native became the first Democrat in the Senate to publicly say Biden could not defeat Trump.
In an interview with MSNBC last week, Pelosi said it was a “legitimate question” whether Biden’s speech at the debate was a “condition” or just an “episode.”
Biden and the White House have dismissed the idea that he had any serious medical conditions that affected him that night the president said firmly remains in the race.