Nancy Pelosi’s Statement on Biden’s Alleged Decline
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi recently addressed allegations regarding former President Joe Biden’s decline. In an interview with Politico’s Jonathan Martin, Pelosi stated she was unaware of any such decline. She emphasized that those who had information should have taken action, saying, “I didn’t know, but I do think that those who did know should have acted upon that information, whatever that means.”
Pelosi expressed frustration with conflicting accounts from Biden’s family and staff. She noted, “There was the staff saying the family knew, the family saying the staff knew, I don’t know,” urging that action should have been taken earlier.
Pelosi’s Role in 2024 Race
The tension between Pelosi and Biden was evident concerning the 2024 presidential race. Despite speculation, Pelosi denied urging Biden to exit the race. Instead, she questioned the campaign’s polling accuracy and execution. “I only said to President Biden, ‘I’ve come to question the polling that you have and how your campaign is being conducted,'” Pelosi clarified.
She suggested having other pollsters review the situation. According to Pelosi, she did not ask Biden to step down, but did express the public’s desire to see evidence of his capability to serve another term.
Biden’s Response and Pelosi’s Comments
When asked how Biden responded, Pelosi shared that he addressed her concerns, acknowledging the daily challenges he faced in office. “He responded. We were prayerful, you know, Catholic. We’re prayerful. We had our rosaries and all that,” Pelosi recounted. She stated their meeting was private, with minimal staff involvement.
Pelosi indicated the public wanted assurance of Biden’s abilities, a sentiment she conveyed during their conversation.
Reactions and Criticism
Fox News political analyst Guy Benson criticized Pelosi’s statements, calling them “non-credible gaslighting.” He argued it was evident Biden was in decline and accused Pelosi of aligning with partisan efforts until circumstances shifted. “Once their gaslighting efforts died on that debate stage, they feigned shock,” Benson commented.
Pelosi’s Position on Biden’s Candidacy
In a July 2024 interview on MS NOW’s “Morning Joe,” Pelosi hinted Biden was still contemplating his candidacy. She urged him to make a decision due to time constraints, saying, “We are all encouraging him to make that decision, because time is running short.”
Biden’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Hanna Panreck is an associate editor at Fox News.