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Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi refused to say on Wednesday whether she believes President Joe Biden should remain atop the Democratic ticket following his dismal debate performance and struggle to reassure the party that he’s able to do the job for another four years.
Appearing on MSNBC on Wednesday morning, Pelosi was asked if she still supported Biden to lead the Democratic ticket.
“It’s up to the president to [decide] if he’s going to run. We're all encouraging him to make that decision because time is running short,” she said.
She added that Biden has the “overwhelming support of the caucus,” but she noted that “It’s not for me to say — I’m not the head of the caucus anymore.”
“But he’s beloved, he is respected. And people want him to make that decision,” Pelosi said.
Pressed again on whether she wants Biden to run, Pelosi said: “I want him to do whatever he decides to do ... That's the way it is — whatever he decides we go with.”
Pelosi’s comments come as the Biden campaign and White House have gone into survival mode following the president’s disastrous debate performance on June 27 in Atlanta. He appeared confused and frail, making several gaffes that immediately sent the Democratic party into a tailspin.
Several House Democrats have since called on Biden to leave the race, but Pelosi is the highest profile Democrat to suggest he may want to reconsider his re-election bid. On Tuesday, New Jersey Rep. Mikie Sherrill said in a statement that “I know that President Biden and his team have been true public servants and have put the country and the best interests of democracy first and foremost in their considerations.”
“And because I know President Biden cares deeply about the future of our country, I am asking that he declare that he won’t run for reelection and will help lead us through a process toward a new nominee,” she added.
While no Senate Democrats have publically stated that Biden shouldn’t run, there have been reports of growing unease with his candidacy within the caucus.
Biden is attempting to use the ongoing NATO summit in Washington to prove his doubters wrong. In a forceful speech on Tuesday, Biden pledged to defend Ukraine against Russia’s invasion.
Vladimir “Putin wants nothing less, nothing less, than Ukraine’s total subjugation ... and to wipe Ukraine off the map,” Biden said as he read off a teleprompter. “Ukraine can and will stop Putin.”
He added: “Today NATO is stronger than it’s ever been in its history.”
Some diplomats at the summit said the damage from the debate remains difficult to repair.
“We don’t see how he can come back after the debate,” a European diplomat told Reuters. “I can’t imagine him being at [the] helm of the US and NATO for four more years.”
