Pelosi says 'it's up to the president' to decide to stay in the race
Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi said Wednesday 鈥渋t's up to the president to decide鈥� if he should stay in the race despite President Joe Biden's insistence he is still running, showing how unsettled the question remains among prominent Democrats and Capitol Hill.
鈥淲e鈥檙e all encouraging him to make that decision because time is running short,鈥� Pelosi said Wednesday on MSNBC.
Pelosi has been widely watched for signals of how top Democrats are thinking about Biden鈥檚 imperiled candidacy, and her comments will be viewed as important for the party鈥檚 direction as they weigh possible alternatives in the campaign against Republican Donald Trump.
Because of her powerful position as the former House speaker and proximity to Biden as a trusted longtime ally of his generation, Pelosi is seen as one of the few Democratic leaders who could have influence on the president鈥檚 thinking.
Pressed on whether she personally wants Biden to stay on the top of the ticket as he has defiantly insisted he is staying in the race, Pelosi said, 鈥淚 want him to do whatever he decides to do.鈥�
The lack of a full endorsement from Pelosi for Biden鈥檚 continued campaign is what lawmakers are likely to hear most, suggesting that despite the president's insistence he is not stepping aside, his party still has questions.
Pelosi said Biden 鈥渉as been a great president鈥� who is beloved and respected by House Democrats.
The Californian said she watched as he delivered a forceful speech at the NATO summit on Tuesday, and while foreign leaders are in Washington this week she encouraged Democrats 鈥渓et鈥檚 just hold off鈥� with any announcements about his campaign.
鈥淲hatever you鈥檙e thinking, either tell somebody privately but you don鈥檛 have to put that out on the table until we see,鈥� she said, how it goes 鈥渢his week.鈥�
Democrats have been reeling over the question of whether to continue backing Biden after his poor showing in the presidential debate with Trump last month and his campaign鈥檚 lackluster response to their pleas that Biden show voters he is up for another four-year term.