White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Monday denied that President Joe Biden is mad at former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, following her reported successful effort to push the incumbent out of the 2024 race.
Fox News’ Peter Doocy: “How mad is President Biden at Nancy Pelosi?”
Jean-Pierre: “The president respects his good friend … and I think it's mutual. … She made statements like, ‘a preeminent president,’ ‘among the top few’ to have served in this office. And I think that says a lot, coming from the former Speaker.”
Doocy: “So, no hard feelings?”
Jean-Pierre: “He respects his good friend.”
Doocy: “I asked if there were any hard feelings.”
Jean-Pierre: “No hard feelings.”
Politicos are speculating that the relationship between Biden and Pelosi is broken. Media outlets reported that she was at the center of behind-the-scenes efforts by top Democrats to convince Biden to leave the race following his widely-panned CNN presidential debate performance in late June. And in interviews following the debate, Pelosi gave lukewarm support for the president. After several weeks of pressure, and growing numbers of Democrats calling on him to step down, Biden acquiesced in mid-July and announced he would no longer seek reelection.
In an interview with The New Yorker last week, Pelosi admitted she has “never been that impressed” with Biden’s “political operation,” although she maintained that she never made any calls to fellow Democrats to urge Biden to step aside.
The California Democrat also confirmed she has not spoken to Biden since he dropped out of the race. When asked if she thought their 40-year relationship would survive, Pelosi said she loses sleep over that question. “I hope so. I pray so. I cry so,” she said.
