Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi stated on Tuesday that those close to President Joe Biden during his 2024 reelection campaign should have shared concerns about his mental acuity, confirming she privately urged him to reconsider his bid based on polling data.
Pelosi, speaking at POLITICO’s The California Agenda: Sacramento Summit, reiterated that she did not demand Biden drop out but instead questioned the campaign’s polling and strategy. She also disclosed that she suggested Biden publicize cognitive testing to reassure voters, though he responded that his daily duties tested his abilities.
Key Developments
Pelosi’s remarks came during a broader discussion about Biden’s 2024 campaign and the Democratic Party’s future. She praised Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) as potential leaders for the party but declined to endorse any 2028 presidential candidates.
Pelosi’s Private Concerns
Pelosi stated she had questioned Biden’s campaign trajectory, noting that 72% of Americans at the time believed he should not seek another term. She recounted telling Biden, “I’ve come to question the polling that you have and how your campaign is being conducted.” She also revealed she had an outside pollster consult with Biden’s team to clarify voter perceptions.
Pelosi emphasized that Biden’s debate performance with Donald Trump in June 2024 was a turning point in public awareness of his challenges. “When you think of the debate and how sad that was, that’s really when we learned,” she said. “I didn’t know, and I think he had his sort of ups and downs.”
Calls for Transparency
Pelosi disclosed that she had advised Biden to undergo cognitive testing and make the results public to improve voter confidence. “I did say this: ‘I think the public would like to hear that you’ve had a testing that demonstrates you can serve the next term,’” she recalled. Biden responded that his job itself served as a cognitive test, but Pelosi maintained that voters sought explicit confirmation.
Future of the Democratic Party
When asked about potential 2028 candidates, Pelosi offered praise for Ocasio-Cortez and Newsom but avoided direct endorsements. She framed her comments as reflections on the party’s direction rather than strategic endorsements, stating, “I was mum on the idea.”
Pelosi’s remarks follow months of speculation about internal Democratic Party concerns over Biden’s age and electability. Her statements provide the most detailed public account yet of her private interactions with Biden during the campaign.