Pelosi Warns 'Time is Running Short' While Punting on Biden Dropping Out: 'I Want Him to Do Whatever He Decides to Do"

[Polybius]

Source: Mediaite

After praising President Joe Biden’s “spectacular” performance at the NATO summit on Tuesday, Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) was curiously noncommittal about the president’s staying in the 2024 race. Her warning that “time is running short” seemed to suggest that, in her eyes, Biden has not yet decided to stay in the race, despite his repeated assistance that he has.

While appearing on MSNBC’s Morning Joe on Wednesday to discuss her op-ed in The Washington Post, Pelosi was asked by co-host Jonathan Lemire if she still supported Biden’s reelection as the sentiment among Democrats was splintering:

Lemire: So, Madam Speaker, you just went through the president’s record, but let me ask you about the current moment. Does he have your support to be the head of the Democrats?

Pelosi: It’s up to the president to decide if he is going to run. We’re all encouraging him to make that decision because time is running short. I think overwhelming support of the caucus — 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.

Read more: https://www.mediaite.com/news/pelosi-warns-time-is-running-short-while-punting-on-biden-dropping-out-i-want-him-to-do-whatever-he-decides-to-do/

---

Link to tweet

Video here:

https://www.msnbc.com/morning-joe/watch/nancy-pelosi-it-s-up-to-biden-to-decide-if-he-s-going-to-run-214554181531

[ClearSky24]

1. Wow. I think it's over.

Gonna be interesting times in the next couple of days.

[wolfie001]

35. Newsome and Whitmer?

Pretend it's in spray-paint

[ms liberty]

2. And I've already called her office this morning about it

I've also called Mikie Sherrill's office and Sen. Bennet's office and I politely let all three of them know how I felt.
Then I called AOC's office and thanked her, asking her to keep it up with her support for Joe.

[Lovie777]

3. She been saying that for awhile....................

[LisaL]

4. How embarrassing that she still doesn't know that

Biden has already decided.

[azureblue]

5. she didn't "punt"

she made a statement of fact, and using the word "punt" is innuendo. It IS Biden's decision and no one else's. Unlike Lying Felon pedo traitor Trump, who has committed serious crimes and is still the idol of the GOP. He should be in jail.

[Autumn]

16. Then she needs to pay attention. How many times does Biden need to

say that he HAS already made that decision, he's running for president, he's not stepping down. I don't get which part of that they don't understand.

They need to move on from this crap.

[malthaussen]

40. I couldn't agree more. n/t

[Freethinker65]

6. This is either coordinated to manipulate media to cover Bide's campaign

Or Biden is actually having second thoughts.

I honestly was surprised Biden decided to run for a second term. Biden ran initially to return normalcy and stability to the country. Biden achieved that. Biden/the Democratic Party had Biden's first term to position a replacement. Frustrating.

[LisaL]

7. Biden repeatedly said he is running. He even put it in writing.

Not sure what else he can do to make it more clear, except tattoo it on his forehead.

[Polybius]

8. I'm not sure that it's either

I truly believe that Biden wants to continue and not step aside. I'm not sure how it would be manipulated. There is video of her saying it.

[Freethinker65]

9. Oh. She said it. But she is smart.

By manipulating media, I mean ensuring coverage of Biden as he campaigns and does his job as President. By doing so, many voters actually get to hear about the progress Biden has made during his first term and his vision for a second term, as opposed to Biden/Democrats getting drowned out by wall to wall coverage of something crazy Trump says or does.

[CTyankee]

45. Excellent point

It must drive trump crazy to have everyone talking about Joe and not about him.

[Peregrine Took]

31. One thing about Pelosi is she can count - that's why she was such a great floor leader.

She's seeing some numbers from the battleground states particularly that she doesn't like.

[UniqueUserName]

14. Biden is heroic

Edited: I thought I hit reply to freethinker65's post.

I do think his intention was just to run for one term only. I too think that his intention was to return normalcy. He has done an amazing job!

I never foresaw the depths of the traitorous Republican depravity. They are literally running a convicted felon, a sex offender, a narcissist, and sadist. And that describes the same person! I don't think most people could imagine the depth of incompetence, cognitive dissonance, and sheer greed of the republicans.

Our best shot is to re-elect Biden to return to normalcy. If he should die in office or step down,, Kamala Harris will be an excellent president! She will have my full support. Biden will always have my full respect and appreciation.

[colorado_ufo]

38. If Biden did have any thought about passing the torch, I'm sure he would have held it until after NATO.

[kansasobama]

10. If Biden can prosecute Trump, he stays

If Biden can prosecute Trump on J6 anthem, insurrection, and Project 2025, he stays. It is all about that. He has to be confident about whatever method he employs. Senate Democratic candidates have done a poor job of the democracy theme and abortion rights issue. Running away from Biden is foolishness. It is the President who vetoes and appoints judges.

Biden has said he has decided. So, now, it will be on the Dems if Biden loses. Their crying is maddening

[GusBob]

11. Reading between the lines

Sounds to me as if Dr Biden and Mrs Pelosi have been talking, vis a vis "we're all encouraging him to make that decision" I mean, who is "we" exactly?

This was the sort of thing we heard from party leaders immediately after the debate debacle

Unless its a rhetorical thing

[Hope22]

20. No, she should have said WE SUPPORT THE President. That is what her job was!

If HE chose to make any changes He would be the leader and announce it. That is why a list of high ranking House Dems calling out the President was wrong! By acting like the president was waffling on this, which he wasn’t, they completely undermined the confidence of Democratic voters. I am dealing with this with friends and family. Suddenly Biden appears feeble. What an absolute mess!

[ramapo]

12. Seems like he decided

But she doesn't support what he decided so now he has to decide again.

Does Biden just resign? Harris becomes de facto nominee. WTF?

[Emile]

13. Nancy seems to forget millions of Democrats have already

made the decision in the primary. How insulting of her to ignore the voters!

[kansasobama]

15. I am tweeting Pelosi

Giving what I feel about this...

[jpug]

32. This is our problems

Our base demands Biden, but we're forced to contend with with who the big wigs want.

Republithugs base demands Trump and their big wings bend over and give them what they want.

If we're gonna win this we need to use the same tactics.

Don't bring a knife to a gun-fight.

[nvme]

43. When there is only 1 candidate on the primary ballot not much of a choice is it?

The other options in the primary were more of a protest vote entrants

[PatSeg]

17. Whoa, the New York Times ran a very misleading headline

on this story: "Pelosi Hints That Biden Should Reconsider Re-Election Run".

I don't see anywhere that she was hinting Biden should reconsider. She is just encouraging him to make the decision, a decision that he has already made loudly, forcefully, and often. I'm not sure what she was saying, but she wasn't saying what was in the NYT's headline.


Edit to add: NOW the NYT's has changed the headline from "hints" to "suggests". It is STILL not what she said.

[dchill]

27. Pelosi gave them an inch; they took a mile.

It's not Biden's acuity I'm concerned about.

[PatSeg]

33. Exactly

It is pretty easy to understand why public figures hate the press. They twist everything that is said to fit into a predetermined narrative.

This is maddening.

[dchill]

36. Maddening - and very disheartening. And dishonest.

[PatSeg]

37. Yes and just when I thought we were

nearing the end of all this insanity.

Meanwhile, I wonder what Pelosi is thinking right now, and if and when she's going to publicly clarify what she meant. I think the press misrepresented what she said, but what she said was pretty murky. She should have kept it simple like Schumer - "I'm with Joe".

[Hope22]

18. I remember how she ran the House.

Talk about retribution if Dems got out of line. She and others not only crossed the line but jumped the shark without going to the President and privately discussing this issue first. She should apologize as her reputation is at stake. She should apologize to the millions of Dems who signed on to support the President financially over a year ago and are continuing to do so! As a monthly donor over the last 14 months to the president and several other Democrats it was certainly shocking to see how some of the House Dems treated a sitting President. She is 84 and should know better!

[Hope22]

21. He has decided.

What are you talking about?

[ClearSky24]

22. Read between the lines.

There's a reason she's giving statements in this particular way.

[Hope22]

23. Who is she?

If you are talking about Pelosi she does not mince words. Welcome back to DU.

[ClearSky24]

24. Yes.

Nancy Pelosi.

[dchill]

28. What I saw involved mucho mincing.

[angrychair]

25. The arrogance and entitlement

Of certain members of Congress like Pelosi, who I might add is older than Biden and still in Congress.
That people in the 70s and 80s calling on Biden to resign because of his age is the height of hypocrisy.

I my opinion, from the moment Biden wins, he should ice out every single person that spoke out against him. There should be a price to pay for their arrogance and hypocrisy.

[jpug]

34. Revenge is a dish ...

Best served cold.

Joe is keeping his cool.

Time for settlement will come later.

[JohnSJ]

26. What does it matter, the speaker already came out and endorsed Joe, and so did the

majority leader in the Senate

[leftgirl]

29. Did Nancy jusd sent a shot across the bow....

I saw her on Morning Joe and LeMire asked her several times about Joe and she just repeated
the same phrase over and over .....President Biden will have to decide if he's stepping down.....

LeMire then said ......President Biden has already said he's staying in the race ....to
which Pelosi replied the exact same phrase ....President Biden will have to decide if he's stepping
down and we should give him room to decide

WOW...........

However you want to read that.....I did not read it in a good way.......

see if you can find the clip online and form your own interpretation

If they force Biden out, they will have said FU to all the voters.......who voted in the primary
and they will be telling the voters.....you are inconsequential......we know better, we will decide

I hope that is not the case ........more to come I guess

[soandso]

46. I said the same

to my husband when I heard her say it. Extremely manipulative, passive aggressive and so transparent.

Q.Would you like some spaghetti?
A. No thanks.
Q. I think you should decide if you want some spaghetti.
A. Thanks and I said I don't.
Q. We're all waiting for you to let us know about the spaghetti. It's your decision and I support whatever you decide.
A. Let me put it in writing: I don't want any spaghetti.
Q. Time is running short to decide.

WTAF?

[Pisces]

30. The insiders know his mental state better than we do!! Nancy Pelosi

Is not the enemy!! Why are we putting fingers in our ears and not listening with own ears and dismissing our lying eyes!! We need to win Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin!! We are talking a sliver of votes, these are people that are not solid Dems!! They swing or don’t vote. Why are we playing games!! The majority of us on this board will vote Biden/Harris no matter what!! We are talking about the youth vote and the slim 5 to 7% that swing!
Pelosi, Axelrod, Schiff, are Blue as they come. We need to be listen!

[manicdem]

39. He already decided to stay in

I hate how everyone is pestering him asking if he'll stay in or not when he made it very clear he will.

[malthaussen]

41. Shame on you, Nancy Pelosi.

The President has already "made that decision," forcefully and repeatedly. To pretend otherwise is disingenuous at best, and something unprintable at worst.

-- Mal

[myohmy2]

42. "... We're all encouraging him to make that decision...."

...I thought Joe already has...

...oh boy, the higher-up's ain't going to let go...

...oh well...

[totodeinhere]

44. She should have said that the president is in this race to stay and he will win.

She should not be equivocating. We all need to get behind Joe. There should be no ifs or buts period.