Shortly after seemingly quelling a Democratic rebellion over his candidacy, two of President Joe Biden’s most powerful allies have shown signs of wavering.
Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) have privately signaled doubt in Biden’s reelection campaign, in contrast to their public shows of support. After Pelosi caused a firestorm for wavering comments around Biden on Wednesday, Politico, citing about half a dozen lawmakers and others familiar with the matter, reported on Thursday that she has been privately expressing her wish that Biden drop out, believing him unable to win the election.
Pelosi has also reportedly privately advised swing-state Democrats to do whatever it takes to win, including asking Biden to step down if it helps their chances.
Schumer, despite his insistence that he’s fully behind Biden, has been privately signaling to donors that he’s open to the president being replaced, according to Axios.
Biden called the New York senator six days after his shaky debate performance, reassuring him he was in the race to stay. He has since been publicly supportive of the president.
Though no longer the House minority leader, Pelosi is seen as a key element of dissenting Democrats’ plans to push Biden to drop out.
“She’s the f***ing power broker. She’s the hatchet,” one House Democrat told Axios.
“That’s why some of us are going to Pelosi … she’s a tough cookie, she’ll tell you like it is,” another House Democrat said.
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On Wednesday, Pelosi caused a stir when she made ambiguous remarks about whether Biden would run.
“It’s up to the president to decide if he is going to run,” she said on MSNBC’s Morning Joe. “We’re all encouraging him to make that decision because time is running short.” Given Biden has stated on numerous occasions that he was staying in as the nominee, the remarks were interpreted by some as a signal of wavering support. However, she complained later in the day that her remarks were being “misrepresented” in the media, and that she wasn’t calling on Biden to reconsider his run.