Pelosi tells Biden of dangers if he stays in presidential race: Axios
3 Min Read
The sources add that while the White House has only disclosed one conversation, which took place earlier this month, some Biden advisors think there may have been more.
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Democratic former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi at the Tsuglakhang temple in Dharamshala, India, Wednesday, June 19, 2024. (AP)
According to two sources with knowledge of the situation, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has warned President Biden and his campaign about the political danger the Democratic Party will face if he stays in the race.
Axios notes that it remains unclear how many times Pelosi and Biden have spoken together, or if she has instructed Biden to give up on his ambition to become re-elected.
The sources added that while the White House has only disclosed one conversation, which took place earlier this month, some Biden advisors think there may have been more.
When asked about Pelosi's assessment of Biden's chances and her discussions with Biden, White House spokesperson Andrew Bates stated, "President Biden is the nominee of the party. He plans to win, and looks forward to working with congressional Democrats to pass his 100 days agenda to help working families."
Biden has already received requests from House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer to withdraw from the presidential race, as revealed by ABC News.
'End the talk' on Biden quitting
This comes after Biden, in a message to Democrats last week, stated it was time to "end the talk" about withdrawing from the presidential race. According to Axios, Biden said he had "intense discussions with party leadership, elected officials, and grassroots members, and most importantly, with Democratic voters, over the past 10 days," acknowledging the concerns people have raised.
Read next: Hollywood joins Democrats in calling for Biden to drop from race
Biden confirmed his candidacy, expressing his conviction that he is the best person to defeat Donald Trump. He stated his strong commitment to staying in the race, noting that "the question of how to move forward has been well posed for over a week now. It's time to end it."
According to one House Democratic aide, 25 Democratic members of the House of Representatives are ready to call for Biden to step aside if his performance continues to falter in the coming days. Another House Democratic aide mentioned that moderate Democrats in competitive districts, often referred to as "frontliners", are facing intense scrutiny and questions from their constituents this week.
So far, at least five Democratic members of the House have publicly called for Biden to withdraw, with more Democrats privately expressing the view that Biden "needs to step down." A larger group has voiced concerns about his ability to face Trump.
Separately, the White House announced last night that Biden has tested positive for COVID-19 and is experiencing mild symptoms.
The White House confirmed that Biden will return to his residence in Delaware, where he will isolate and continue performing all his duties fully during this period. Regular updates on the president's condition will be provided while he remains in quarantine.
