"She's the hatchet": House Democrats turn to Pelosi to strong-arm Biden
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House Democrats with grave concerns about President Biden's ability to win the 2024 election are looking to former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) as their potential muscle to get him to drop his reelection bid.
Why it matters: In addition to being a Capitol Hill veteran who is respected by Biden, Pelosi is seen as having a steely toughness that could actually break through to the stubborn president.
- "That's why some of us are going to Pelosi ... she's a tough cookie, she'll tell you like it is," said one House Democrat.
- Said another: "She's the f***ing power-broker. She's the hatchet."
Driving the news: On Wednesday morning, just as Biden appeared to be hitting his stride on Capitol Hill, Pelosi essentially took the wind out of his sails.
- "It's up to the president to decide if he is going to run," Pelosi said on Morning Joe. "We're all encouraging him to to make that decision because time is running short."
- What that statement didn't take into account is that Biden has told congressional Democrats in no uncertain terms that he will not be stepping off the ticket.
Zoom in: Congressional Democrats who had been on the back foot and feeling resigned to Biden as the nominee took Pelosi's comments as an invitation to turn the spigot back on.
- By day's end on Wednesday, two House Democrats, Reps. Pat Ryan (D-N.Y.) and Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.), joined the list of lawmakers calling on Biden to withdraw, as had Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.), the first senator to do so.
- Lawmakers tell Axios to expect more where that came from: "I told my comms team, have our statement ready to go next time he has a big f***-up, because you know there's going to be another one," said one House Democrat.
- If Biden's NATO press conference on Thursday is a "debacle," the lawmaker added, "you might see a whole new wave."
The intrigue: Pelosi appeared to walk her comments back slightly, telling reporters on Capitol Hill later on Wednesday, "I think he can win."
- Reached for comment on this story, Pelosi spokesperson Ian Krager provided a statement that essentially reiterated her comments on Morning Joe: "Speaker Pelosi fully supports whatever President Biden decides to do."
- "We must turn our attention to why this race is so important: Donald Trump would be a disaster for our country and our democracy," he added.
What we're hearing: While few Democrats will venture to try and telegraph Pelosi's thinking, several lawmakers said her statement was in line with her well-known, bare-knuckle approach to politics.
- "She wants to win," said one House Democrat. "She's this person who has always been focused on winning elections, she knows how to do it, and I'm sure she shares the concerns of a lot of us."
- Another told Axios: "I don't think she wants him to run."
Between the lines: All the statements from rank-and-file House Democrats – and Welch, a freshman senator who was a House member just two years ago – have had little apparent effect.
- "The House has done all it can right now," said one House Democrat, noting that Biden is a Senate veteran who never served in the lower chamber.
- "The way members are talking about it is: it [needs to be] senators – and people like Nancy Pelosi."
