Pelosi urges fellow Democrats to rally around Harris
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Cassie Semyon
Pelosi may have taken a step back from leadership within the Democratic party, but she still holds incredible sway over her House colleagues.
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Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., may have taken a step back from leadership within the Democratic party, but the San Francisco congresswoman still holds incredible power and sway with her House colleagues.

But while Pelosi was rumored to have played a role in helping President Joe Biden reach the conclusion that his reelection campaign was untenable â after more than 40 Democrats in the House and Senate called for him to pass the torch â the longtime House leader said donât believe everything you read.

âWhen I see the press say âshe said this, and I have two anonymous sources,â I think you couldn't possibly have any anonymous sources, because I don't talk about what I talk about with the president of the United States,â Pelosi told Spectrum News in an interview with about her new book, âThe Art of Power,â which took place one day after President Biden bowed out of the race and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris in his stead.

âSome of what you have seen is, I don't know, anonymous sources. And I say to the reporters, âdo you think I would say that to the President? No? Then why are you printing it? âWell, because I have two anonymous sources.ââ

âLet's not give me more credit than I deserve for all of this,â she added.

Pelosi professes to keeping a small circle of trust, saying that she doesnât want to âburden peopleâ with information â or, perhaps more precisely, burdening them with keeping information to themselves. Keeping the circle tight keeps people from trying to leverage that information with members of the press, building their own narrative.

Still, that doesnât entirely prevent half-informed rumors from being spread by colleagues to the press, which she laments. âIt's really sad, because even when the press have come to me and asked, âis this true?ââ she said. âDid the President tell you that? Because he was the only other person in the room, so I don't think you have the facts right.ââ

The former speaker went on to add that any conversations she has with the president are confidential, but said âthe President made his own decision about the future.â

âI do believe that Biden will be considered one of the most consequential presidents in American history,â Pelosi said. âIn a short period of time, he accomplished so much, a high percentage of what Lyndon Johnson did, what Franklin Roosevelt did â he enhanced what Barack Obama did with the Affordable Care Act. He made it even better and stronger, more affordable for people,â Pelosi added.

âHe's a great president and a good person, and we want to make sure his legacy is preserved,â she added.

Part of preserving that legacy is electing Harris in November. Pelosi warned that it would be âa difficult road,â but that she gives Harris âcredit for her courage.â

âShe has been vice president of the United States, so she knows that she has a grasp of the responsibility, the depth of knowledge that is needed â and people don't know this about it, but she is politically savvy. She wouldn't be where she is, coming up through the district attorney, the attorney general of our state, a senator, and now the vice president. Those first three required political savvy.â

Pelosi said she was âvery proudâ of Harris, who served as district attorney for Pelosiâs home city of San Francisco from 2004 to 2010

âI know her astuteness, politically. And personally, I know her as a very good person who cares really about people,â she said. âShe's a person of faith and goodness, and I'm excited about her candidacy.â

The Speaker Emeritaâs eyes lit up at the thought of a woman being sworn in on Election Day. After all, Pelosi said, she thought she would see the first woman elected President in 2016.

âI myself still find it hard to believe that Hillary Clinton did not win. This was the best prepared woman â a person, forget woman â the best prepared person to run for president. Better prepared than Barack Obama, he would admit that. George Bush, he might not admit it, but her own husband, Bill Clinton. She brought so much â¦ secretary of state, a United States Senator, a first lady, this or that, to the table, and the fact that for one reason or another, she was not elected, was shocking, and I'm rarely surprised in politicsâ

Pelosi doesnât mince words when it comes to Clintonâs opponent and now Harrisâ, former President Donald Trump, though she often avoids using his name when she can. She cites Project 2025 and Trumpâs âAgenda 47â as real concerns if he were reelected, calling it âdestructive.â

âWidening the wealth gap, reducing women's freedoms and right to chooseâ¦abandoning our global responsibilities, not even respecting our responsibilities in nature. I mean, the list goes on and on. We could spend a whole day on him,â she said.

But Pelosi is adamant this time will be different than 2016.

âOur plan is to have a woman president.â

Time will tell if Pelosiâs skills extend to predicting the future.