Nancy Pelosi makes rare blunt statements on Joe Biden's political operations

Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., candidly acknowledged that she’s “never been that impressed” with President Joe Biden ’s political operation,” in a revealing interview with The New Yorker released on Thursday.

The former House Speaker explained that while she was startled by Biden’s appearance and performance in the June debate in Atlanta with former President Donald Trump , she had never seen him in such an alarming and confused state.

“He felt great. And I had confidence in him,” Pelosi said of Biden before the debate. “And then that happened, and I think everybody was stunned. It was stunning.”

Pelosi, 84, knew the Biden campaign would not be able to win following the debate debacle, but how was she going to tell her friend of more than 40 years?

“They won the White House. Bravo. But my concern was: this ain’t happening, and we have to make a decision for this [Biden’s exit] to happen,” explained the California congresswoman. “The President has to make the decision for that to happen.”

Despite her four-decade history with the president, Pelosi explained her ultimate goal was to ensure that the 2024 Republican nominee “would never set foot in the White House again.”

Promoting her new book, The Art of Power during an interview with The New Yorker, Pelosi did not mention specifics about her conversations with Biden or senior Democrats post-debate. She also refused to answer when asked if she advised the president to step down or risk Trump taking office.

On June 21, the president announced his plans to abandon his reelection bid under mounting pressure from his fellow Democrats and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris , 59, as the party’s candidate to face Trump in the November election.

Biden, who at 81 is the oldest person to have ever occupied the Oval Office, said he would remain in the presidency until his term ended on Jan. 20, 2025.

Pelosi still admires Biden and praised him for skillfully negotiating the dramatic exchange of 24 prisoners between the U.S. and Russia on Aug. 1. The operation took a year of behind-the-scenes planning and sparked rare cooperation between the East and West since the Cold War.

“I mean, I think he did a remarkable thing, bringing home all these prisoners. Oh, my God, that was so masterful,” Pelosi said.

“And the thing is that his legacy will go right down the drain if what’s-his-name ever [returns to] the White House.”

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Nancy Pelosi makes rare blunt statements on Joe Biden's political operations