Pelosi says Biden’s letter insisting he was staying in race ‘didn’t sound like Joe to me’

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) argued President Joe Biden’s pre-withdrawal letter reiterating his intention to stay in the 2024 presidential race “didn’t sound like” him.

Pelosi was asked about the letter Biden sent to congressional Democrats on July 8, in which the president maintained he would remain in the 2024 race and run against former President Donald Trump in November. Less than two weeks later, on July 21, Biden announced he was dropping his reelection bid and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to take his place.

“I didn’t accept the letter as anything but a letter,” Pelosi told the Ezra Klein Show. “I mean, there are some people who are unhappy with the letter. Let me say it differently: Some said that some people were unhappy with the letter. I’ll put it in somebody else’s mouth because it was a ... I don’t even, it didn’t sound like Joe Biden to me. It really didn’t.”

Pelosi appeared on MSNBC’s Morning Joe on July 10 to say it was up to Biden “to decide if he is going to run,” stressing the need for him to make the decision because “time is running short.” When reflecting on her comments this weekend, Pelosi explained she wanted people to stop questioning Biden’s ability to run because he was in the middle of hosting the NATO Summit, and she encouraged his doubters to stop discussing his electability until after the summit ended.

“And they’re doing great things, and he’s the center of it all,” Pelosi said. “Save your comments for later.”

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Like Biden and many other Democrats, Pelosi endorsed Harris as the Democratic Party’s 2024 presidential nominee after the president bowed out. Harris has since selected Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN) as her running mate, with both certified as the party’s 2024 presidential ticket this past week .

The first presidential debate, which took place when Biden was still seeking reelection, was on June 27. The next debate between Harris and Trump is on Sept. 10 and will be hosted by ABC News.