I did not have ‘Pelosi takes on the gerontocracy’ on my 2024 bingo card
One Pelosi ally said it was possible she would press Biden publicly to give up his spot atop the Democratic ticket.
“The speaker does not want to call on him to resign, but she will do everything in her power to make sure it happens,” this person said, referring to Biden quitting the race.
[Edit] changed the title to Politico’s after reading this community’s sidebar
While all of those are bottom-line results, it all comes back to a central theme.
We all know he flubbed the debate. But what’s worse is how badly he’s flubbing the response and aftermath. He said it was just a bad night. If that was true, he should’ve been on every news, opinion, political, and talk show the very next day, or at least within a week. Not just the usual and friendly shows, either. From Maddow to Gutfeld to Fallon, he needed to show the world that he could still do it. And he used to be able to.
Waiting a week to give a single lackluster interview, then 2 more weeks while there’s clearly a fire burning? He has to know that’s not an acceptable response, or else he’s too insulated.
That said, this isn’t the kind of thing you can publicly contemplate. You have to smother it, until you embrace it. You can’t walk back from that.
I do suspect there are a number of backroom discussions, and possibly even deals being made. It won’t be acknowledged until its unveiling, when he officially steps aside.