Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told President Biden in a private conversation that polling indicates he can’t beat Donald Trump in the 2024 election, according to a report.
Pelosi also conveyed to Biden, 81, that his continued presidential re-election campaign could destroy Democrats’ chances of winning the House in November, four sources told CNN.
The California congresswoman referred to several polls showing that Trump would beat the incumbent during their private conversation, the report said.
Biden reportedly pushed back — telling Pelosi that all polling he’s seen has pointed to a successful re-election bid.
One of the sources on the call described Biden as “defensive,” CNN reported.
During the call, Pelosi recruited Mike Donilon, Biden’s longtime advisor, on the line to talk through the disappointing data.
It’s not clear whether Pelosi told Biden she believed he should drop out of the presidential race, but the phone call comes just one week after she and former President Barack Obama privately shared their concerns over the aging president’s campaign.
Pelosi is now the fourth major Democrat party leader to share their growing distress over Biden’s chances of winning in the wake of his disastrous debate against Trump.
On Saturday, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer encouraged Biden to step aside.
“Schumer forcefully made the case that it would be better for Biden, better for the Democratic Party, and better for the country if he were to bow out,” ABC News’ Jonathan Karl said on air Wednesday.
Bleak polling numbers — including one showing the incumbent coming in last place among his own party members — were a major focus of Schumer’s case.
Neither Pelosi nor Schumer have publicly called on Biden to end his campaign, but 21 other Democratic members of Congress have.
Reps. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) and Adam Schiff (D-Cali) are among the highest party leaders who have turned against Biden, with both publicly saying it is time to “pass the torch.”
In spite of Biden’s reported defensiveness, insiders say Pelosi and Schumer’s private arguments have swayed the president toward becoming more “receptive” to the idea of stepping down.
It’s unclear whether Biden would favor Vice President Kamala Harris to succeed him if he suspends his campaign, but “private conversations” between the White House and Capitol Hill were showing that he was more “receptive” to a replacement candidate.
“He’s gone from saying, ‘Kamala can’t win,’ to ‘Do you think Kamala can win?” a senior Democratic adviser told CNN.
Biden is reportedly excruciatingly conflicted by the decision.
One person close to the president told the New York Times that it would be wrong to call him receptive to the idea of dropping out but that he “is willing to listen.” But the person emphasized there was no sign that Biden was changing course at this point.
The White House did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment, but told CNN that, “President Biden is the nominee of the party.”
“He plans to win and looks forward to working with congressional Democrats to pass his 100 days agenda to help working families,” White House spokesperson Andrew Bates said.
The Democratic National Committee confirmed Wednesday morning it was delaying plans to virtually nominate Biden for a second term — after Schumer privately asked fellow party leaders for more time to deliberate.
