House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi was unable to provide CNN with a concise answer on Tuesday when asked to identify the current “standard-bearer” of the Democratic Party.
CNN’s Anderson Cooper sat down with Mrs. Pelosi on Tuesday to discuss President Donald Trump’s administration and the U.S. political landscape. The California Democrat was at ease with talking about possible links between Russia and Mr. Trump’s associates, but wavered when asked about her party’s leadership.
“Who is the leader of the Democratic Party right now?” Mr. Cooper asked.
“Well, President Obama was the president of the United States until just a matter of weeks ago,” Mrs. Pelosi replied. “I don’t think that he can be dismissed as the leader of the Democratic Party. Hillary Clinton did not win the election, but a respected leader. But we have leaders for all different aspects of it.”
The “Anderson Cooper 360” host then noted massive electoral losses for the party at a state level within recent years before asking, “So there is not one standard-bearer that you see as the leader of the Democratic Party?”
“We’re not in a presidential time,” Mrs. Pelosi answered.
The interview wrapped up with the congresswoman saying that she did not know if Mr. Trump would run for re-election in 2020.
“I don’t know. It’s up to him if he obeys the law,” she said.
.@NancyPelosi: “I am not thinking of 2020. I am thinking of 2018 … the first referendum on Donald Trump” https://t.co/31iOVtI4MD
— Anderson Cooper 360° (@AC360) March 22, 2017
• Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com.
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