Pelosi supports Biden remaining nominee after shaky debate night

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi acknowledged that President Biden’s Thursday debate showing might’ve been his “worst night,” but still backs him as the Democratic nominee. 

Speaking with reporters at the Capitol on Friday, Ms. Pelosi said she hasn’t heard fellow Democrats calling for Mr. Biden to step down.

“I don’t know who’s doing that,” the California Democrat said. “I’m not doing it, and I don’t know anyone who is doing it. I mean maybe some people outside. I don’t know.”

Still, Ms. Pelosi admitted that Mr. Biden’s debate performance “wasn’t great.”

“He got off to a bad start,” she said. “I thought he came through OK on the issues later.”

She also drew a contrast between Mr. Biden and former President Donald Trump.

“I think that on his worst night, his presentation of integrity was far better than the other guy’s dishonesty,” she said. “To see the Republicans embrace that dishonesty is just stunning.”

Asked if that means she believes Mr. Biden experienced his worst night on the stage, Ms. Pelosi responded, “It could be.”

“Not even on a good night, he comes across better,” she said.

Ms. Pelosi said she hadn’t spoken with Mr. Biden since the debate. 

While reporters focused their questions on the president’s performance, Ms. Pelosi made sure to bring up Mr. Trump’s lies about the events surrounding the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol, specifically references to her denying an offer for the National Guard to be present and her taking responsibility for the attack. 

“Who could he be to think that I had planned my own assassination?” Ms. Pelosi said. “Does anybody believe that he was sending 10,000 troops? He’s the president of the United States. He could have sent them. He didn’t. He refused.”

“So we cannot have this revisionist history about January 6,” she added. “This was an assault on our Constitution on the day we’re supposed to honor it with certifying the president, an assault on this building with flags, with Nazi and Confederate flags under Lincoln’s dome, an assault on the Congress of the United States. And he wants people to think he did not instigate it?”