In a forthcoming interview with The New York Times, Nancy Pelosi is giving her two cents on the 2024 presidential race and, by the sound of it, she’s full of hindsight wisdom on what the Democrats “should have done.” Pelosi didn’t hold back, expressing that she thought President Joe Biden’s decision to exit the primary race came far too late. If he’d stepped aside earlier, she believes, Democratic voters might’ve actually had a primary with real choices—imagine that!
Pelosi mused that had Biden withdrawn sooner, it might have sparked a genuinely open primary with a variety of candidates. Behind the scenes, she tried urging Biden to bow out, especially after his disastrous debate performance against Trump. By then, Biden’s cognitive struggles were hard to ignore, even for the most sympathetic media. But instead of gracefully stepping aside and letting the Democratic field widen, Biden promptly endorsed Kamala Harris. And in Pelosi’s eyes, that endorsement, coming within an hour of his exit, shut down any real competition within the party. By selecting Harris, whose approval ratings could make one wince, Democrats practically signed their own electoral death warrant.
For Democrats hoping to see a primary unfold, any last-minute efforts were futile. The establishment had already made the call, sidelining Democratic voters from their own selection process. So it’s no surprise that some party figures, including Sen. Bernie Sanders, have taken aim at what went wrong. Sanders remarked that the Democrats’ focus on identity politics over core issues like the economy turned off voters. But Pelosi wasn’t buying it; she dismissed Sanders’ critique of Democrats “abandoning” working families. In her opinion, cultural issues—guns, religion, and LGBTQ rights—were to blame for the loss of working-class support.
Pelosi’s assessment? Democrats have supposedly been battered by culture wars: guns, “God,” and the ever-growing transgender rights debate. In her world, cultural divides on issues like abortion and LGBTQ rights were what really damaged their appeal among everyday Americans. But for a politician who’s been around the block a few hundred times, Pelosi’s “insight” sounds woefully out of touch. After all, when people are struggling with grocery prices, inflation, and rising crime, how much are they obsessing over cultural flashpoints?
Pelosi’s reflection may reveal why Harris lost; the Democratic leadership seems tone-deaf to the economic and social issues driving the electorate. And if this remains their game plan, they’d better get comfortable with second place. As the gap between party elites and working Americans widens, Democrats may find that cultural posturing and virtue signaling don’t quite cut it. Until they face that reality, they’ll keep wondering what went wrong as they watch elections slip through their fingers.
Jeff Charles, a podcast host and writer for RedState and Newsweek Opinion, often brings his critical view on the Left’s missteps. Known for his humor and love for the nerdy, Charles doesn’t mince words, especially when it comes to politics and, notably, his disdain for anything above a medium-rare steak.
