Pelosi blames Harris' loss on Biden's late exit and no open Democratic primary

She besides blasted Bernie Sanders successful an question and reply pinch The New York Times.

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, successful portions of a New York Times podcast question and reply published Friday, blamed Vide President Kamala Harris' predetermination nonaccomplishment connected President Joe Biden's precocious exit from nan statesmanlike title and nan deficiency of Democratic primary.

Pelosi told Lulu Garcia-Navarro, a big of "The Interview," that "had nan president [Biden] gotten retired sooner, location whitethorn person been different candidates successful nan race," nan insubstantial said successful a communicative astir nan Thursday interview. The speech won't beryllium posted successful afloat until Saturday.

Former Speaker of nan House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) arrives arsenic supporters hold to perceive Democratic statesmanlike nominee, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris concede nan election, astatine Howard University, Nov. 6, 2024, successful Washington

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"The anticipation was that, if nan president were to measurement aside, that location would beryllium an unfastened primary," Pelosi said.

"And arsenic I say, Kamala whitethorn have, I deliberation she would person done good successful that and been stronger going forward. But we don't cognize that. That didn't happen. We unrecorded pinch what happened. And because nan president endorsed Kamala Harris immediately, that really made it almost intolerable to person a superior astatine that time. If it had been overmuch earlier, it would person been different," she added.

President Joe Biden walks to present remarks connected nan 2024 predetermination results and nan upcoming statesmanlike modulation of power, astatine nan White House successful Washington, U.S., Nov. 7, 2024.

Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

As ABC News has reported, Pelosi worked down nan scenes to impulse Biden to driblet retired of nan statesmanlike title pursuing his capacity astatine CNN's debate.

Democratic statesmanlike nominee Vice President Kamala Harris delivers a concession reside aft nan 2024 statesmanlike election, Nov. 6, 2024, connected nan field of Howard University successful Washington.

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The Times reported Pelosi besides took rumor pinch Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders saying, aft Harris' loss, that "It should travel arsenic nary awesome astonishment that a Democratic Party which has abandoned moving people group would find that nan moving people has abandoned them."

"Bernie Sanders has not won," she said. "With each owed respect, and I person a awesome woody of respect for him, for what he stands for, but I don't respect him saying that nan Democratic Party has abandoned nan working-class families."

The insubstantial reported she suggested that taste issues were much to blasted for Democrats' losses among working-class voters.

"Guns, God and gays — that's nan measurement they opportunity it," she reportedly said. "Guns, that's an issue; gays, that's an issue, and now they're making nan trans rumor specified an important rumor successful their priorities; and successful definite communities, what they telephone God, what we telephone a woman's correct to choose."