Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi spoke to reporters about President Biden dropping out of the race. She admitted he did not have a "path to victory."
"I was really asking for a better campaign," Pelosi said. "We did not have a campaign that was on the path to victory. Members knew that in their districts," she told reporters.
Pelosi and other top Democrats privately urged Biden to drop out after his poor debate performance against Trump in June. They cited polls showing Biden would lose to Trump and hurt Democrats' chances down the ballot.
"I won’t answer that question," she said when asked if she explicitly told Biden to bow out.
Pelosi had previously advised Biden against participating in the June debate. She believed Trump would turn the event into "doggy doo."
Biden was confident and wanted to go onstage. Pelosi said she was surprised by his debate performance.
"I was shocked the night of the debate," she said. "Because I never saw that. Everybody said: Well, you must have seen that — well, no, I didn’t see it."
Pelosi also spoke to "The New Yorker" about Biden's team. "I’ve never been that impressed with his political operation," she admitted. "They won the White House. Bravo. But my concern was: this ain’t happening. The president has to make the decision for that to happen. People were calling. I never called one person."
The political chaos in July strained her and Biden's friendship. "We are friends for a very long time. I love him so much. We pray together. I cry over it, I lose sleep over it and the rest, but that’s what evolved," Pelosi said.
Pelosi recently told CNN that she and Biden haven't spoken since he announced he was dropping out. "Have you spoken to President Biden since he dropped out?" Dana Bash asked.
"No," Pelosi replied. "No, I have not."
"Do you hope to?" Bash followed up. When Pelosi answered she does, the host asked further, "Is everything OK with your relationship?"
"You’d have to ask him," Pelosi answered. "But I hope so."