Kamala Harris is the candidate, but it is Nancy Pelosi ’s hold on the party is still strong, as the Speaker Emerita made very clear tonight at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. “I know that Vice President Harris is ready to take us to new heights,” said the long time Congresswoman from California’s 11 th district in a primetime address to a packed United Center, one day before the first Black woman ever nominated for president by a major American political party. “Politically, she is astute and strategic in winning difficult elections, quickly securing the nomination with dignity and grace and choosing Tim Walsh as our vice president,” Pelosi added in the highest praise possible for such a political grandmaster.
In that context, in the complicated factions of the Democratic Party, Pelosi’s daughter put it best when she tweeted tonight: Through her army of loyalists, the 84-year-old Pelosi is widely viewed as the pivotal force in the effort to see 81-year-old Joe Biden ’s exit the scene after his debate debacle against Donald Trump live on CNN on June 27. The numbers crunching San Francisco politician, who grew up as Democratic Party royalty through her Baltimore Mayor father, has scoffed off tales of her role in the president’s ouster from the White House race. Despite, Pelosi’s protests, not many people are buying The Art of Power author’s pleas of innocence.
Which is probably why Pelosi opened her remarks with an extended “Thank you Joe!.