New Book Sheds Light on Pelosi’s Role in Undermining Biden and Harris
Although earlier reports hinted at Nancy Pelosi’s (D-Calif.) involvement in disrupting President Joe Biden’s campaign for reelection, a new book now uncovers deeper insights into her efforts to prevent Vice President Kamala Harris from remaining on the Democratic ticket.
On Tuesday’s broadcast, Fox News host Jesse Watters referenced “Fight: Inside the Wildest Battle For the White House”, a book by Jonathan Allen and Amie Parnes, which reveals behind-the-scenes efforts by the former House Speaker to influence the outcome.
Watters aired a segment featuring Parnes, where she discussed Pelosi’s reaction after Biden’s widely criticized debate performance against former President Donald Trump. “She watches the debate, she’s unhappy and she thinks that she doesn’t want Democrats to rush into anything in that moment because she thinks if they rush him out then Kamala is going to be in and she does not think that Kamala Harris can win. She’s in a pickle in that moment,” Parnes said.
A follow-up clip of Allen added more context: “Her thinking was Biden had to get out and Harris was a disaster and what she was trying to do was get Biden out in time to the Democrats could choose someone other than Harris.”
Watters didn’t hold back, commenting: “Kamala won’t be happy when she sees this, but nobody is more upset with Pelosi than Joe Biden.” Citing the book, he continued, “According to the new book, ‘Fight,’ after the coup, ‘Biden was with his friends on Air Force One and started naming the people he would never forgive for their betrayal. The first name out of his mouth – Nancy Pelosi. Biden and Pelosi may never talk again.’”
Another clip of Parnes emphasized the lingering strain: “There is still a lot of friction between the two. She went on air on another network and basically twisted the knife, and he and his campaign aides were in shock. She essentially had her fingerprints all over this. The campaign knew it, he knew it, and I don’t think there’s going to be any love lost.”
Watters continued his commentary: “But Pelosi was right, Biden did not have what it takes and neither did Kamala. She spent three months and $2 billion crashing and burning and the whole time she thought she was winning.”
He concluded with a final clip of Parnes from a CNN appearance, where she described the campaign’s disbelief on election night: “We know that they were shocked, completely surprised by the events that unfolded on election night. They thought they were going to win and, you know, when they were told that they were losing in the final hours and that they had lost, there was complete silence and shock and they were dumbfounded by what was happening.”
The book also claims Pelosi privately advised Biden not to engage in any debates with Trump.
In the lead-up to Biden’s decision to exit the 2024 race, tensions flared between his inner circle and key Democratic leaders—including Pelosi.
His poor debate showing prompted widespread concern among Democrats, ultimately leading to his withdrawal from the race.
“Joe Biden wanted to debate really badly,” Allen said. “He wanted this fight. He relished it. You’ve heard Biden before say things like ‘I want to meet him out behind the schoolyard.’ He really wanted to debate.”
Allen added that Pelosi attempted to dissuade him by appealing to his pride: “Pelosi went to him and tried to play to his ego, saying, ‘You shouldn’t lower yourself, you shouldn’t lower the presidency to Donald Trump.’ Even in her mind, she would say to him, ‘Don’t roll around in the mud.’ Remember, she hates Donald Trump… She kind of lays it on thick with Biden and says, ‘This is going to lower you’ because she knows that might appeal to him.”
Allen concluded that Pelosi likely doubted Biden’s ability to hold his own against Trump on the debate stage. “If she thought Biden was going to beat Donald Trump in a debate, she would have been telling him to debate,” he said.