Pelosi insists ‘people make their own decisions’ while laughing about Biden withdrawal

Speaker Emerita Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) laughed along with Bill Maher as the host referenced her believed assistance in getting President Joe Biden to step down as Democrats' presidential nominee. She was promoting her book The Art of Power on the show.

"Sometimes you're discouraging people to run," Maher said with a smile. "We're not gonna get into that," he said, the audience laughing behind them.

Pelosi was seen with a slight smile on her face before saying, "People make their own decisions," with the smile enduring.

"Thank you so much for what you didn't do," Maher joked.

Reporting at the time that Biden stepped down in favor of Vice President Kamala Harris indicated that Pelosi pressured him to do so . She reportedly told Biden then that polling showed he couldn't win after his abysmal June 27 debate with former President Donald Trump.

She also said that Biden could destroy Democrats' chances of taking back the House if he runs and subsequently drag down Democrats on the ballot. Her pressure campaign, along with other Democratic leaders such as Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), successfully removed Biden.

Pelosi has taken many questions about her role in Biden's removal from the ticket since he stepped down, and she has largely played any efforts down. Her Democratic National Convention speech highlighted Biden and his legislative accomplishments.

"Thank you, Joe," she said after listing them. “I know that Vice President Harris is ready to take us to new heights.”

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Democrats have surged in the presidential race, according to recent polling. Harris has regained the lead in some swing states that Trump had taken over while Biden was the nominee and expanded her lead in others.

While Biden was the nominee, Trump looked set to defeat the president in November. But it now appears the Republican's race with Harris is a dead heat.