Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., says President Joe Biden should be added to Mount Rushmore in South Dakota.
Pelosi, 84, described fellow octogenarian Biden as "such a consequential president of the United States, a Mount Rushmore kind of president," during an appearance on "CBS Sunday Morning."
"You have Teddy Roosevelt up there, and he's wonderful. I don't say take him down. But you can add Biden," she said when pressed on whether the lame-duck president deserves to be honored by having his likeness carved in stone next to former Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln.
Work on Mount Rushmore began in 1927 and was completed in 1941 – the year before Biden was born.
Pelosi's praise of the commander in chief came amid denials that she led a Democrat mutiny against him to hasten his downfall and withdrawal from the 2024 presidential race.
Biden ended his bid for reelection last month following weeks of intense scrutiny over his physical and mental fitness for office that was triggered by a disastrous June debate performance against Republican rival and former President Donald Trump.
In an effort to quiet the growing post-debate chorus of concern, Biden wrote a letter to Democrat lawmakers in early July, stating that he was "firmly committed" to staying in the race. Two days later, Pelosi told MSNBC's "Morning Joe" that it's "up to the president to decide if he is going to run."
California Democrat Reps. Adam Schiff and Zoe Lofgren – reportedly Pelosi congressional allies – also called on Biden to pass the torch.
On Sunday, Pelosi defended her actions and said she didn't foment the Capitol Hill rebellion against the president.
"No, I wasn't the leader of any pressure [campaign]," she said. "Let me say things that I didn't do: I didn't call one person. I did not call one person. I could always say to him, 'I never called anybody.'"
The former speaker also insisted she didn't feel Biden needed to step down.
"No. My whole point was whatever he decides, but we have to have a more aggressive campaign," Pelosi said. "What I'm saying is I had confidence the president would make the proper choice of a country, whatever that would be — and I said that — whatever that is, we'll go with."
For his part, Biden is believed to be "furious" with Pelosi over her rumored betrayal and behind-the-scenes machinations to end his campaign.
Asked on Sunday about Biden's current feelings toward her, Pelosi said, "He knows that I love him very much."
Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
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