Anita Dunn, a former senior adviser to President Joe Biden, has publicly accused Nancy Pelosi of playing a key role in the downfall of Biden’s 2024 re-election campaign. Dunn, now working for a super PAC supporting Vice President Kamala Harris, claimed that Pelosi’s public doubts about Biden’s candidacy created a ripple effect that ultimately led to his decision to step down.
According to Dunn, Pelosi’s televised comments following Biden’s debate performance in June were particularly damaging. She argued that these remarks gave other Democrats and donors permission to voice their concerns about Biden’s viability, leading to a broader movement within the party to replace him with Harris. Dunn criticized this shift as being out of step with the will of primary voters who had backed Biden.
The pressure on Biden intensified after Democratic donor George Clooney published an op-ed urging Biden to end his campaign, which Dunn believes was a turning point. Despite Biden’s initial determination to stay in the race, he eventually decided to withdraw on July 21, citing the need to prioritize the party’s future. Dunn described this decision as highly unusual, noting that many undecided voters still supported Biden’s candidacy.
In addition to blaming Pelosi for Biden’s withdrawal, Dunn also questioned Pelosi’s effectiveness during the 2022 midterms. She suggested that better leadership could have prevented the Republican takeover of the House. While Pelosi has praised Biden since his withdrawal, her comments about his political team indicate lingering tensions between the two.
