In a contentious February 6, 2025 interview that marked her penultimate broadcast before retirement, veteran NBC News anchor Andrea Mitchell aggressively questioned former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi about her role in President Joe Biden’s premature exit from the 2024 presidential race.
Mitchell, concluding her three-decade tenure as MSNBC’s chief foreign affairs correspondent on February 7, abandoned her characteristically diplomatic approach, pushing Pelosi to address the growing rift with the Biden family. “President Biden has said that he thinks he could have won if he hadn’t been pressured to step down. Do you agree?” Mitchell demanded during the Thursday afternoon broadcast.
The California Democrat appeared visibly uncomfortable as Mitchell pressed her about the controversial intervention following Biden’s June debate performance against Donald Trump. That debate proved particularly damaging, with Biden struggling to counter Trump’s attacks on his administration’s economic policies and foreign relations decisions. Internal Democratic polling showed Biden’s approval ratings dropping precipitously in key swing states following the performance.
Pelosi deflected, highlighting congressional victories: “Well, all I know is that we won a seat in the house. We did not lose any seats.”
The exchange grew more heated when Mitchell confronted Pelosi with Jill Biden’s public criticism. Sources close to the Biden family revealed that Pelosi had privately presented polling data suggesting Biden’s continued candidacy endangered down-ballot Democrats. This move and pressure from other party leaders ultimately led to Biden’s withdrawal.
The personal cost became evident in Jill Biden’s recent Washington Post interview, where she spoke of her deep disappointment in her former friend. “We were friends for 50 years,” Biden stated. “It was disappointing.” These comments underscored the profound personal rifts created by political maneuvering.
The situation deteriorated further when Pelosi’s daughter Alexandra publicly compared Jill Biden to Lady Macbeth, a provocative statement that sources say irreparably damaged relations between the two prominent Democratic families.
Biden’s hasty departure created chaos within the party. His original strategy to endorse multiple candidates was derailed by an unexpectedly swift endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris, who suffered devastating losses in all seven battleground states to Trump.
Mitchell’s persistent questioning revealed that Pelosi and the Bidens have not spoken since their confrontation over the summer. When asked about the possibility of reconciliation, Pelosi gave a measured response, expressing hope for it.
Having stepped back from her leadership role in the House, Pelosi defended her actions by pointing to polling data that indicated Trump had a strong chance of winning a rematch. She emphasized that she took every necessary step to prevent that outcome but acknowledged that it ultimately happened and must now be addressed.
Looking ahead, Pelosi predicted a resurgence for the Democratic Party, suggesting that a significant shift would be evident within six or seven months. She anticipated that by the time campaigns ramp up in the fall for the following year’s elections, the political landscape would look very different for Democrats relative to President Donald Trump.
