‘Mother of all dragons’ Pelosi says Harris will take US to new heights

Chicago: Actor Mindy Kaling, who hosted day three of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, acknowledged the part Nancy Pelosi played in convincing President Joe Biden to quit seeking reelection.

“The woman who was doing brat before brat was brat, the mother of dragons, Nancy Pelosi,” Kaling said as she introduced the former speaker of the US House of Representatives to the stage.

Pelosi opened her convention speech with a sense of gratitude for Biden.

Nancy Pelosi, 84, speaks during the Democratic National Convention.Credit: AP

“Thank you, Joe,” Pelosi said after going through Biden’s legislative achievements.

Then she added, “I know that Vice President [Kamala] Harris is ready to take us to new heights”.

It was a moment that sidestepped the challenging conversation that led to Harris becoming the Democratic nominee, a dramatic act that catalysed a sense of excitement and optimism in the party about its chances against Republican Donald Trump.

Earlier that day, Pelosi hadn’t wanted to detail her fateful conversation with Biden in which she expressed her concerns about Democrats losing the White House this November if he sought to return.

Nancy Pelosi puts all her support behind Kamala Harris.Credit: AP

Speaking in the cathedral-like University Club of Chicago, she initially filibustered when asked about what she told Biden before he exited the 2024 race. Pelosi insisted Biden’s choice was his own. But when pressed, the California lawmaker said she needed to do what was necessary to stop Trump from returning to the White House.

“I wanted very much to protect his legacy,” Pelosi said of the president. “So my point was only: We need a better campaign.”

Pelosi isn’t taking explicit credit for pushing Biden out and making way for Harris, a move that has given Democrats new hope of beating Trump. But when she took the stage at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Pelosi addressed a crowd far more enthusiastic than it might have otherwise been, due in part to her.

Nancy Pelosi in the audience during Joe Biden’s speech earlier in the week.Credit: AP

Many lawmakers who were reluctant to campaign with Biden are now enthusiastic supporters of Harris – and her.

Adrian Hemond, a Democratic strategist with clients in California, stated the former speaker’s influence clearly.

“People who matter in Democratic politics understand that Nancy Pelosi is the most consequential Democrat of the last 50 years,” he said. “If you want something done, you go to Nancy Pelosi.”

Pelosi is that rare mix of power broker and peacemaker, a politician who a colleague once joked keeps both chocolates and a baseball bat in her office.

The 84-year-old spoke to Democratic strategist David Axelrod on Wednesday about her new book, The Art of Power. Her mission after a tumultuous few months, she said, was keeping voters focused on the election at hand and the issues that matter.

“You have to be able to take a punch, you have to be able to throw a punch … for the children,” she said to laughter from the crowd of roughly 350.

The idea from a grandmother that a boxer’s instincts are necessary to defend society’s most vulnerable spoke about how she views politics. To her, it requires tough empathy.

Biden did, however, say the decision to quit was his alone.

“No, I haven’t spoken to Nancy at all,” he said after giving his Monday night convention speech. “No one influenced my decision. No one knew it was coming.”

Democrats are now betting — as Pelosi has before — that the hardest choices can also be the best ones.

AP