In an interview on CNN’s AC360 with Anderson Cooper, Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi sidestepped questions about Vice President Kamala Harris’ standing as the “best running mate” for President Joe Biden’s reelection bid.

As Biden, at the age of 80, gears up for a second run at the presidency, concerns within the Democratic Party have surfaced regarding both the president’s age and the approval ratings of both Biden and Harris.

Pelosi joined Cooper in-studio for a candid discussion on Wednesday’s AC360 episode, during which Cooper inquired about the potential Democratic ticket for the upcoming election.
Here’s how the exchange unfolded regarding the vice president:

COOPER: Is Vice President Kamala Harris the best running mate for this president?

PELOSI: He thinks so, and that’s what matters.

COOPER: Do you think so?

PELOSI: And by the way, she’s very politically astute. I don’t think people give her enough credit. She’s, of course, values-based, consistent with the president’s values and the rest. And people don’t understand. She’s politically astute. Why would she be vice president if she were not? But when she was running for attorney general in California, she had 6% in the polls – 6% in the polls. And she politically, astutely made her case about why she would be good, did her politics, and became attorney general. So, people shouldn’t underestimate what Kamala Harris brings to the table.

COOPER: But do you think she is the best running mate though?

PELOSI: She’s the vice president of the United States. People say to me, “Well, why isn’t she doing this or that?” I say, “Because she’s the vice president.” That’s the job description. You don’t do that much. You know, you’re a source of strength, inspiration, intellectual resource, and the rest, and you– and I think she’s represented our country very well at home and abroad.

While Pelosi did not directly answer Cooper’s inquiry regarding Harris’ status as the best running mate, her remarks highlight Harris’ political acumen and her alignment with President Biden’s values. Pelosi also emphasized that Harris has effectively represented the United States, both domestically and internationally.

Notably, Pelosi’s reluctance to explicitly endorse Harris as the best running mate may be attributed to the rarity of an incumbent president choosing a different running mate for reelection. The last time such a scenario occurred was in 1976 when Gerald Ford opted for a different running mate, Nelson Rockefeller. However, it is essential to acknowledge that this interview does not constitute a formal announcement regarding the Democratic ticket for the upcoming election.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)