During an interview with PBS at the Democratic National Convention this week, ex-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi articulated her aim to reclaim Democratic control of the House in the upcoming elections. Her objective is to thwart Donald Trump and assist Kamala Harris in her bid for the presidency next year.
Pelosi’s self-description in the interview has gained widespread attention.
She reiterated Rep. Jamie Raskin’s earlier remarks on the significance of securing control of the House on January 6, 2025, to prevent Donald Trump from reclaiming the presidency during the Electoral College vote count.
Raskin had discussed the possibility of invoking the 14th Amendment to label Trump as an insurrectionist and block him from assuming the presidency, regardless of his Electoral College victory.
Pelosi: “I’m, I’m looking for a trifecta. I’m looking to win the White House, Chuck to be the majority leader. Hakeem Jeffries to be the Speaker of the House. It must happen that way. And this, think of January 6th if I didn’t have the gavel. Hakeem must have the gavel that day. Kamala will be the vice president, but we fully intend to win the White House.”
Context for the ‘reptilian’ comment:
Pelosi: “I made a prediction today to Al Hunt, that would be. He said maybe you can win 5. I said, I want 10. He said, Is that your prediction? I said, I want 10 at least. We want 31 when we won and win. Now remember, in the last election they said we were going to lose 30 or 40 seats. What? I, they didn’t know what they were talking about. We would, we know our, we’re different from the president. We’re very discreet. Reptilian. Cold blooded. These are the races we have to win. Others are winning the whole country. 10.”
WATCH:
Pelosi has previously referred to herself as reptilian, and reiterated this sentiment during a conversation with CNN’s Anderson Cooper on September 13, 2023 while discussing the Democrats’ stronger-than-anticipated performance in the 2022 mid-term elections.
PELOSI: "I'm more reptilian and cold-blooded." pic.twitter.com/NeVMEBZjpE
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) September 14, 2023
CNN transcript excerpt:
COOPER: There were a lot of people even in the Democratic Party who underestimated the impact, the Roe decision would have, the Dobbs decision would have on voters.
PELOSI: Yes, I made it clear to them how I was about that —
COOPER: You knew —
PELOSI: Because they were saying it’s in the rearview mirror. People don’t care about the Dobbs decision. And I said to them, thanks a lot. Do you know — you don’t really know what you’re talking about. You’re sitting someplace, and we’re in the districts and we know the power of that issue.
It’s a democracy issue. It’s not just a choice issue. It’s a freedom issue. It’s a democracy issue. And it was a winning issue.
COOPER: In fact, I remember interviewing you just before the vote, the election and you were saying to me, I’m talking to people out there, I think it’s going to be much better. And I can’t tell you how many people afterwards said to me like you know, of course she’s going to say that —
PELOSI: Poor baby.
COOPER: Yes, she is really, really committed to that. It is really sad.
PELOSI: No, I’m not a poor baby. I’m more reptilian, cold blooded, to win the election.
