Pelosi on Dem Criticisms of Her: ‘If That’s What You Have to Say to Win, Fine’

On Tuesday’s broadcast of MSNBC’s “Andrea Mitchell Reports,” House Speaker Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) responded to incumbent Democrats calling for younger leadership in the Democratic Party by stating that “If that’s what you have to say to win, fine.” And that “We respect them for what they believe and what they do. We want them to be re-elected. I don’t have any problem with anybody criticizing me.”

After referencing Reps. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) and Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) calling for generational change in Democratic Party leadership, host Andrea Mitchell asked, “So, what do you say to your own caucus, to these young members? They’re obviously in tough fights. But they want to see the change.”

Pelosi responded, “I say, just win, baby, just win. If that’s what you have to say to win, fine. And we will not, in any way, do anything but totally [support], mobilization-wise, message-wise, money-wise for those people to win their races. Yes, we need generational change, of course we do. But in some cases, there’s no substitute for experience. And I think that what we have been through with the legislation under the leadership of President Biden, who has done a spectacular job, he’s had a better two years than most presidents that you can name, certainly in the recent generations. He has, again, with the rescue package, with the — most recently — inflation reduction package, with the CHIPS and Science Act, with the PACT Act for our veterans, [with] the bipartisan infrastructure bill. He has had a remarkable record. If that’s part of their — if they’re after us, look, just win. That’s all I’m saying to people. I just want you to win your races, because nothing less is at stake than our democracy, nothing less is at stake than our planet, nothing less is at stake than our freedom, a woman’s right to choose, and — as has been indicated by the Republicans — other things, contraception. Only nine Republicans voted for us when we said women should have a right to contraception. There are so many things at stake in the election. These are very valued members of Congress. We respect them for what they believe and what they do. We want them to be re-elected. I don’t have any problem with anybody criticizing me.”

Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett