CHICAGO – “This is nothing personal, Sonny. It’s purely business.”
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi bristled at the “godmother” nickname that made the rounds at the Democratic National Convention, a reference to her role as a behind-the-scenes party puppet master who helped persuade President Biden to abandon his re-election race.
At the convention, several Democrats were spotted wearing pins with their faces superimposed over an image of a poster from the cult film trilogy “The Godfather.”
“I don’t like that. I don’t like that at all,” Pelosi (D-Calif.) frowned during a panel discussion with Politico on Thursday.
Pelosi, whose term as House speaker ends in early 2023, demurred when asked whether she was annoyed by the nickname because of its connotations toward Italian Americans or because it was an obvious reference to her reputation as a ruthless political activist.
“I don’t like it when people make pins and then give them away as gifts. I don’t find that funny,” she grumbled.
The 84-year-old has come under fire in recent weeks for her role in the ouster of President Biden during the Democrats’ mutiny against him following his botched performance at the debate in late June.
Although Pelosi has not publicly joined calls for Biden’s resignation, she acknowledged taking calls from nervous Democrats during the revolt. The former speaker also reportedly questioned the president about the prospects of his candidacy.
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About two days after Biden sent a letter to Democrats telling them he was “determined” to stay in the race, she appeared on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” rumored to be one of the president’s favorite shows, and said his decision on whether to stay in the race was still up in the air.
Several of her key allies, such as Representatives Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), joined the revolt against Biden.
Pelosi admitted that she had not spoken to Biden since he dropped out of the race.
“I’m no longer the leader or spokesperson. When I was, we spoke more regularly, now we haven’t for a few weeks, but that wouldn’t be unusual,” she said.
When asked if it bothered her that Biden was “mad” at her, Pelosi evaded the question.
“What would bother me would be the re-election of Donald Trump as president of the United States,” she said. “That bothers me, and I think that would have bothered him.”
At the beginning of the interview, Pelosi stressed that she does not like to use the name of former President Donald Trump.
She stressed that the two have much in common in both the Catholic faith and Democratic politics, and suggested that Biden would always be welcome in her home. Pelosi also declined to answer when she plans to leave the House, but joked about her next career.
“I’ve thought about becoming a stand-up comedian. I’ve thought about becoming a dessert consultant. I don’t see enough chocolate in restaurants,” she joked.
The Golden State Democrat delivered a speech to the party convention on Thursday and expressed his gratitude to Biden, who is currently vacationing in California.
Biden “has had one of the most successful presidencies in modern times,” she said in her remarks. “I know Vice President Harris is ready to take us to new heights.”
