Newsmax political analyst Mark Halperin called Rep. Nancy Pelosi "a ruthless operator and a determined person" amid reports that the former House speaker is pushing President Joe Biden to step down from the 2024 presidential race.
During an interview with Newsmax on Saturday's "Wake Up America Weekend," Halperin said Biden's current political situation is dire, describing it as "the worst stretch of his political career."
"He's agreed that his campaign can't go forward ... but now he's frozen because he's so angry at Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama and all these members of Congress who've been his allies," Halperin said.
"Will he stay as president? He'd like to. Will he anoint [Vice President] Kamala Harris as his successor? He doesn't think that's necessarily a good idea."
These uncertainties contribute to the delay in Biden's final decision, according to Halperin, who noted that Biden is leveraging these details to buy time. He mentioned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Wednesday visit to Washington, D.C., as a factor influencing Biden's timing.
"The president said to not wish to depart as the nominee until after that visit, to not allow Netanyahu, who is now kind of his enemy, to get the upper hand," Halperin said.
But Pelosi is firm in her stance that Biden should step down, and the situation has escalated into "a real battle of will between these two friends turned into enemies," Halperin said.
Halperin speculated that the most likely scenario is a "contested convention that's not contested," during which Harris would choose a running mate without facing significant opposition within the party.
"Kamala Harris chooses a running mate, and no one else challenges her within the Democratic Party with the delegates who have been selected, who are Biden-Harris delegates," he said.
Despite concerns about unity within the Democratic Party, Halperin believes the strong desire to defeat former President Donald Trump will ultimately drive support for Harris if she steps forward with a strong running mate.
"Keep your eye on Mark Kelly, [Democratic] senator from Arizona," Halperin suggested, hinting at a potential vice presidential running mate.
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