As the 2024 election approaches, Speaker Emeritus Nancy Pelosi remains steadfast in her belief that Vice President Kamala Harris will declare victory as long as Democrats rally at the polls.
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“The votes are for us. We just need to make them clear,” she predicted in a wide-ranging interview with The Advocate.
Despite her cautious optimism, Pelosi is deeply concerned about the growing influence of the Republican Party and its extremist rhetoric, from health care repeal to Christian nationalism, anti-LGBTQ+ policies, hate speech and widespread attacks. This is seen as a worrying change in behavior. Democratic principles.
While discussing the upcoming election, Pelosi saw news that House Speaker Mike Johnson had promised to “repeal the Affordable Care Act within the first 100 days” if Republicans won. Pelosi, who helped pass the ACA into law more than a decade ago, immediately reacted, furious at Johnson’s comments. “This is an unconscionable attack on the millions of Americans who rely on the ACA for basic health coverage,” she said.
For Pelosi, the ACA is a milestone in the fight for health care equity, and its repeal would benefit countless individuals, especially those with pre-existing conditions who might otherwise face being denied or rising premiums. They warn that it will cause harm to people.
“The ACA is popular, so I don’t see how saying something like this before an election helps Republicans,” she noted.
Pelosi called it “reckless and short-sighted.” “The ACA has saved lives and expanded access to care for marginalized communities, including the LGBTQ+ population, who have historically faced health disparities.”
Pelosi also expressed concern about how repeal would affect women’s health services, mental health supports, and addiction treatment. All these important services were expanded under the ACA. “To take this away would be devastating, especially at a time when so many are still recovering from the lasting effects of the pandemic,” she said.
The former House speaker recently said she sees the LGBTQ+ community increasingly becoming the target of hate, saying she has heard first-hand stories that prove her point.
“I attended an event on Tuesday and spoke at the New York airport with a San Francisco couple who were pelted with slurs by Trump supporters who had flown in to attend the Madison Square Garden rally,” Pelosi said. said. “Imagine two self-centered men being harassed because of their identities. This is the America that Trump has raised, where hate speech is only normalized. Instead, you will be rewarded.”
And the LGBTQ+ hatred reaches closer to home in the form of conspiracy theories surrounding her own family. This week, David DePaap was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for breaking into Pelosi and her husband’s San Francisco home. Depape told authorities he was after the former chairman. Peluso, who was not home at the time, attacked her husband, Paul, who was seriously injured. The right wing then falsely accused Pelosi’s husband of secretly having an affair with DePape.
“My husband was attacked one year ago on Monday,” Pelosi recalled. “His attackers were sentenced yesterday, which was a very good decision. But do you remember what they did after the attack? They went on TV and my husband and I said that my assailant was my gay lover, which is ridiculous, of course, but it’s bad for our family to make it sound like being gay is a bad thing. This is a very hateful and horrific event during what has been, and continues to be, a very difficult time for the United States.
Pelosi added that she believes incidents like this reveal the real-world impact of President Trump’s rhetoric, empowering individuals to openly act on their biases.
Pelosi, a devout Catholic, is also alarmed by the rise of Christian nationalism and what she sees as distortions of religious values. She warns that the movement often weaponizes religion against marginalized groups.
“There is nothing truly Christian about this nationalism. Using religion to justify exclusion and hatred is horrifying and unchristian,” she said. “These ideologies endanger democratic values, and this rhetoric obscures their divisive purpose and encourages voters to see beyond the surface.”
“This presidential candidate has normalized hate speech and is responsible for the shift to discriminatory language across the country,” Pelosi said, referring to former President Donald Trump. It has a local feel and humor. Hate is normalized and people act on it without shame or accountability. ”
On a positive note, Pelosi praised Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg as a great representative for Harris. “He is knowledgeable, visionary, values-driven, and embodies the party’s aspirations for a united America,” she noted. “It’s heartening to see him speak about this issue with conviction and hope.”
Pelosi also finds common ground with former Republican congresswoman Liz Cheney, who recently warned that Johnson might not act impartially if Trump loses the election. Pelosi echoed Cheney’s sentiments, stressing that Johnson’s loyalty to Trump raises concerns about her commitment to democracy.
Cheney and Pelosi have both said that Johnson, who openly supports Trump’s “Big Lie” that he lost the 2020 election, is trying to undermine the electoral process in Trump’s favor. I am concerned that this may be the case.
“We have to take him seriously,” Pelosi said. “Mr. Johnson’s actions go beyond rhetoric and could jeopardize the integrity of our electoral process. This election could decide the future of our country.”
She sees Johnson’s position as a potential “Trojan horse” for anti-democratic measures, which she fears could undermine Americans’ faith in democratic institutions.
Pelosi, who is confident that Democrats can take back the House, said, “Anyone who can repeatedly put their party above democratic principles is not someone who will live up to their oath.” “That’s why it is imperative that we pass the gavel to Hakeem Jeffries as Speaker of the House on January 3, 2025.”
For Pelosi, the future of American democracy is more at stake than ever. She emphasized the importance of voting by saying: we have to get rid of them. Our job is to rally and get out the vote in a principled and effective way. ”
