House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said during a CNN interview Monday that the attack on her husband less than two weeks ago in their home would impact her decision-making about her political career going forward.
Pelosi spoke to Anderson Cooper, who asked her whether the attack would impact her decision to remain in the House or to retire if Democrats lose the House majority in today’s midterms, which most think is likely.
She said that her decision “will be affected about what happened the last week or two.”
The impact
Cooper followed up by asking, “Will your decision be impacted by the attack in any way?”
“Yes,” Pelosi replied.
She stopped short of explaining how the attack would impact her thinking exactly. She may be worried about further attacks with Republicans in power, or she may be thinking that her husband will need her care as he recovers.
It could also go the other way, with the attack strengthening her resolve to stay in the House and fight for the Democrat agenda.
The power factor
Paul Pelosi was attacked with a hammer during what seems like a home invasion, and is being treated for a skull fracture and other injuries.
President Joe Biden has made public remarks linking the attack to Republicans, even though there is no evidence that the attacker, David Depape, was a Republican.
The Capitol Police have refused to release bodycam footage that shows the attack, leading to questions about what exactly happened and why DePape did what he did.
If I were Pelosi and was trying to hide what really happened, stepping down as speaker would be one surefire way to get the spotlight off my family.
Then there’s the prospect of not having power that she has become used to having. Who would really want to stick around with a vastly smaller minority and none of the power to run committees and control the agenda as she had for too many of the last few years?