“Perilous to American Democracy”: Nancy Pelosi Hits Out at “No Labels” Political Group

William FurneyNov 5, 2023

Minute Read

The political group No Labels is supposed to be centrist and bipartisan — hence its name — but former House speaker Nancy Pelosi is having none of it, and has even branded the organization dangerous.

Pelosi: ‘They Do Have Labels’

The prominent California Democrat, 83, launched a blistering attack on No Labels as it announced it was putting forward a Republican for the 2024 presidential race.

“No Labels is perilous to our democracy. I hesitate to say ‘No Labels’ because they do have labels,” she said at a Democratic breakfast meeting. “They’re called no taxes for the rich. No child tax credit for children. They’re called let’s undo the Affordable Care Act.”

No Longer Silent

Pelosi said she didn’t pay much attention to No Labels when she was House speaker but as the group was attempting to upset the 2024 presidential election with a Republican candidate, she could no longer stay quiet.

“When they jeopardize the reelection of Joe Biden as president of the United States, I can no longer remain silent on that,” Pelosi said.

Biden Re-Election Hopes

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President Biden, 80, is seeking a second term at the White House in next November’s ballot, again with Vice President Kamala Harris as his running mate. He’s currently polling far ahead of other Democratic hopefuls, with around 70 percent of national polling.

Presidential Bid

The New York Times reported that No Labels was in the process of launching a presidential bid for an unnamed Republican, leading Pelosi to believe that the group is right-leaning, not centrist, and that it supports Republican policies.

Conservative Backing

Pelosi said, as further proof of their political leanings, that No Labels was financially backed by conservatives including billionaire Peter Thiel.

Pelosi Remarks ‘Disheartening’

No Labels co-chair Larry Hogan, a former Republican governor of Maryland, said he was disappointed in Pelosi’s comments about the organization and its presidential aims.

It was “disheartening to see Nancy Pelosi literally make things up about No Labels to score political points. She ascribes positions to No Labels that they never took,” he said in a statement.

Voters Deserve ‘Better Choices’

In a memo to No Labels staff posted on the group’s website, it said the American people deserved better candidates for the 2024 presidential ballot than President Biden and former president Donald Trump, who is the Republican frontrunner to be crowned its candidate in primaries in January.

‘DC Elites’ Narrative’

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No Labels said in its memo: “An unprecedented share of voters is seeking an alternative to Donald Trump and Joe Biden in 2024, but DC elites keep pushing a different narrative that:

An independent can’t win and it can only ‘spoil’ the election in favor of Trump because he has a hardcore base that will never abandon him, while support for Biden is soft.”

Biden and Trump ‘House of Cards’

The memo goes on: “Both Joe Biden and Donald Trump have profound vulnerabilities that likely will not get better with time. Their respective campaigns are a house of cards that could be tipped over by a compelling independent alternative in 2024.”

‘Uncertain Path’

No Labels concluded by saying: “There’s a lot of uncertainty about what’s ahead but we can be certain most Americans want something better in 2024 than they are likely to get from the major party presidential nominees.”

Democrats’ 2024 Fears

The Democratic Party is worried that a third-party entry into the 2024 presidential race could possibly help to get Trump elected, political analysts say. They are also concerned about the launch of Robert F. Kennedy Jr’s independent run for the White House, after the political scion ditched his traditional Democratic Party. RFK’s campaign, they say, could draw votes away from President Biden, thereby also giving Trump a boost.

Republican Concerns

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While Trump is the favorite for the GOP nomination, given his approximate 50-point lead over rivals in national polling, many within the party are fearful over their outspoken colleague who is battling a mountain of legal problems. Four indictments against Trump — including allegedly trying to overturn the results of the 2020 election he lost to Joe Biden and allegedly illegally keeping top-secret government files at his Florida home — could see the former president end up behind bars. Trump denies the charges, has pleaded not guilty and says the cases are the work of Democrats trying to thwart his presidential bid.

Age Worries Too

There are also concerns within both major parties about the age of their likely candidates. President Biden is 80 and has recently been seen stumbling and making seemingly incoherent speeches, and Trump is only a few years his junior, at 77.