Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Wednesday it was up to the president to decide whether to stay in the race, while Biden insisted on running.
“We are all encouraging him to make a decision because time is running out,” Pelosi said Wednesday on MSNBC.
Pelosi is widely watched for clues about how top Democrats are thinking about Biden's imperiled candidacy, and her comments are seen as important in signaling the party's direction as they consider potential alternatives in the campaign against Republican Donald Trump.
Because of her powerful position as former House speaker and her closeness to Biden as a longtime trusted ally, Pelosi is seen as one of the few Democratic leaders who can influence the president's thinking.
Asked if she personally wanted Biden to remain the party's top presidential candidate because he has defiantly insisted on staying in the race, Pelosi said, "I want him to do whatever he decides to do."
Pelosi's lack of full endorsement of Biden's continued campaign suggests that while the president has insisted he will not step down, his party still has doubts.
Pelosi said Biden is a "great president" who is loved and respected by House Democrats.
Democrats are hesitant about whether to continue to back Biden after his poor performance in last month's presidential debate with Trump and the lackluster response to his campaign's pleas that he show voters he is up for another four-year term.