Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Thursday that an “element of misogyny” undermines female presidential candidates following Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s (D-Mass.) withdrawal from the 2020 race.
“I so wish that we had a woman president of the United States, and we came so close to doing that,” Pelosi said at her weekly news conference. “I do think there’s a certain element of misogyny.”
“Every time I get introduced as the most powerful woman, I almost cry, because I wish that were not true,” she added.
The first female Speaker said she believes that some of the sexist bias that women face is subconscious on the part of others.
“Many of them will tell you, they have a strong mom, they have strong sisters,” she said. “But … they have their own insecurities, I guess you would say.”
However, Pelosi added, “I think the American people are ready” for a woman president.
“I never thought we would have a woman Speaker of the House before a woman president, because if you want to talk about tradition or whatever that is, this is a marble ceiling. It’s not a glass ceiling,” she said.
Warren’s withdrawal, which came after dreary Super Tuesday results that saw her come in third in her home state, followed primary exits by Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), as well as author Marianne Williamson.
Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii), the sole remaining female candidate, has thus far won a single delegate.
“I think we had great candidates. They represented different points of view. Amy, more moderate and Middle America, the heartland of America, articulate spokesperson for her point of view, we’re so proud of her,” Pelosi said.
“Also, Elizabeth, to get down to the final two who are still in the race,” Pelosi said, describing the Massachusetts senator as “so knowledgeable.”