Nancy Pelosi suggests at least 30% of Republicans who would 'never' vote Democrat are racist, sexist, homophobic

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi spoke at the 2024 Texas Tribune Festival over the weekend and when she was asked by Kara Swisher why Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are so close in polling, Pelosi asserted that those who support Trump are basically just racist. She also suggested that Trump may not show up for the ABC debate on Tuesday.

"There are people who will never be, shall we say, inclined to support Democrats because of—they just have a different orientation toward women, people of color, LGBTQ, you know, they just are not ever going to be there. So, say that's about like 30% or something like that... of the Republicans."

Her words harken back to those of former Secretary of State, former First Lady, former Democratic nominee for president, Hillary Clinton in 2016. At the time, she referred to Trump supporters as "deplorables" and the majority of Republican voters were perceived of as racist, sexist, hateful people all because they supported national sovereignty via closed or limited borders. 

"You can put half of Trump's supporters into what I call a basket of deplorables," Clinton said back then. "They're racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, Islamophobic, you name it. And unfortunately, there are people like that and he has lifted them up.

Pelosi called Trump a "snake oil salesman."

"And then you have, very rich people who do not really want to pay taxes or have any regulation of clean air, clean water, any of that. So you have to deal with that," she went on. "Now, it's not as many very, very rich people, but it's a lot of money that goes into a campaign."

Pelosi attempted to walk back her Republican smears for a moment, saying "I think we have to be as respectful and understanding as possible. There are people who are concerned. They have fear of globalization. They saw the factory down the road move overseas. They're fearful of innovation. Their father is a truck driver and now they're gonna have auto—"

Swisher filled in the blank for her, saying "autonomous truck."

"Yeah," Pelosi confirmed. "And so the innovation, globalization, and they include immigration… So, understandably, these people have a concern about the future for themselves, but also for their children."

"You think he's gonna show up?" Pelosi said when asked about the one and only presidential debate on the schedule this election season.

"Do you know something I don't know?" Swisher asked.

"I know cowardice when I see it," Pelosi said.