‘Hang Up the Cleats’: Bakari Sellers Says Pelosi Should Relinquish Power After She Announces She’s Running for Reelection

Attorney and CNN political commentator Bakari Sellers is less than thrilled about the prospect of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi retaining her leadership position after she announced she will seek yet another term in the House.

Pelosi announced on her Twitter page Tuesday that she will not retire, ending months of speculation that the California Democrat was enjoying one final ride that would end in January of 2023.

“While we have made progress much more needs to be done to improve people’s lives. This election is crucial: nothing less is at stake than our Democracy,” Pelosi said. “But we don’t agonize-we organize. I am running for re-election to Congress to deliver For The People and defend Democracy.”

While we have made progress much more needs to be done to improve people’s lives. This election is crucial: nothing less is at stake than our Democracy.

But we don’t agonize-we organize. I am running for re-election to Congress to deliver For The People and defend Democracy. -NP pic.twitter.com/ojwFPOdRs3

— Nancy Pelosi (@TeamPelosi) January 25, 2022

After joining The Lead with host Jake Tapper, Sellers celebrated Pelosi as a historic speaker, but said she needs to step aside so that the Democratic Party can expand its base.

Tapper asked, “Is it a mistake for her to run again, or is there really no one else who can do the job she can?” Sellers responded:

Well, she didn’t say that she was going to run for speaker, I don’t believe. I think she just announced she’s running for re-election. I firmly believe that it’s time for new leadership in the House Democratic caucus. I think it’s time for new leadership throughout the Democratic Party. Not only do we have to get younger but more vibrant and have bigger and bolder ideas to bring in a new generation of voters.

Sellers clarified his perspective was not meant to diminish the 81-year-old:

Nancy Pelosi will go down in history as the greatest speaker of all time. Whether or not you’re talking about ushering a country through Covid or passing Obamacare, or the Affordable Care Act. So, her legacy is already written. But there comes a time, whether or not you’re Nancy Pelosi, or whether or not you’re, you now Tom Brady, that sometimes you have to hang up the cleats when it comes to being leader of your particular party or leader of your organization.

Sellers concluded, “Part of being a great leader is knowing when it is time to turn the reins over.”

Watch above, via CNN.