By Carmine Sabia. Media: Explain America.

OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author’s opinion.
As Republicans prepare to take back the House of Representatives, House Speaker and California Rep. Nancy Pelosi joined Senate Majority Leader and New York Sen. Charles Schumer for a joint interview on CNN.
The two Democrats appeared on “Anderson Cooper 260” where they were interviewed by reporter Jamie Gangel this week as they were having dinner at “Hunan Dynasty” and they gloated about how they worked as a team against former President Donald Trump.
“I want to talk about how the two of you navigated working with former President Trump, because …,” the reporter asked as Sen. Schumer interrupted.
“We had a good time,” he said.
“Because he famously nicknamed the two of you, ‘Chuck and Nancy.’ Right? It was always ‘Chuck and Nancy.’ I think you both knew that Speaker Pelosi got under his skin. Right?” the reporter said.
“Yes,” the senator responded.
“Was there a strategy when you went into a meeting? Was there a good cop, bad cop?” the reporter said.
“He’s just inaugurated. This is a historic moment, the President of the United States. So I’m thinking, ‘How is he going to begin? Is he going to quote the Constitution, American history, poet, the Bible? ‘You know, I won the popular vote,’” the Speaker said.
“That’s how he started,” Sen. Schumer said.
“And I said, ‘Mr. President, that’s just not true,” Speaker Pelosi added.
“We sort of set him up instinctively. We didn’t plan this. Everyone thought we planned it out. It was about the government shutdown, the first time. And Nancy said something to him about, he didn’t understand – what – about women – so –,” Sen. Schumer said.
“Chuck was masterful. He was masterful,” Speaker Pelosi said.
“Well, she set him up, so I could go in for the kill,” the Senate Majority Leader said.
“But he was masterful. He’s talking to him about the government shutdown, about immigrants and the rest. And he says, ‘I have taken ownership of the shutdown,” the Speaker said.
“I said, ‘So Mr. President, you’ll – will you own the shutdown?’ ‘Yes, I will.’ And that was –,” the Senate Majority Leader said before a waitress interrupted him by bringing him his dumplings.
Jamie Gangel. There are a series of moments that you saw first-hand. There’s the clap. There’s tearing up the speech. And then there is the famous picture. It’s the meeting in the Cabinet Room, where you stood up and confronted. Looking back at those moments, what was going through your mind?
Leader Schumer. I said he doesn’t stand a chance.
[Laughter]
He doesn’t know what he’s up against. I tell people, Nancy instinctively knew how to handle Trump, because for her first, you know, 35, 40 years of life, she raised five children. She knew how to deal with children. And that’s what helped her deal with Trump, because he ultimately was a child.
Speaker Pelosi. We had a different approach. Chuck as a New Yorker.
Leader Schumer. Brooklyn.
Speaker Pelosi. Brooklyn. So they spoke their own kind of – they understood each other.
They went on to talk about the prospect of former President rump becoming president again in 2024 and they were not any kinder.
Jamie Gangel. There’s a CNN poll that just came out that shows there’s little appetite on both sides for a Biden-Trump rematch in 2024. You’re stepping aside. Do you think President Biden should step aside for a younger generation?
Speaker Pelosi. I think President Biden has done an excellent job as President of the United States. I hope that he does seek reelection. He’s been a great President.
Leader Schumer. Look at what he’s accomplished.
Jamie Gangel. You think he should run again?
Leader Schumer. Yeah, he’s done an excellent, excellent job. And he runs, I’m going to support him all the way.
‘I think there’s a need for an intervention’ — Neither Chuck Schumer nor Nancy Pelosi had anything good to say about the prospect of Trump 2024 in an exclusive interview with CNN pic.twitter.com/JWpiY8jdas
— NowThis Impact (@nowthisimpact) December 16, 2022
Jamie Gangel. Right now, Donald Trump is the only Republican who has announced. He could be the nominee. He could be President again. You’ve been through the first presidency. You’ve been through January 6th. What would it mean if Donald Trump was reelected President?
Leader Schumer. I don’t think it will happen. The American people have gotten wise to him. It took a little while, but they did.
Speaker Pelosi. I don’t think that we should talk about him while we’re eating.
[Laughter]
Leader Schumer. See?
Speaker Pelosi. Really? Another Trump presidency?
Jamie Gangel. You call Donald Trump, quote, ‘insane.’
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