Nancy Pelosi faced a wave of online criticism after her appearance at the memorial service for Bob Weir, a founding member of the iconic band, the Grateful Dead. Many spectators commented on her seemingly inebriated demeanor during her speech.
The 85-year-old former House Speaker took to the stage on Saturday at San Francisco’s Civic Center to deliver a nearly ten-minute eulogy. However, her stumbling delivery led to widespread speculation about whether she had been drinking prior to the event.
The news of Weir’s death was shared on January 10 through a heartfelt Instagram post. It detailed that he passed away peacefully, surrounded by loved ones, after a battle with cancer and related lung complications.
Pelosi, who is a self-acknowledged fan of the Grateful Dead, known as a “Deadhead,” began her tribute on a shaky note. She started with, “As joyous as it is to see everyone here,” but soon tripped over her words.
In her speech, she humorously mixed up her lines, saying, “Bobby Weir was not just a magician, musician—a magician too—he was a force of nature,” and laughed off the error.
Wearing a striking violet pantsuit, Pelosi, who plans to retire from Congress at the end of her current term, also took the opportunity to encourage the audience to participate in upcoming elections.
‘(Weir) gave me this sign, and I’ll show it today, because I said Bobby really loved democracy, he loved our country,’ said Pelosi. ‘You know what he wanted everybody to do,’ she asked the crowd before holding up a Grateful Dead sign that read ‘VOTE’.
Pelosi was also was mocked for her swaying and singing as musician John Mayer performed the band’s classic song ‘Ripple’.
Nancy Pelosi spoke at the memorial of Bob Weir on Saturday however her behavior left some to question if she was sober
The former speaker of stumbled through some lines of her tribute of the late founding member of the Grateful Dead who died of underlying lung conditions in the beginning of this year at the age of 78
In the nearly 10 minute speech she took the opportunity to urge the audience to vote
Pelosi’s on-stage behavior prompted many to speculate online about her state of mind, despite her office telling PolitiFact in 2010 that she doesn’t drink.
One user wrote: ‘Poor old drunk Nancy. She doesn’t know when to stay home or refrain from the happy juice before going to a tribute for some one who died. Sheesh. What a mess.’
Another added: ‘Drunk embarrassment. Lady you need to hole up in your house with your liquor bottles and don’t show your face in public.’
A third asked: ‘Is Nancy Pelosi drunk at the Bob Weir Homecoming?’
The former speaker of the House’s sobriety has come in to question before, recently in July she addressed Gen Z activists at the Voters of Tomorrow summit in Washington, but baffled onlookers slammed her remarks as she constantly stopped and rambled.
Conservative social media users pounced on her antics.
‘WTF? What’s wrong with Nancy Pelosi, is she intoxicated? Gibberish and more gibberish! I don’t think the audience can even understand what she is saying. One of the premier faces of the Democrat Party,’ wrote Eric Daugherty.
Several took to X to question if Pelosi had been drinking. Her office told PolitiFact in 2010 that she doesn’t drink
Pelosi is set to retire at the end of her term
In July, she stumbled through another speech that also led some to speculate that she had been drinking
Another took on the content of Pelosi’s speech: ‘What about the hundreds of millions SHE has made trading stocks of those companies based on insider information?’
One compared the address to a fellow California politician’s speech patterns: ‘She drank Kamala’s lemonade.’
Another succinctly demanded: ‘Term limits.’
Pelosi suffered a fall last December in Europe and underwent hip replacement surgery.
The Daily Mail has reached out to Nancy Pelosi’s office for comment.
