Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Wednesday that the decision to seek reelection rests with President Joe Biden but that “time is running out” – a modest but noteworthy softening of her past statements of unqualified support that complicate the path forward for the embattled nominee.

"It’s up to the president to decide if he is going to run. We’re all encouraging him to make that decision because time is running short," Pelosi said during an appearance on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”

The remarks come a week after Pelosi expressed her “full confidence” in Biden, who has faced mounting calls to step aside in light of his disastrous debate performance against former President Donald Trump last month.

With Biden showing no willingness to reconsider his candidacy for president and his party divided on his prospects just over a month from their nominating convention, Pelosi’s subtle assertions breathed fresh life into ongoing concerns that the White House hoped it was moving past.

Here’s why:

Pelosi sat for the interview days after Biden wrote a letter to congressional Democrats emphatically rejecting pleas for him to abandon his bid and all but declared the matter over.

And although her words weren’t damning, the influential Democrat at the same time passed over an obvious chance to throw a lifeline – and perhaps influence other lawmakers to do the same.

Instead, shortly after Pelosi’s appearance, Rep. Pat Ryan of New York became the eighth representative to call on Biden to exit the race.

While the number of Democrats publicly expressing support for........

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