House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) said progressive Democrats like her were "never good enough for the far left" and blamed Republicans for being in denial about climate change after CNN's Jake Tapper asked Sunday about Hillary Clinton secretly insulting environmentalists.
After reading out a message where Clinton mocked them for yelling at her during her rallies, saying they should "get a life," Tapper asked Pelosi about whether this played into the "enthusiasm issues" Clinton has with voters.
"I mean, this is one of the reasons why there have been enthusiasm issues with Hillary Clinton is that—get a life, you know, that's kind of a harsh statement to say to environmentalists," Tapper said.
Pelosi dodged and told Tapper that when she was House Speaker, her issues included climate and energy independence. She defended the part of Clinton's quote where she said she was not going to promise never to take more fossil fuels out of the earth, citing their wide usage.
"Right, but, you don't talk that way," Tapper said. "Even behind closed doors, I would have a tough time imagining you saying about environmentalists, ‘Get a life.’"
Pelosi dodged, again, and told Tapper that this was not the point.
"But, the point is not this," she said. "The point is not should we take fossil fuels out of the—the point is this. The Republicans have been in total denial about the climate crisis that we are facing. Total denial."
Tapper didn't buy this explanation.
"So, that's the argument you would make to an environmentalist that comes to your office and says, ‘I'm concerned that Hillary Clinton is saying get a life about us behind closed doors?’" he asked.
Pelosi dodged a final time.
"In other words, I am a progressive Democrat in the Congress," she said. "I'm never good enough for the far left. So, you know, I understand that. That is their role. They are advocates."
Note: This article has been updated to include more remarks from Pelosi.