Nancy Pelosi says calls for her to step down as minority leader coupled with surging popularity for Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders are not evidence of a “fractured” Democratic Party.

Meghan McCain of ABC’s “The View” helped co-hosts close out the week on Friday by asking the 77-year-old Californian to explain why high-ranking Democrats have called for new leaders. Mrs. Pelosi said such developments are merely a sign of “vitality.”

“There’s a fracture in your party in the same way there’s a fracture in mine,” Ms. McCain said. “And there are a lot of people like Tim Ryan that were calling you to step down and asking for new blood. I don’t think it’s gender. Look at the Bernie supporters versus Hillary supporters. How do you respond to that?”

“Let me, with all due respect, disagree with you,” the former House Speaker interjected. “There is not a fracture in our party similar to what’s happening to the Republican Party.”

The studio audience then burst into applause.

“I think, with all due respect, that’s part of your problem,” Ms. McCain replied, The Washington Free Beacon reported.

“It’s always been a dynamic party. It is not a rubber stamp. That’s the vitality of it.”

Not mentioned in the exchange about Mr. Ryan of Ohio were recent comments by Rep. Linda Sanchez — a fellow California Democrat — who said “it’s time to pass the torch to a new generation of leaders.”

“I want to be a part of that transition. I want to see that happen,” Ms. Sanchez said during an Oct. 5 appearance on C-Span.

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