In what was a very rough moment for Rep. Nancy Pelosi, she accidentally praised the former Secretary of State and failed presidential candidate Hillary Clinton for her leadership on democracy “when [she was] president.” Then, making it far worse, she dramatically caught her error and struggled to recover in a scene awkward for her and Clinton.

That happened during a conversation between the two leftist women that was hosted by Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA). The topic on which they were speaking is the state of “democracy” around the world.

Kicking the conversation off, Clinton said, “Let’s start with this little matter of democracy, because I think you and I believe that it’s not just in our country, but that’s where we see it most clearly, there is a concerted effort to undermine some of the very foundations of democratic governance, of a democratic society. There’s research, some of it done by SIPA in this university, showing that half the world’s democracies are backsliding, and that includes, sadly, the United States. So, what do you, Nancy, view as the biggest threats and challenges facing our democracy and what are the opportunities to try to stop that backsliding and turn it around?”

Responding, Pelosi kicked things off with the awkward error, saying, “Well, I appreciate that question, but I also appreciate your leadership in this regard when president –.” But then Pelosi made it far worse, shifting in her seat while touching her hand to her chest, obviously uncomfortable, and declaring that she meant it was her “hope” back then that Clinton would be elected.

Continuing, Pelosi kept trying to recover, saying, “But when Secretary Clinton was in the Senate and first lady, but especially as secretary of State in more recent time – she has been and at that time implemented many things showing America’s support for democracy.”