Barack Obama’s former staffers played a big role in the intraparty coup to oust President Biden from the 2024 race. It reminds me a bit of how many of Obama’s former staffers talked out of both sides of their mouths about Hillary Clinton in 2016, only it feels like President Biden and President Obama’s relationship is not in a good place and may never recover. Many sources have said outright that Biden feels betrayed by party leaders and by Obama. Many sources have indicated that Obama has barely been in communication with Biden or his people in recent months. When President Biden withdrew from the race on Sunday, Obama offered a tribute to Biden’s decades of public service but Obama did not endorse VP Kamala Harris. That too has irritated a lot of Democrats and Dem activists, who wonder about the extent of Obama’s role in the party coup.
NewsNation’s Kellie Meyer tweeted yesterday that Obama will not endorse anyone before the nominee is chosen, and he did not endorse Kamala Harris or anyone else because “Obama believes he will be uniquely positioned to help unite the party once we have a nominee, lift-up that candidate, and do everything he can to get that candidate elected in November.” I recognize this as an effort to turn down the temperature on the ratf–king allegations, and I’m sure Obama has been getting some calls too, especially as the party has already enthusiastically coalesced around VP Kamala Harris. Suddenly, Obama and his people are very chatty about Obama’s perspective, and they even contacted the New York Times:
Many of the marquee names in Democratic politics began quickly lining up behind Vice President Kamala Harris on Sunday, but one towering presence in the party held back: Barack Obama. The former president has not yet endorsed Ms. Harris; in fact, he did not mention her once in an affectionate — if tautly written — tribute to President Biden that was posted on Medium shortly after he decided to bow out on Sunday.
Republicans interpreted that as a snub. But people close to Mr. Obama, who has positioned himself as an impartial elder statesman above intraparty machinations, said not to read too much into it — and had no alternate candidate in mind when he made the decision not to immediately endorse Ms. Harris.
Mr. Obama adopted an identical stance four years ago when Mr. Biden’s aides pressured him to endorse early in the Democratic primaries before Senator Bernie Sanders dropped out. (Mr. Obama’s favored phrase back then was “I don’t want to thumb the scale.”) Endorsing too early now would also be a political mistake — fueling criticism that Ms. Harris’s nomination, should it come, was a coronation rather than the best possible consensus under rushed circumstances, they said.
Instead, Mr. Obama sees his role as helping to quickly “unite the party once we have a nominee,” a person familiar with his thinking said.
But there are other more personal considerations, exacerbating Mr. Obama’s innate caution. Mr. Biden is a deeply prideful man, and he has never fully forgiven Mr. Obama for quietly backing former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in the 2016 campaign. Mr. Biden still believes he could have beaten former President Donald J. Trump that year if given the chance. Nor was Mr. Biden pleased when Mr. Obama told him that he should consider sitting out 2020, too, people in his circle have said. Mr. Obama wanted Sunday to be about Mr. Biden, a celebration of his accomplishments — and does not feel pressured to act hastily, according to a former White House official who speaks with the former president regularly.
This reads to me like Obama is in damage-control mode because he’s realized that his public reticence and private maneuvers have not gone down well with the party. As I’ve been saying, this whole episode has left a bad taste in a lot of Democrats’ mouths. Even if you make the argument that President Biden had to be convinced to drop out, did the Obama allies, ratf–kers and Dem Congressional leaders really believe that the best way to achieve that goal was torching a sitting Democratic president publicly and spending three weeks advocating for the disenfranchisement of Democratic voters at the behest of big-money donors?
The fact that Obama is making his endorsement all about his own importance is the wrong move too – the party is quickly coalescing behind VP Harris, it’s July, there are only 104 days until the election. Instead of unifying quickly and ensuring that Democrats look like they’re more than ready to take on Trump and the MAGA cult (after literally overshadowing the Republican National Convention with their party coup bullsh-t), Obama is navel-gazing and dithering.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid.
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- President Barack Obama made remarks, with VP Joe Biden by his side, before signing the 21st Century Cures Act, in the South Court Auditorium of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building of the White House in Washington, DC. on December 13, 2016. The legislation eases the development and approval of experimental treatments and reforms federal policy on mental health care. (Photo by Cheriss May/NurPhoto),Image: 512210319, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS – No Third Parties- Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Photoshot – sales@photoshot.com London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251, Model Release: no, Credit line: Cheriss May / Avalon
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- President Barack Obama adresses drive-in rally on election eve to get out the vote for Joe Biden, Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock on November 2, 2020 in Atlanta, Georgia,Image: 567022217, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Sanjeev Singhal / Avalon
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- President Joe Biden , Former President Barack Obama , John Fetterman and Josh Shapiro attended a Grass Roots get out and vote rally at the Liacouras Center in Philadelphia on 11/05/2022 .,Image: 735525927, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: William T. Wade Jr/Photographer / Avalon
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- Miami, FL – Democratic Florida Gubernatorial Candidate Andrew Gillum Campaigns with United States Senator Bill Nelson and Former US President Barack Obama at the Overtown Ice Palace Film Studios in Miami, Florida **NY PAPERS OUT** Pictured: Barack Obama BACKGRID USA 2 NOVEMBER 2018 BYLINE MUST READ: MediaPunch / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- ** RIGHTS: ONLY UNITED STATES, BRAZIL, CANADA ** Seville, SPAIN – Former US President Barack Obama participates at the World Travel & Tourism Council 2019 that is held in Seville. Obama’s message to the travel industry was that it needs to make its case to world leaders about tourism’s economic benefits. nterviewed by Hilton CEO and WTTC chairman Chris Nassetta, Obama said the industry must be “concrete and specific” about what governments can do not only to help tourism, but to not hurt it. Pictured: Barack Obama BACKGRID USA 3 APRIL 2019 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Miami, FL – Former US President Barack Obama speaks in support of Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden during an election-eve drive-in campaign rally at the Florida International University in Miami, Florida. Pictured: Barack Obama BACKGRID USA 2 NOVEMBER 2020 BYLINE MUST READ: MediaPunch / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Miami, FL – Former US President Barack Obama speaks in support of Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden during an election-eve drive-in campaign rally at the Florida International University in Miami, Florida. Pictured: Barack Obama BACKGRID USA 2 NOVEMBER 2020 BYLINE MUST READ: MediaPunch / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Washington, DC – United States President Joe Biden, first lady Jill Biden, former US President Barack Obama, and former first lady Michelle Obama depart following the official White House portraits of former US President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama being unveiled during a ceremony in Washington, D.C., US, on Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2022. The portraits of Barack Obama and Michelle Obama, acquired and commissioned by the White House Historical Association, were painted by Robert McCurdy and Sharon Sprung, respectively. Pictured: US President Barack Obama BACKGRID USA 7 SEPTEMBER 2022 BYLINE MUST READ: MediaPunch / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
The last 48 hours seem to suggest that VP Harris doesn’t need Obama to unify the party. She and the President have already done that, thanks.
Boom yep well said Mina
Agreed Mina, well put! I just made a small donation through ActBlue to show support for VP Harris. I am so angry at the handful of party “elites” conspiring to oust Biden but I will be damned if I stay invisible while they ratf*ck their way to losing the election.
VP Harris LETS GO!!!!
Exactly! You are one hundred percent correct. Obama support is not needed. She has what she needs. Joe in leaving knew what to do. He backed Kamala and got the party to back her too.
I have a feeling Obama will appear once the campaign is in the full swing. He is a great orator.
Besides, we have 3 m, people need to remain excited and reminded.
@Michaelacat Ditto! I’m perplexed at the assumption that the responsibility to publicly unite the party and back Kamala lies with Obama (whose been a private citizen since he left office) instead of the DNC. Kamala has the sitting President’s endorsement, and the zoom meetings held by Black Women for Kamala and Black Men for Kamala, in which millions were donated to her campaign, should be the focus and is far more important. Much of the parties’ elites have also given their support and Nancy Pelosi and House minority speaker Hakeem Jeffries are working to get everyone in line. Most importantly, the base seems excited! But I don’t see the Repubs complaining that Bush Jr. isn’t publicly supporting 45’s 2nd reelection bid so I don’t get it either.
@Michaelacat – I don’t think people here hate Obama. They’re just being critical about the current situation, which isn’t a bad thing. I respect Obama as a past president, but I don’t think it’s his place to unite the Democratic party. He can certainly support the candidates, but the person to unite the party is Kamala Harris (assuming she will the nominee). It’s not a good thing to have people on the sidelines, even someone like Obama, undermine her position.
Calling it a “Coup” is a right-wing talking point.
I have no idea why a writer on this website, that I thought was way smarter than to fall for using any of those, uses this term.
Particularly since we don’t know what happened and we don’t know what’s happening now behind the scenes.
Using this term is playing exactly into the hands of the Republicans and undermine Harris instead of uplift her.
@Michaelacat – It’s not just a talking point of the right, I also hear it here in the bluest part of the bluest state. There are people who are unhappy with the way this happened and they have a right to express that unhappiness. There are obvious divisions in the Democratic party and they need to be hammered out. Harris will have to face all of that and it doesn’t do any good for people to be silent just because the right might use their words against them. The right will do that no matter what.
Beautifully put, Mina.
Well said.
Navel gazing and dithering are Obama’s specialties. He let the Democratic party atrophy under his watch so as to not look “partisan.” My love for Michelle is eternal, but Obama’s legacy is not wearing well.
Agree! Michelle>Barack
Trump’s ENTIRE presidency was about backlash against Obama’s time in office. In the face of Mango Mussolini trying to crown himself King of the nation’s idiots, President Obama is wise to avoid anything that event remotely LOOKS like taking the presidency from the white guy and simply handing it to a Black woman.
People are already hollering racist nonsense and white people (unfortunately) broadly remain unreliable racial allies in this nation. Even the ones who pride themselves on voting for Obama twice (“I would have voted for him a third time if they’d let me! Haha!”) and who keep calling for Michelle Obama to come run for president like she hasn’t repeatedly said she does not want to.
VP Harris said she intends to earn the nomination and to win. And she is.
She doesn’t need anyone shitting on her presidency or claiming it isn’t legit because President Obama handed it to her.
What he has said to VP Harris (and Biden) behind the scenes and what is being shared publicly are likely very different things. Even powerful political Black folks have to play the game of the two selves. Double consciousness is real and very important in this situation.
Thank you @Yup, Me for so deftly saying what I’ve been thinking. People like Trump genuinely believe that other people think and plot like they do. Weeks of crap about how the Black President bypassed the duly elected Biden to hand the country over to the Black woman would have hurt Harris, especially if Obama chose to do this well before there was even a clear and generally known sense of how the DNC would handle this unprecedented situation.
Your comment about “the game of two selves” is painfully accurate.
I agree with every word this wholeheartedly.
I’m neither surprised nor dismayed by Barack Obama’s lack of an endorsement. To be either requires an investment and interest in him as an individual that I simply don’t have. And I really like him. I’m a black woman. I thought he was a very good, if not great, President. I wasn’t surprised that he is a centrist and that he had a cozier relationship with Wall St. during his administration — prior to 43, our Presidents mostly hugged the center for most issues and maintained the party line for big initiatives.
But now that he’s no longer president, I simply can’t muster up enough of an interest to be angry over how he is handling this turbulent election. I’m not sure yet how I feel about Biden dropping out of the race, but I’m not going to blame anyone. I really like Kamala Harris and I will vote for her. The rest of the think-pieces around this are a distraction for those who are not yet as resolved in their choices.
It’s so contradictory to say that this is a donor coup over voters, but then be mad that Obama doesn’t want to join the coup ?! Obama doesn’t want to be seen as coronating Harris, but as a supporter of the nominee the grassroots chooses (even though that is inevitably her).
As much as I’ve felt empathy for President Biden, and frustrated that people don’t understand that there have been incredible successes during his term, stepping aside was an incredible act of service to the country. Kamala Harris will protect his legacy and build on it, and she’s a better advocate for abortion rights. A lot of other people, in good faith, believe the same- check the polls. Saying that it’s a coup of donors against voters is just parroting Trump talking points – although at least today you’re calling it an intra-party coup instead of a government coup! Harris is the democrat successor that people voted for, that’s what the role of VP is.
BIG agree. President Harris is looking forward, not backward. We are all in the KHive now and we love it here.
100%
To me the contrast could not be more obvious. Biden has the ability to put the country before his own ego. Trump could never do that. You know who else could never do that? —Barack Obama.
Also, JD Vance isn’t the only one beholden to a cabal of money men.
Absolutely! Harris has unified the party already! Navel-gazing indeed!
Newsflash, Barry. Kamala Harris is the nominee.
This whole closing the barn door after the horses have escaped tactic is not going to work. He’s been in the wind since the first debate. Something about all this doesn’t sit right with me. I agree that Biden got the last laugh with “I will withdraw only if you get behind Harris”
This has shown that the Democrats are just as corrupt as the republicans in their tactics. They are just as much beholden to these mega donors as the republicans are. Ousting him with no back up plan and publicly doing it has left a bad taste in my mouth. I thought Pelosi and Obama were smarter than this and just goes to show us they are hypocrites. Listen to the will of the people unless it goes against their own agenda.
Were there any serious contenders around clamoring for the nomination?
Who was Obama planning to endorse? Michelle?
Biden has every right to endorse whom he wants. He chose Harris. He’s loyal.
Plus I thought it was smart to wait till Trump picked his VP before Biden stepping down. That gave a much clearer picture about what and who you need to counter with.
In any case, this is politics, people on CB told me to get it, in essence not to be naive. I’m not. I’m pretty aware in high stakes politics, there are compromises, deal making, and horse trading going on. That’s literally what defines politics. It’s how government used to be. Making deals in order to govern.
As to corruption. Democrats take their losses without storming the Capitol or calling it rigged. There are big differences here. Democrats aren’t running a candidate who has 34 felonies, who is a racist, who lies, cheat and steal, who makes fun of women, wounded vets, and honest civil servants.
@Kit. FACTS!
Biden’s campaign failed because he is unable to articulate the Democrats’ message. We all saw and heard it happening in real time. Choosing someone as despicable as JD Vance as his running mate shows how confident Trump was that he was going to win. The sausage making is always ugly, but Biden needed to drop out.
Mr. Hope and Change needs to get in formation and be a team player behind VP Harris. All this Main Character energy is a real turnoff.
This is an unpopular opinion but I’m just going to say it: you’re not going to convince me to hate Obama. But carry on.
Seriously. I’m sure he has his reasons.
100%
@Neners
Same here and that also goes for Michelle Obama.
I thought the explanation given was good. He has known Biden longer and wants to be easy on his feelings and let him lead.
No one has said the hate him, disappointment isn’t hate.
This. The excitement is palpable, and it feels significant that Obama is the only high profile Democrat who hasn’t publicly backed VP Harris, especially since he was the first, and only, Black President.
Word
Never, ever will and it is so revealing of so many who are talking about him like this.
They hating on Obama real hard here. The man will endorse a candidate after the convention.
Ditto. No Obama hate from me either.
Same, also he has never endorsed a candidate before the convention. Even when he wanted Biden to run in 2016 he stayed silent and when the voters decided he fought like hell for Hillary.
I also am not going to believe a lot of the stuff written by the papers that had an agenda and are owned by TRUMP donors.
Obama is a good man, he brought this country out of the worst economic disaster since the depression and got us as close as we’ve come to universal health care. We wouldn’t have Joe Biden’s accomplishments if not for what he started.
Biden also brought us out of an economic disaster. Nobody’s saying to hate Obama, but the first and only Black president being one of the only prominent Dems to NOT endorse the first Black woman nominee is rather glaring. And after the reporting that he did put his thumb on the scale to push Biden out, it stings.
I liked Obama a lot in office, but he hasn’t been a very impressive ex-president. He hasn’t done much of anything; he claimed his big project was going to be working on gerrymandering. What has he done? I legitimately don’t think he’s been a very present force in the party since he left office.
I agree. I was a little peeved yesterday when everyone else gave their public endorsement and he didn’t, Then I was thinking maybe he wanted his statement to be solely about praising Biden. And now I’m thinking the timing of his endorsement will be strategic. Maybe he was holding off and going to come out with it if the party wasn’t unified. Maybe he’s waiting until the convention. I don’t know. But I think the narrative that he wanted to f over Biden and wanted the party is disarray is very wrong, and only gives the GOP more ammunition.
Also why do I keep seeing things about him choosing Clinton over Biden in 2016? Biden opted out of running because he was grieving the loss of his son. He’s definitely said he thought he could have won that year, but Obama never had to choose Clinton over him because he didn’t pursue candidacy.
This is how I remember it too. He was still in deep mourning. He only ever came back to save us all in 2020 when it became apparent none of the Dem hopefuls were polling at anything that could dethrone Trump amid all of the racism and misogyny, i.e. we needed a white man, no matter how infuriating it was to admit.
Biden wanted to run, but Obama told him he thought it was too late.
Only now am I coming to realize how Machiavellian democracy’s politics are!!
Where were you in 2016?
This is what I tried to say yesterday, when all the meltdown was going on about Obama not endorsing. It seems like so many who chimed in, don’t follow politics much. Obama, as the last democrat to hold two terms, looms large over this party. Like him or not, he is still very popular. He has to avoid the appearance of pulling strings or tipping the scales. By sitting back yesterday, he allowed Kamala to prove that she can do this on her own — securing dedicates and funding. This is not to say that he isn’t involved behind the scenes. But for anyone to doubt that he supports Kamala, is misguided, to say the least. Who appointed her to the Senate?
I don’t understand what you say about Obama appointing her to the Senate. She won an election. Do you mean that Obama endorsed her as a candidate?
You’re right. I recall a press conference in which Obama was introducing her and got in trouble for saying she was attractive and I remembered wrongly for thinking it was an appointment to replace Boxer. But what difference does it make? Do you think she would have won if the establishment didn’t support her? How can anyone doubt that he will support her? Believe me, these people are friends.
Exactly! I could not have said it better…
The damage to Obama is done in the eyes of many. For his former staff members to so publicly bum rush President Biden to step down left a sour taste for many and suggest they did so with his consent. Vice President Harris has secured the delegates and folks are raising a lot of money on her behalf. I also noticed how Obama’s wife was a less than enthusiastic supporter for President Biden’s reelection.
What many folks do not realize is President Biden knocked on a lot of doors in the house to help get the Afforable Care Act passed, a lot of favors was called in by him. Our nation, the United States owes this man a huge salute. I respect Obama because he came along when we needed hope and change. Now it is needed again with Vice President Harris.
Bum rush? Where’s your evidence of that? I think the real truth here is that Biden’s staff may have been hiding the full story — his health, and his inside pulling were dismal. But more than that, I think all agreed to give him a chance to prove that he could do well in at least the June debate. When that failed, they agreed to move on. Folks can’t have it both ways — you can have people saying on the one hand, that the dems took too long to move Joe out, than on the other hand claim there was a “bum rush.” Please, stop. It’s time we moved on. We have a really scary fight on our hands with the other side. These fights are so misguided and unnecessary.
But why is he responsible for his former staffers behavior? I mean that makes no sense, that is like saying Hillary is responsible for Bill’s behavior.
Those staffers have been gross and wrong but that is on them they are grown ass adults with agency. Don’t blame Obama for it.
I promise you that this will do nothing to hinder obama’s popularity. Biden coasted into office on that Obama Shine and he owes a lot to him for making him VP and a household name. Biden would never have won if he didn’t have adjacency and association with Obama.
Obama will forever be one of the most popular and beloved former presidents and this will never change that.
Biden did not coast into office on Obama’s shine. Biden had to deal with Trump and all the crazies.
Joe Biden has been in politics for 50 years. His name was well known before he became VP. As VP, Obama used Biden’s congressional savvy and connections to lobby and round up the ACA votes. (Biden sat in Congress for quite a while and has allies and knew the ins/outs of dealmaking) This is why Biden, in contrast to many VPs, was quite active in his role. He represented Obama overseas in high stakes meeting too.
I write all of this because Joe Biden was not some political nobody Obama picked up. Obama picked him as a running mate because Biden was well known, had a good rep, white, and appealed to many voters who might be uncertain of Obama. Biden appealed to Catholics, working class, whites, and Blacks- many Black politicians and voters know Joe Biden and while everyone wanted Obama to be president, there was also the reality that being a Black candidate could lose the presidency and many did not want to lose their gains under a GOP president.
Yeah let’s stop writing about things we don’t understand. Especially in a sensitive time when words like this can easily influence someone.
Obama did not appoint her to the Senate!
What nonsense just to excuse Obama’s ego.
i would understand that in any other year. But this is different, the rules are different now, and he should announce his endorsement this week, not at or after the convention.
Becks 💯 agree
I wonder if he will now that she has enough delegates.
Agreed, he needs to do it now. Kamala has the delegates and big names/organizations supporting her, there is no danger of being accused of being a king-maker at this point.
It just feels off that the only Black President hadn’t endorsed VP Harris for President.
Exactly. It shows he doesn’t have his finger on the pulse. Even Nancy Pelosi read the tea leaves after she stated she wanted an open convention. After people quickly rallied around Harris and the money started pouring in so fast, she got her act together and endorsed her. If he truly wanted to remain neutral he shouldn’t have said anything all about a “process” to get the next nominee, he should have just kept his praise locked on Biden. I don’t know what he expects to happen when he endorses her. Has he been watching? He’s not needed to gin up excitement. When President Biden goes on the road with VP Harris, THAT will be the show to watch. I agree that he is saving face. When the leaks were happening about him talking with Clooney and others urging Biden to step aside, he said nothing. I gave him the benefit of the doubt. But NOW, he wants his thinking to be known? Puhlease. It’s okay to be disappointed in him because of of this. He never was perfect. Disappointment doesn’t equal hate.
I can understand why Obama doesn’t want the role of kingmaker (or queenmaker, in this case). And no future leader really wants a past President really sticking their oar in. Obama has a role to play, but I think what he’s done so far is fine.
The author seems to have an issue with how things went down, but people weren’t that enthused with Biden last election, and he was turning into a liability this election.
In Europe where I live and my husband is from, the political Left is known for not being able to agree with each other and for complaining about each other instead of cooperating.
I personally don’t feel it’s time to focus on what the Democrats have done since June 27 now that we need to coalesce around our candidate. The Republicans benefit from the unhappiness, not the Democrats.
While I think differently than BO, I do see that holding off on supporting KH takes away from any Republican argument that VPKH doesn’t deserve the nomination. She can legitimately point to the fact that Jeffries, Schumer, and Obama didn’t “anoint” her and she can show the amazing support she earned without them.
Did they believe torching Biden was a good idea? I don’t know but did anyone believe that hiding Biden’s decline behind rare and micromanaged interactions, preapproved questions and ever changing excuses to why he is confused and frail was a good idea?? Did the deception not anger many democrats at the grassroots? The whole charade exploded at the debate that Biden himself insisted on doing. it could have happened much closer to the elections and would have ruined everything. Instead of this childish fingerpointing, it would be much better to focus on Kamala’s campaign and let Biden’s shadow team quietly finish his term.
Where has this frail, in decline Biden been hiding the last 3.5 years? He was old when he was elected. He put in grueling hours and care into his administration. Your descriptives belie Biden’s remarkable cohesive and effective presidency. He kept the US out of serious trouble post pandemic when big economies like Germany and China stumbled. He had the sense to bring in good people and let them do their job. And that included Kamala Harris.
You know FDR was considered frail and had health problems, yet he was capable of making good decisions and decisive ones at that. The GOP and the press did a good con job selling the frail old man Biden to the public and left out Trump. Funny that.
💯, Kit!
There were concerns about his age and abilities prior to his first term, though. The problem is that to run an effective re-election campaign an incumbent MUST do debates, campaign events, and interviews. Biden HAD to be out there, front and center, unlike the first few years where he could just focus on doing the work. It’s the difference between being the president and a presidential candidate.
So it’s not so much about his capacity to do the job because I think most Dems are happy with his presidency, it was the public perception that he needed to change. He absolutely HAD to convince the voters who had doubts–not the diehards–and he failed to do that.
And I did see the comments about not trash-talking Biden in the wake of this, which is a very fair point. I’m trying to be honest here without insulting him.
Obviously, he was capable enough during his previous campaign and much of his presidency. It’s either a rather sudden decline or something happened that we don’t know about. I don’t even think that his cognitive abilities are as bad as it seemed on the debate. More like his tanks are suddenly empty, no matter how hard he tries to push himself and there are good days and bad days. By trying to cover it up for the campaign they did him and the campaign a huge disservice.
Look, I’m happy at how this turned out. My husband said if there was a conspiracy, it was to hang on to Biden until Trump picked his VP, then exit.
But I blame the media and their owners for fanning the narrative Biden is weak and addled. He was old, yes. So was Trump. When it comes to mental competency, I challenge anyone here to make a case that Trump doesn’t have cognitive dysfunction and in worse state. But Biden, to me, didn’t meet that threshold. He was forgetful, slower at times when he’s tired or ill, but his judgement was and is still sharp.
So at the end of the day, it’s about perception vs. facts. And perception won sadly. But like I said, there’s a silver lining here: Kamala Harris. And I’m in.
Anyway, after all this, I hope Joe and Jill get much deserved rest and peace away from all the noise. The man has been tested by many challenges, personal and public opinion ones. His son Hunter, an imperfect man, was scapegoated because of his dad, That has to weigh heavily on the father. He already lost one son, one daughter, and his first wife very tragically.
I’m not sure about this. Obama is very well respected, but under him the Democratic party took the biggest loss ever, from Senate all the way down to local dog catcher. And he hasn’t been much in the public eye politically since he stepped down. But maybe he’s been working behind the scenes – I don’t know, we’ll see.
Barack is ruining his legacy particularly with the black women that got him elected both times. Some people really want to convince themselves there wasn’t a coup in the party to oust Biden AND Harris. This just leads more credence to that and Obama jefferies and Schumer have to know that the longer they wait the more people will figure that out.
Im black. His legacy is intact with me and millions of other black women.
@Oh_Hey I’m also a Black woman and he hasn’t ruined his legacy with anyone I know.
No he hasn’t, also we don’t know any of this is true.
I’m Black and I’m deeply disappointed and yes, many Black women are too.
Agree with Barbiem, Chanta1 and Anonymous. As a Black woman old enough to have gone through all of this, Obama didn’t ruin his legacy because of this. We are not a monolith. Why are we talking on this site as if we are. More to the point, Obama has received his criticism by the Black community but none of it has been based on these recent events. I’m appalled by how many are being massively disrepectful on speculation. Now he’s Barry, now people are willing to prop up Biden as this great hero and Obama is a traitor. Weird, weird stuff.
One of Biden’s many wise refrains – speaking of how to work across the aisle and get things done – was to question someone’s position and not their character.
Perhaps we could try working from the assumption that every single leader or party elder — with a long history of achievement, dedication, and commitment — isn’t out to get us (or engineer “party coups”), but instead is acting from their particular vantage point of inside knowledge and direct experience to try to help achieve the ultimate goal: Keeping Trump out of office.
This
I think the party has moved on from President Obama. It’s always been his style to try to remain above the fray. No red states, no blue states. He would rather give great speeches than get his hands dirty in the political muck. We are all uniting behind our presumptive nominee, the vice president, and it really doesn’t matter what the former president does. I’m sure he will give a great endorsement speech but it won’t really matter. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Obama has always been this way, methodical and principled and concerned with ideals of democratic fairness. That was wonderful in a president ten years ago. He has always seemed like a brilliant and thoughtful man generally. But holy crap, read the room today. Look at what he let McConnell get away with with this approach. Look at the stakes now. It’s time to line up, decisively.
Katee, this is a good point (what’s demanded by the moment). Though I would add that getting mad at Obama for being thoughtful and deliberative – almost to a fault – is like getting mad at water for being wet. For better or worse (for the better, usually!) it’s who the man is to his core.
Right? It’s just who he is! I’m not mad at him, at all. I just wish he could maybe be a liiiiiiittle more flexible. Please. Like yesterday. =)
That’s my take of Obama. He wants to be above the fray and I can understand that. He and his entire family took a lot of racist crap for 8 years +++. That’s got to be scarring. I know his last term, I wanted him to fight more, especially for Garland, but I was happy to get ACA, imperfect as it was after so many compromises, passed. DACA made me happy, but the failure to pass the Dream Act later (after Obama left office) disappointed me. Today there’s no bipartisan coalition anymore, after McConnell dirty plays and Trump and the Jan 6 violent, attempted coup (and this is where coup should be used). .
I fear this will be the thing that will do us in as a country. That we lost a sense of a country as a whole and become many bitter islands.
The problem I have with him right now is the timing of him speaking out. He said nothing when all of the articles about him back room dealing to get Biden out were surfacing. He should have stayed quiet right now and just endorsed Harris when he was ready. This really does read like face saving.
Look, Obama was the first Black President. He carried that on his back his whole presidency. Without him, I don’t think a WOC’s Presidency would be possible. He literally had to be perfect, so America would give a chance to other non-white candidates. One big mistake he made, after his presidency, there was no upcoming candidate that could replace him. It felt like he didn’t mentor anyone. Biden learnt from that and it feels like he chose Kamala as his VP especially to take over after he is gone. Old people can’t rule forever.
100% sevenblue! I agree completely.
I agree with this and truly we should have an age cap of when people have to retire from Presidency, Senate and House. I mean we have senators that have mini strokes on camera and truly don’t have a grasp on the new issues facing the country. I mean lord watching them question the tech people is painful.
Is it possible Obama thinks his endorsement will have more of an effect if he does it in a big way at the convention? I don’t know. I’m trying to think positively. Not easy these days. However, my son (in his twenties) called me after the debate. He had watched the entire thing and felt sick. He told me quite a few of his friends had said they weren’t going to vote. (Obviously, a horrible thing to do in these times.) Now he tells me that people whom he knows in his age group are all fired up and excited. I just hope people see sense and rally around Harris and Obama comes out like a firecracker to express support for Harris.
I’m just waiting for the inevitable when Obama gives his endorsement around the convention and then everyone on this site will be happy and say of course and write paragraphs about how strategic the plan was 😄
Intra party coup? If you can’t see how revitalized dems are as a result of Biden stepping down then your Obama hate has blinded you. There are a lot of dem voters who feel like Biden was holding in to his position against party interests. We feel heard now that he’s stepped down. It’s not a coup—it’s a reckoning with the reality that he was too old, declining in appearance, and unable to reach younger voters. But by all means, blame Obama (without whom Biden would’ve never made it to the White House in the first place.)
Perfectly stated.
Not going to lie on Sunday I actually got excited and said “well played Dems, well played.” If only because a large contingent of the party was not excited about Biden. Doing what they felt like they got to do was for the die hards but the casuals and youngins were not feeling it. And the complaints did not only begin at the the debate and did not only get voiced by corporate media. They have been concerns since the beginning but instead the party was making some designs straight from the republican playbook of shut-up and just accept no matter what. These moves show me that the Dem party is actually not afraid to make tough decisions.
This is a deeply divisive and hateful take. I think having Trump in office for 4 years has effected how some react to constant breaking news.
It would seem the way PBO and FLOTUS O was attacked for 8 years has been forgotten by many. President Obama has always been the steady, even hand and I will continue to be grateful for his leadership.
This.
Well I still believe its a coup, nothing will change my thinking on that. But with that being said, I did feel there was a strange vibe with Biden not really campaigning much this year and not having his surrogates out much either. And yes I realize as the sitting president he has to govern first but to me it felt like he disappeared and I believed he was conserving his strength for closer to November. So four more years may have been tough. As for Obama, well its not like he can ever run for president again, so whatever , enjoy your retirement. But I think he has diminished himself in a lot of people’s eyes.
I think Gaza, fighting to keep funding for Ukraine, and trying to get the immigration bill took priority. And every budget bill came down to the wire with congressional GOP games.
I agree in hindsight, it’d have been better if Biden and Harris attended more rallies in battle ground states. I don’t doubt being older means there’s less reserve trying to govern and campaign at the same time. It’s grueling enough for younger candidates. But I think the in person campaign cycle usually becomes more intense after the other party selects its ticket.
I don’t see a diminished Obama. I just think he has moved on, much like the Bushes. It does make me sad if there’s distance, because I loved the bromance between Obama and Biden during the Obama years. I thought Biden was a great VP for Obama.
My thoughts on all the Democratic leaders.. Support the Democratic ticket 100% or stay home. I’m done with anyone cause division. This isn’t hate, we just don’t have time for it right now. We have a little over a hundred days left and the other side literally wants to destroy our country read Project 2025
I keep waffling here – on the one hand, there are only weeks to go until the convention. The worst thing that could happen would be weeks of messy infighting and ‘dems in disarray” stories, so why not have everyone line up for Kamala? If this happened in January, yes, I think it would have been a good idea to have a real primary fight and have her show her stuff, but it ain’t January anymore! Not to mention that in January, nobody whose name is floating around right now as possible contenders was willing to challenge Biden in January. Who would mount a 3-week campaign to his chosen successor now? It would be madness.
On the other hand, I can sort of see an argument from Obama as someone who challenged the presumptive nominee in 2008 even as people were telling him it wasn’t his “turn”. And won. So I can see him arguing that he wants to wait for KH to have enough pledged delegates before offering support, thus the talk about her “earning” the nomination. But honestly, that word sticks in my craw – women, especially Black women, are always having to prove and reprove themselves worthy. It’s exhausting. She is the VP, she’s been on the winning ticket, and she has more than “proven” she has support within the party by the people who have been lining up to endorse her so far. There could also be a timing element of the big name democratic leaders announcing their endorsements of KH in such a way that it creates a story every day this week (and thus helps fundraising) as opposed to everyone endorsing on just one day (lessening the impact). But honestly, these seem like a lot of excuses, not explanations.
I posted the following comment on another Obama thread yesterday (7/22/24), so I’ll just repeat it here.
As of 7:30 pm PDT, AP is reporting that Kamala Harris has “secured the support of enough Democratic delegates to become her party’s nominee” per an AP survey. Somebody up above said Wisconsin delegates are with Kamala, and AP reported both Texas and California met today — “by Monday night, Harris had the support of at least 2,579 delegates, according to the AP tally of delegates, more than the 1,976 delegates she’ll need to win on a first ballot. No other candidate was named by a delegate contacted by the AP.”
With those #s and no contraindications (“no other candidate”), Obama has become irrelevant on this train. Sorry Barry. Hope Karma visits your bros.
I’m black & Obama’s legacy is in the toilet. This is no normal election. We’re fighting against facism. This is Obama’s third betrayal of Biden. He bypassed him in 2016. He tried to sway him not to run in 2020. And was mia thought the public backstabbing of Biden. Biden has a more accomplished 1 term than Obama’s 2 term. His signature legislation was passed after Biden got the votes in the Senate. Obama sent his former staffers goon after him. Even on Sunday after President Biden announcement. They were attacking Harris saying black folks weren’t united behind her. That an open convention process was needed. He sent them to attack Biden. What this country will lose in not having a Biden second term will be unmeasurable.
l’m black and I was at his inauguration in 2009—a peak memory and moment despite the fact that it was 18 degrees, I was wearing ten layers of clothing, and I still froze my ass off. l have defended Obama at every turn from progressive detractors who blame him for everything under God’s sun. No more. What an ass. Nobody needs you to unite the party. You can go back to Kalorama and grill on your back deck or take some more flights with your billionaire pals. You weren’t here when we needed you, and we will not miss you.
Well all the talk about “anointing” is also a right wing talking point and people are throwing that term around right and left so 🤷♀️
Personally I dont like using the term coup for it. But we can’t insist that one right wing talking point is bad and the other is fine.
Barack kept Biden as his VP for two terms. There’s the sustained perception that Biden was betrayed, and maybe his PR strategy is not add insult to the injury by jumping in Harris’ bandwagon right away.
Besides, Kamala hasn’t had as prominent a vicepresidency as Joe had (Dems’ strategic mistake) . She must be given room to dispell doubts and show what she’s made of. It’s no news: Barack watched from the ranks for most of Biden’s campaign. It was only in the last couple of months when he vigorously joined it, either with him or at solo events.
Even though, Republicans said it was Obama doing the heavylifting for Joe. They called Barack’s puppet a white, former VP with a long, honorable history of service to his country. What would they say about Kamala?
Lastly, it’s a given DP hasn’t chosen an official candidate, and the issue might still be at debate on whether Michelle will run in some capacity. He looms large, and that’s an influence he can’t use lightly.
Obama is a rare case of an intellectual, rathersensitive man who, being also a POC, was also able to navigate succesfully the rotten meanders of politics. I refuse to think he’s at ill here.
Why would Michelle run in any capacity? She’s made it clear that she is not interested. Is there some reason you doubt her?
I’m sorry but I’m so tired of hearing about Michelle Obama. What will it take for people to let this go. She. Is. Not. Running.
If people don’t know what Kamala is doing, that could be on them. I was impressed that she went to TN to support the expelled representatives Pearson and Jones. She gave a pretty rousing speech about free speech, life, liberty and gun control. She said something about the false choice between being for the Second Amendment and against gun control or the reverse. For my part, I hope we’re able to get rid of the Second Amendment. I’ve slowly come around to that position, mostly because of the NRA (who taught me gun safety) who is laying that down as the marker on all their anti-gun-safety legislation.
Biden did a great job protecting Kamala from bad optics with Netanyahu even before last weekend’s news. Biden’s team sent her to a campaign event in Indianapolis on the day that warmonger was going to address Congress. Otherwise she would have been seen on tv in the same frame behind that vicious man. Sounds like now the plan is for them to meet up separately from Biden meeting.
But Obama is mad powerful, deeply loved and charismatic as hell. Let him get on board. Let everybody on board. It can only help us.
Obama has never been loyal.
Kaiser and other folks seem to believe this was an inside job, and Biden was forced out at the behest of a few insiders and donors.
I respectfully disagree. Biden was forced out because the majority of potential Democrat voters were extremely concerned about his ability to campaign effectively and lead the country for another four years.
Pelosi, Schumer, Jeffries and yes even Obama were just the messengers.
Don’t shoot the messengers. If you’re mad about this, get mad at people like me who were extremely concerned and were expressing those concerns through NOT making contributions and NOT signing up to volunteer.
They didn’t have to humiliate and embarrass him the way they did. That’s what people have an issue with. I’m sad Biden is stepping aside. I would have been sad if this had been worked out behind closed doors and he just made his announcement. (You notice that the Black Congressional Caucus, The Hispanic Congressional Caucus and The Asian Congressional Caucus didn’t leak like a sieve. It was …others.) But at least I wouldn’t have been mad as hell and sad. I and so many people will not forget this. Don’t be surprised when there are a lot of primary challenges when the re-election campaigns come up for those who publicly piled on. 100% behind Harris. Doesn’t mean Biden wasn’t done dirty by his party.
Obama’s is no longer needed so he can keep it.
Biden is unifying the party. And the CBC and other organizations are doing the work so just continuing being silent until you do your little speech at the convention, thanks.
I say what I said yesterday: this idea that Obama, or anyone else, needs/needed to avoid the appearance of “handing” the nom to Kamala is bull. This wouldn’t be a thing if she was a white man. After the primaries, the only right and fair thing is and always was to give Kamala the nom if Joe couldn’t run. She was hos running mate and people already voted for her to stand in for Joe.
As for Barack, I’m not convinced he was backstabbing Biden, and I’m sure he worried about the optics of immediately endorsing Kamala. But those optics were/are bull, and I honestly don’t get why Obama would let himself be beholden to such nonsense.
And though I wouldn’t call it a coup, the whole thing was a coordinated plot to get Biden out. And ignore Kamala. Why Barack let that play out is beyond me. It was heading towards massive chaos and a huge loss for Dems if Biden hadn’t done the smart thing and endorsed Kamala. I suspect Joe made that a condition of stepping back, and unless Obama was giving private advice, he didn’t do anything to help stave off Trump at what was a crucial moment.
I’m gonna let it play out though before I label him a ratf—ker.
At the end of the day, this is on American voters and not him to stop Trump, but I do wonder if he’s felt uncertain how to proceed since 2016 since Trump was definitely put into office as a backlash against him. I wonder if he ever looks back on that jibe he sent Trump’s way at the Correspondent’s dinner and regrets it, if only because of what it set into motion.
Here’s the thing: Obama didn’t need to mention anything about wanting a contest in his comments on Sunday. He could’ve just had the statement be fully about Joe if he really was about unity. The notion that he’s being an impartial statesman is BS; he CHOSE to weigh in on what he thinks the party should do in that statement and it was the wrong decision. Thankfully Biden once again showed himself to be a real leader by endorsing Kamala and with the Clintons and most of the people whose name would’ve come up as challengers(Kelly, Shapiro, Beshear, etc) immediately following suit we were able to avoid weeks of spiraling and absolute chaos at the convention which would’ve only helped Republicans.
And like Kaiser, I don’t like that Obama’s cleanup for his bad political instincts here essentially amounts to navel gazing. This isn’t about him; it’s about saving our country from Donald Trump. How does he not get that? Even Pelosi and Schumer realized their mistake and changed course. This is so disappointing from him.