President Joe Biden is feeling frustrated by the way his fellow Democrats handled his decision to leave the presidential race, reports Politico. He particularly feels let down by Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi, and Chuck Schumer.
Biden has confided in those close to him about his acceptance of stepping back from the race, but he still holds some resentment towards those he feels pressured him into this decision. This information comes from sources familiar with Biden’s thoughts who cannot publicly discuss private conversations.
Recently, Pelosi has been in the spotlight due to her book tour where she has been addressing her role in encouraging Biden to step aside. While the president is still hurt by this, he has acknowledged that Pelosi acted in what she believed was the best interest of the Democratic Party.
According to one source, Biden remarked that Pelosi did what she had to do for the party’s success in the upcoming election, emphasizing her dedication to the party’s well-being rather than personal emotions.
This ongoing tension among Democratic leaders highlights the turmoil within the party, despite aiming for unity at their upcoming convention. Pelosi’s actions were influenced by Biden’s weak debate performance, leading her to believe he was not a viable candidate for victory in November.
White House spokesperson Andrew Bates stated, “President Biden is committed to delivering significant results for the American people, focusing on strengthening the middle class, upholding freedoms, and reducing violent crime rates. He prioritizes the future over dwelling on the past, aiming to unite the party and serve the country above all else.”
An anonymous senior official from the White House disclosed that Biden perceives Pelosi as “ruthless” for prioritizing party power and preventing a potential return of Donald Trump to the presidency, even if it means sacrificing long-standing relationships.
“That’s always been her stance,” the source added.
There has been no communication between Pelosi and Biden since he withdrew from the race. Biden expressed his frustration during a televised interview this weekend, mentioning the former speaker as he explained his reasons for dropping out.
“I was worried that if I stayed in the race, that would become the focus,” Biden stated to CBS. “You’d be asking me about Nancy Pelosi’s comments, and I thought it would be a major distraction.”
Biden also feels some bitterness towards Obama, his friend and former boss, for not addressing his concerns about the campaign following the disastrous Atlanta debate in late June.
Although Obama initially showed support for Biden on Twitter after the debate, he then remained silent. He did not actively support removing Biden from the top of the ticket, but he also didn’t discourage it, which disappointed some of Biden’s close associates, according to three sources.
Biden’s relationship with the former president has always been complex. While they are personally close — Obama even offered to cover Biden’s mortgage after his son’s passing in 2015 — there have been political tensions.
Biden has felt that Obama’s team looked down on him, and the president’s advisors still react negatively when Obama supporters like David Axelrod or Pod Save America criticize him. Many in Biden’s circle were upset when in 2016, Obama made it clear he preferred Hillary Clinton over his own vice president.
However, Biden’s close advisors believe Pelosi played a crucial role in pushing him out of the race.
Initially, his allies believed that, after nearly two weeks of reassurance to fellow Democrats, his candidacy could be saved on the morning of July 10. But Pelosi’s appearance on “Morning Joe” that day, where she made it clear she did not support Biden continuing his campaign, changed everything. The president’s team believes this paved the way for other Democrats and donors to withdraw their support.
Additionally, Biden’s inner circle warned him the day before he withdrew that if he continued in the race, they believed Pelosi would publicly express her doubts — including her belief that Trump would defeat him — which would have been highly embarrassing for a sitting president, according to two sources.
According to White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, President Biden holds respect for Speaker Pelosi and harbors no ill will towards her.
Following Pelosi’s comments in The New Yorker criticizing Biden’s political operation despite their victory in 2020, some senior White House aides expressed their frustration privately. Pelosi later clarified her remarks, stating that she actually commended Biden and his team for their success in the 2020 election.
Despite claiming in recent interviews to have only contacted the president before Biden’s departure from the race, Pelosi reportedly received calls from fellow Democrats seeking advice after Biden’s debate performance and prior to his withdrawal from the race.
While Pelosi has publicly praised the new Democratic ticket of Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz for their surge in the polls, she defended her relationship with President Biden during an interview with former White House press secretary Jen Psaki on MSNBC.
Pelosi expressed her deep admiration for Joe Biden, emphasizing her family’s longstanding connection with him and his wife, Jill. She shared fond memories of her children and grandchildren growing up alongside the Bidens.
During her book tour, Pelosi has advocated for adding Biden to Mount Rushmore, a move that some Democrats view as her way of reconciling with him.
