During a CNN appearance, Alex Thompson of Axios reported that Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi's attempts to persuade President Joe Biden to step down from the 2024 race could backfire, potentially making Biden more determined to run for reelection.
Obama's Push for Biden to Resign May Backfire, Making Him More Determined to Run
According to Alex Thompson of Axios (via Mediaite), a pressure campaign by party elders, notably former President Barack Obama, to persuade President Joe Biden to resign during a CNN appearance on July 12 afternoon could prove counterproductive.
“I’m wondering if you’ve heard from sources about this reporting that former President Obama and Pelosi have spoken privately about the future of Biden’s campaign and that they’ve expressed concerns over his ability to win reelection. Have they shared any thoughts on what that means?” CNN’s Boris Sanchez asked Thompson.
“Well, the the tricky thing for both of them is that neither of them want Joe Biden to dig in further. And that’s sort of the problem that all Democrats are facing, even ones that want to get him out,” replied Thompson. “There’s a risk that Joe Biden could actually dig in deeper. And that’s particularly true with Barack Obama. I was talking to a former Biden aide pretty recently, and they said, ‘You know, Obama already pushed Joe Biden out of one presidential race back in 2015. You don’t get to do that again.'”
“Now, Barack Obama does not see it that way. His team doesn’t see it that way,” continued Thompson. “But I can tell you that Joe Biden’s team sees it that way. They felt that that Obama and his staff sort of selected Hillary Clinton over him. And that’s part of the the tricky dynamics. If Joe Biden and his team think that Barack Obama is trying to get him out of this race, it could actually sort of make them more determined to stay in.”
Clooney Consults Obama Before Urging Biden to Withdraw; Obama and Pelosi Discuss Biden's Campaign Feasibility
It has been reported that actor George Clooney sought advice from Obama before publishing an op-ed in the New York Times that urged Biden to withdraw from the presidential contest. Additionally, Obama has engaged in private discussions with former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) regarding the feasibility of Biden's campaign.