Barack Obama hasn't endorsed Kamala Harris because he doesn't believe she can beat Trump, claims source
WASHINGTON, DC: Former president Barack Obama has refrained from endorsing Kamala Harris for the presidency, as he doubts her ability to defeat Donald Trump, according to a source close to the Biden family.
In the wake of Joe Biden's unexpected resignation from the presidential race on Sunday and his swift endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris, many high-ranking Democrats have rallied behind her. However, Obama's absence from this chorus is striking.
"Obama’s very upset because he knows she can’t win," the Biden family source revealed to the New York Post. The source further elaborated, "Obama knows she’s just incompetent — the border czar who never visited the border, saying that all migrants should have health insurance. She cannot navigate the landmines that are ahead of her. When you are running for president there are things you can and can’t say."
Joe Biden's resignation and Barack Obama's plans
Joe Biden's resignation was precipitated by his poor performance in a televised debate against Donald Trump in Atlanta last month. This debate, according to the Post, was part of a calculated effort to push Biden out of the race.
Despite Biden's exit, the source said there were low expectations for a debate between Trump and Harris. A second debate had been scheduled for September 10 while Biden was still a contender.
"Wait until the debate… She can’t debate. She’s going to put her foot in her mouth about Israel, Palestine, Ukraine. She’s going to say something really stupid," the source commented. "Obama knew this was going to happen, Joe knew this was going to happen. Now she is going to have to answer real questions."
Obama's initial plan involved persuading Biden to step aside, aided by a New York Times article by George Clooney urging Biden to withdraw. However, Biden's rapid endorsement of Harris caught Obama and other Democratic leaders off guard. "Obama was shocked when Joe endorsed her," the insider stated.
Post-Biden's resignation, Obama, who declined to comment on Wednesday, wanted Arizona Senator and former astronaut Mark Kelly to be the Democratic presidential candidate at the upcoming Democratic National Convention. The source noted, "Obama is furious things haven’t gone his way, which is why he is not joining in the Democratic Party’s support of Harris."
Another Democratic insider remarked on Obama's reaction: "Obama being surprised by a smart political decision actually makes sense when coupled with his personal inability to see politics beyond his singular, immediate interests. Obama always thinks he is the smartest and coolest guy in the room. He’s friends with George Clooney, after all."
Tensions between Barack Obama and Joe Biden
Rod Blagojevich, the former Illinois governor who criticized Barack Obama as a "threat to democracy" in a recent Wall Street Journal op-ed, believes Obama played a crucial role in Joe Biden's exit from the race. Blagojevich, a former Democrat now supporting Trump, served as governor when Obama became a state senator in 2005.
"It [Biden’s departure from the race] couldn’t have happened without him [Obama]," Blagojevich told the Post. "Without Obama, Biden is still the Democratic nominee. Obama was the conductor leading the orchestra that convinced Biden to step aside."
Obama transitioned from his role as Illinois senator to President in 2008, while Blagojevich was impeached in 2009 for attempting to sell Obama’s vacant Senate seat. He was removed from office and convicted on corruption charges in 2010.
Reports indicate that Obama previously discouraged Biden from running for the presidency in 2016 to allow Hillary Clinton a chance at the White House. This decision has been a point of contention between the two. Biden later told the New York Times, "He was not encouraging," referring to Obama, who believed Clinton had a better chance of defeating Trump.
Blagojevich continued to criticize Obama, stating, "He’s running the Democratic party like a Chicago ward boss from the shadows in the back room. In this case, it’s a big backroom because he has a lot of big houses."
