Joe Biden to skip Barack Obama’s DNC speech amid lingering tension over 2024 exit pressure
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS: President Joe Biden is set to skip former President Barack Obama’s highly anticipated speech at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
The snub follows weeks of intense Democratic infighting over Biden’s faltering 2024 campaign and growing pressure on him to step aside from the presidential race.
Barack Obama's call to 'seriously consider' influences Joe Biden's decision to withdraw
According to Politico, Joe Biden feels slighted by former president Barack Obama, who, despite expressing private doubts about the president's ability to defeat Donald Trump, did not publicly urge him to withdraw.
This perceived lack of support has led Biden to skip Obama’s speech at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, opting instead to deliver his own address on Monday, night, August 19, and then depart before his friend and ally takes the stage on Tuesday, per the outlet.
Faced with increasing pressure from more than 20 elected Democrats and former President Barack Obama, who reportedly urged Biden to "seriously consider" his candidacy, he ultimately chose to withdraw from the race on July 21 and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee. Harris recently chose Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate for the 2024 race.
Joe Biden feels betrayed by Nancy Pelosi's 'ruthless' role to oust him
But the tension doesn’t stop with Barack Obama. Joe Biden is also reportedly irked by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s role in the pressure campaign and is particularly stung by former Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s actions.
Initially a staunch supporter, Pelosi’s public support for Biden wavered dramatically after his lackluster debate performance. Behind closed doors, she is believed to have bolstered the narrative that Biden should withdraw—a move that he perceives as "ruthless," given their long-standing political relationship.
During the 90-minute televised debate, Biden frequently mumbled, trailed off mid-sentence, and struggled to articulate his points. Trump seized the opportunity to ridicule his opponent's occasionally unclear statements. Nevertheless, Biden stumbled throughout his responses and, at one point, paused before saying, "I beat Medicare."
Nancy Pelosi claims no influence in Joe Biden's withdrawal
Further, Nancy Pelosi's shifting stance became apparent in her interviews. She voiced doubts about Joe Biden’s campaign in The New Yorker, criticizing his campaign’s strength and suggesting she has “never been impressed” by it.
When confronted about the strain on her friendship with Biden, Pelosi admitted, “I lose sleep on it, yeah.” Yet, in a CBS 'Sunday Morning' interview, she denied orchestrating any campaign to oust Biden, expressing her deep affection for him.
She told the news outlet that she “did not call one person” and had confidence that Biden would make the right decision for the country. When asked if the rumors about Biden being “furious” with her were accurate, Pelosi replied, “[Biden] knows that I love him very much.”
In a different interview with CBS News, Biden explained that he withdrew from the race partly due to his colleagues’ concerns that his low polling numbers would impact their own state and local campaigns. “I was concerned if I stayed in the race, that would be the topic. You’d be interviewing me about ‘Why did Nancy Pelosi say…’ ‘Why did so-and-so…’ And I thought it’d be a real distraction,” the president stated.
