'Really bad': ABC's Jonathan Karl claims the Obama-Biden relationship has deteriorated since 2024
WASHINGTON, DC: According to ABC News correspondent Jonathan Karl, the relationship between former presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden now appears to have frayed to the point of open distance, ever since the election.
He pointed out a recent event that was attended by both men, but they made no effort to interact, and tensions have been building for months.
Tensions between Obama and Biden
Speaking with podcaster Katie Couric, Karl was asked, “Have you talked to Joe Biden since he left the White House at all, John?”
“He was out to dinner in Washington, DC, at Cafe Milano. I happened to be there. You know who else was there was Barack Obama. But they didn't cross paths,” Karl answered.
When asked about their current relationship, Karl replied, “Really bad. Really bad.”
“Biden and the people around him very much blame Barack Obama for the effort to push Biden out of the campaign,” Karl continued.
“I had extensive interviews with Hunter Biden for this book, and Hunter Biden is just, he's got real anger towards Barack Obama, and I think he's channeling not just Hunter, but the Biden family. He believes that, for instance, the George Clooney op-ed that was such a big moment where Clooney calls on Biden to drop out.”
Hunter Biden's anger during an event
Karl went on to recall Hunter Biden, who was enraged at seeing Obama take his father by the arm and lead him offstage at a fundraiser last summer, making then-President Biden appear weak.
At the time, Biden was still the presumptive 2024 Democratic nominee, and his allies were largely publicly dismissing concerns about his viability.
"It's not a good relationship. If they had wanted to see each other, they absolutely would have," Karl said of the night he witnessed at the restaurant.
Biden's exit and Obama's snub
Karl also mentioned that Biden and his inner circle remained convinced that he could win the 2024 election despite his poor performance in the debate and growing concerns about his cognitive decline.
“By the way, when he finally made that decision, he calls Kamala Harris and says he's dropping out,” Karl explained. “Kamala Harris really pushes him to make the endorsement immediately, which he ultimately does.”
“There's been a lot of talk on how Kamala Harris sat down and made over 100 phone calls to get people to support her campaign and to get started."
"But Biden made a whole bunch of phone calls that night, too. I was astounded to hear that one person he did not call was Barack Obama, the person that really made it possible for him to be President by making him vice President."
"Obama did call, I learned, to talk to Biden. He didn't take the call, and the two of them did not speak for weeks. They eventually spoke right before the convention. But can you imagine? I mean, literally not taking the call.”
