As Barack Obama returned to the White House now occupied by his former vice president, even the mainstream media couldn’t ignore the tension between the two men. Once touted as an enviable bromance, it is now clear the two men’s relationship is one of raw power and political one-upmanship.
Now that Biden sits in the Oval Office, Obama seems almost ashamed that the gaffe prone octogenarian has a political connection to him. He could hardly hide his disdain for his former VP during his September visit to the White House to unveil his and Michelle’s official portraits or during an April visit on the anniversary of the Affordable Care Act.
“Obama Reminds Biden Who’s Boss,” a New York magazine headline read. (RELATED: Obama Jumps Into Pennsylvania Midterms After Fetterman’s Error-Filled Debate Performance)
“As Obamas visit White House on Wednesday, tensions linger between Obama, Biden camps,” the Washington Post reported.
Politico highlighted the duo’s “complicated friendship” ahead of the visit.
Today marks two years since the Biden-Harris administration began. I’ve been reflecting on how fortunate we’ve been to have the steady leadership of @POTUS and @VP—and all the public servants working to deliver for folks across the country. pic.twitter.com/6w23hOPdnt
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) January 20, 2023
Obama is far more adored in his own party than the current president. When visiting the White House in April, Obama received a hero’s welcome from high-ranking Democrats, including Nancy Pelosi and other White House staffers. Obama even jokingly referred to Biden as his “vice president” at the start of his speech. The comment, which Obama assured Biden was a joke, irked some of Biden’s aides, who heard it as yet another example of Obama’s sense of superiority over the president, Politico reported. (RELATED: Biden’s Reported New Chief Of Staff, Jeff Zients, Linked To Allegations Of Fraud And Questionable Business Practices)
During Obama’s April visit, Biden was left standing awkwardly in his own White House while functionaries swarmed Obama. Video shows Biden lifting his hands in frustration as he watched even his own VP gawking at the former president.
Joe Biden and Barack Obama share a laugh together. 22nd January, 2009. pic.twitter.com/leHheKZxjp
— Presidents and vice presidents doing normal shit (@NormaIPresident) January 22, 2023
Now, trove of classified documents from Biden’s time as vice president have come to light, and the discoveries are causing some Democrats to turn on the president. In the meantime, a new potential 2024 contender, Michelle Obama, is increasingly seen as an alternative to the elderly commander-in-chief.
Two New York Times journalists allege in a forthcoming book on Joe Biden that Obama was “jealous” of the positive coverage of Biden’s accomplishments. (RELATED: Rep. Greg Steube Suffers ‘Several Injuries’ After Accident On His Property)
“For all the talk Biden and Obama do about brothers, they’re not that close. They don’t talk super often today. There’s a rivalry there,” they said on CNN.
Obama Democrats reportedly don’t want Biden to run in 2024, according to a former aide, and their opinions could mirror those of the former president himself.
JUST NOW: @jmartNYT and @alexburnsNYT on one of the nuggets from their new book, out tomorrow:
“For all the talk Biden and Obama do about brothers, they’re not that close. They don’t talk super often today. There’s a rivalry there.” pic.twitter.com/N5RGDINx2a
— Nora Neus (@noraneus) May 2, 2022
Obama reportedly once said, “Don’t underestimate Joe’s ability to fuck things up.” Whether or not Obama is intentionally sabotaging Biden’s presidency is up for debate, but he certainly has the influence to stage a coup in the party.
