Barack Obama & Nancy Pelosi Privately Express Concerns Over Biden’s Campaign

Former President Barack Obama and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi have held private discussions regarding President Joe Biden‘s 2024 campaign, expressing concerns about the increased difficulty they perceive in defeating former President Donald Trump. They both remain uncertain about the best course of action.

Since last month’s debate, which raised concerns within the Democratic Party about Biden’s fitness for another term, Democrats have eagerly sought a resolution to the turmoil so they can refocus on defeating Trump.

Many Democrats have urged Obama or Pelosi to mediate the infighting, acknowledging that Senate Majority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-New York) lacks Biden’s trust and that House Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-New York) lacks the necessary rapport to convey the message effectively.

Despite Thursday night’s news conference, more than a dozen members of Congress, operatives and individuals in touch with both Obama and Pelosi have indicated that Biden’s withdrawal appears to be the obvious solution, with the only remaining question being how it will unfold.

Several prominent Democrats have emphasized that if Obama and Pelosi hold a different view, these two influential figures with close ties to Biden must publicly clarify their stance quickly, given the less than four months remaining until the election, to avoid further damage.

While sources say Obama and Pelosi have been quietly guiding the party, neither has publicly stated whether they believe Biden should remain in the race.

In the past, including during the 2020 Democratic primaries, Obama has viewed his role as a unifier who can validate the party’s direction to skeptical factions.

However, thus far, Obama has not committed to assuming that role regarding whether Biden should remain the nominee, leaving many Democrats feeling abandoned as he maintains the same posture that has largely characterized his post-presidency.

After the debate, Obama posted on X: “Bad debate nights happen. Trust me, I know,” reiterating the sentiment at a fundraiser in New York for House Democrats following the debate.

Obama had not initially planned to make any public statement, but Biden and Obama’s aides collaborated to ensure that the post reflected Biden’s campaign talking points, highlighting that Obama’s first reelection debate in 2012 also went poorly but did not end his campaign.

According to sources familiar with Obama’s conversations, he has been receiving more calls than he is initiating. He has dismissed the idea that he could influence Biden’s decisions, even if he wished to, and he has carefully avoided taking positions that he believes would quickly leak.

Similarly, many of Pelosi’s colleagues hope she can end the turmoil engulfing Democrats over the last two weeks, believing that the chaos will subside if she advises Biden to withdraw from the race.

Pelosi, who has known Biden for decades, indicated that she does not view his decision to stay in the race as final. On Wednesday, she spoke on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, casting doubt on his candidacy.