Former President Barack Obama was reportedly angered by former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s swift endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris following President Joe Biden’s withdrawal from the 2024 presidential race, according to a new book.
An excerpt from ABC News’ Jonathan Karl’s upcoming book, Retribution, suggests that Pelosi and Obama had previously agreed that Harris “should not simply be handed the nomination unchallenged.” Despite that understanding, Pelosi publicly endorsed Harris within 24 hours of Biden’s announcement.
“The Obamas were not happy,” a source close to Pelosi told Karl, as reported by the Daily Mail. “This person summed up Obama’s message to Pelosi as, essentially, ‘What the f— did you just do?’”
Karl writes that Obama harbored serious doubts about Harris’ ability to defeat former President Donald Trump and favored holding an open Democratic convention. “Obama and Pelosi—arguably the two most influential figures in the Democratic Party—had privately agreed to abstain from making any endorsements,” the book states.
The excerpt adds that Obama sought clarity on Pelosi’s actions. “The former president wanted to know what had happened. Why had Pelosi issued a statement endorsing Harris so soon? Hadn’t he and Pelosi agreed days earlier that party leaders anointing the vice president as Biden’s replacement would be a mistake?” Karl wrote.
Obama reportedly made an angry phone call to Pelosi, during which she countered, “that train has left the station,” noting that Biden had endorsed Harris in his withdrawal statement. A source close to Pelosi described Obama as “genuinely irritated” during the call.
Ultimately, Obama waited five days after Biden’s exit before publicly endorsing Harris. He made the announcement in a joint call with his wife, Michelle, telling Harris, “Michelle and I couldn’t be prouder to endorse you and do everything we can to get you through this election and into the Oval Office.” Michelle added, “I am proud of you. This is going to be historic.”
Karl’s book paints a picture of behind-the-scenes tension between two of the Democratic Party’s most prominent figures and highlights the high-stakes calculations that shaped the party’s 2024 presidential succession.
