Barack Obama has not yet endorsed Kamala Harris‘ presidential bid because he is sceptical about her ability to beat Donald Trump, a Biden family insider has claimed.
Harris won the backing of the Democratic party delegates on Monday, a day after President Joe Biden, 81, announced that he was dropping his reelection bid and endorsed the Vice President.
Top Democrats quickly rallied behind Harris, 59, and issued public support of her campaign – but Obama has remained noticeably silent.
A source close to Biden’s family told The New York Post that the former President is ‘very upset’ about Harris’ candidacy and ‘knows she can’t win’ against Trump, 78. The insider further went on to allege that Obama, 69, believes Harris is ‘incompetent’ and ‘cannot navigate the landmines that are ahead of her’.
But other DC insiders have claimed that Obama privately has fully supported Harris’ candidacy and has been in regular contact with her throughout this week, NBC News reported, citing four people familiar with the pair’s discussions.
They claim he believes her campaign has been ‘off to a great start’ and that he plans to publicly endorse her soon. Aides for Harris and Obama have also allegedly ‘discussed arranging for the two of them to appear together on the campaign trail’.
Former president Barack Obama has not yet publicly endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris’ bid for the White House. The pair are pictured together in April 2022 at a White House event to mark the 2010 passage of the Affordable Care Act
A source close to the Biden family told The New York Post that Obama has not endorsed her because he is ‘very upset’ about Harris’ candidacy and ‘knows she can’t win’ against Trump. President Joe Biden (pictured on Wednesday) announced Sunday that he was dropping his reelection bid and quickly offered his endorsement of Harris
The only publicly known call between Obama and Harris occurred on Sunday after Biden ended his bid for the White House and quickly threw his support behind the Vice President, who had also been his 2024 running mate.
Obama then issued a statement praising Biden and the process for selecting a new Democratic nominee.
‘We will be navigating uncharted waters in the days ahead,’ he said in the statement. ‘But I have extraordinary confidence that the leaders of our party will be able to create a process from which an outstanding nominee emerges.’
But what was noticeably absent was any endorsement of Harris.
A source close to the Biden family has alleged that Obama was ‘shocked’ that the President endorsed Harris so quickly and is ‘furious’ about the situation.
‘Obama’s very upset because he knows she can’t win,’ the insider told The Post. ‘Obama knows she’s just incompetent — the border czar who never visited the border, saying that all migrants should have health insurance. She cannot navigate the landmines that are ahead of her.’
The source went on to allege that Obama would instead like to see Arizona Senator and former astronaut Mark Kelly ‘at the top of the ticket’ at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago next month.
But sources close to Obama have told NBC that he join Harris on the campaign trail, ‘though no date has been set,’ adding that both Obama and his wife Michelle support the Vice President. Harris, Biden and Obama are pictured together at the White House in 2022
Obama’s senior adviser Eric Schultz told NBC the former President ‘looks forward to helping Democrats up and down the ballot make the case to voters this fall’. He said Obama (pictured with Biden and Harris in 2022) feels he can help ‘unify his party’ and plans to use a strategy focused on ‘driving impact, especially where and when his voice can move the needle’
But those close to Obama are claiming that he views himself as a ‘resource’ and ‘sounding board’ for Harris, who will has ‘taken on a lot in a very short time’, NBC reported.
He will allegedly join Harris on the campaign trail, ‘though no date has been set,’ the report said, adding that both Obama and his wife Michelle support Harris.
Obama’s senior adviser Eric Schultz told NBC the former President ‘looks forward to helping Democrats up and down the ballot make the case to voters this fall’.
He said Obama feels he can help ‘unify his party’ and plans to use a strategy focused on ‘driving impact, especially where and when his voice can move the needle’.
Obama and Harris have known each other for several years, with the Vice President having been an early supporter of his 2008 presidential campaign.
Harris was also given a speaking role at his 2012 nominating convention.
Obama has also previously backed Harris, throwing his support behind both her campaigns for attorney general in California and her bid for the Senate in 2016.
DailyMail.com has approached the Obama Foundation, White House and Harris campaign for comment.
