President Joe Biden is reportedly raging behind the scenes at former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and others in the Democratic Party who pushed him out of the 2024 presidential race.
Several sources told CNN that he has made his feelings known to those in his circle and it appears he carries a level of resentment towards those who turned on him.
Sources stopped short of using the word “grudge” – but said Biden would not soon forget those who appeared to be most active in pushing him aside. While he has appreciated the warm embrace of Democrats following his decision, there have also been moments of eye-rolling after public tributes from certain party members who most actively tried to push him from the race.
The process that led him to exit the campaign left the president alternately embittered and relieved, according to people familiar with his mindset, who say Biden is still processing the events that led to his ouster as the Democratic standard bearer even as he firmly believes that he made the right choice. Another source familiar with the matter said that Biden was unhappy at the time, but “is not spending time ruminating” about it.
Naturally, the White House denies that Biden is still upset about his ouster. Spokesman Andrew Bates said the notion that Biden is bitter was “not accurate” and that he is focused “on the future, not the past.”
However, the president’s alleged bitterness does not reach to Vice President Kamala Harris, who is now the Democratic Party’s nominee. He remains supportive of Harris and is intent on helping her get elected.
Biden has told people he is proud of both how Harris rose to the occasion to replace him on the ticket and how the party rallied behind her — in no small part because he quickly endorsed her as his chosen successor.
Biden and Harris made their first official joint appearance in their new roles as lame duck president and Democratic nominee Thursday for an event focused on drug costs.
The two were effusive in their praise for one another during the event. “There’s a lot of love in this room for our president, and I think it’s for many, many reasons,” Harris said, as supporters chanted: “Thank you, Joe.”
The president is now focused on his legacy, helping Harris win, and his agenda for the next five months he will be in office. He has been keeping a low profile since he no longer has to hit the campaign trail, according to the report.
Earlier this week, Biden let some of his resentment toward Pelosi slip during an interview on CBS News.
“A number of my Democratic colleagues in the House and Senate thought that I was going to hurt them in the races. And I was concerned if I stayed in the race, that would be the topic, you’d be interviewing me about why did Nancy Pelosi say -why did – and I thought it’d be a real distraction,” Biden told CBS News’ Bob Costa.
Other reports have suggested Biden feels betrayed by Pelosi and other powerful Democrats who played decisive roles in pushing him out of the race.
Here’s a question: What the hell did he expect?
After Biden’s abysmal debate performance against former President Donald Trump, the proverbial writing was on the wall, and it said: “It’s time to hang it up, Joe.” Indeed, Democrats and members of the activist media turned on him faster than Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz fled the military when it appeared he might have to serve in the Iraq war.
Democrats would have been foolish to allow Biden, with his apparent cognitive decline, to continue leading the party on the presidential ticket. Perhaps the president is still in denial about his ability to defeat Trump. However, Democrats don’t seem to be under that particular delusion.
