‘The President Was Not Encouraging’: What Obama Really Thought About Biden - POLITICO

Behind the friendship was a more complicated relationship, which now drives the former vice president to prove his partner wrong. Illustration by Klawe Rzeczy By ALEX THOMPSON 08/14/2020 05:11 AM EDT Updated: 08/14/2020 01:50 PM EDT Link Copied Alex Thompson is a national political reporter at POLITICO. The way Joe Biden explained it on the campaign trail in Iowa, he and his friend Barack Obama had long talked of Biden succeeding him in the White House, continuing the work of their administration. It was only tragic fate, in the form of the loss of his son Beau, that intervened. Now, after four years, the plan could finally go forward, with Biden running as the administration’s true heir. Barack Obama, Biden solemnly declared in his campaign announcement in Philadelphia, is “an extraordinary man, an extraordinary president.” On the social media-generated #BestFriendsDay, the campaign posted a picture of “Joe” and “Barack” friendship bracelets. Biden relabeled himself an “Obama-Biden De

Behind the friendship was a more complicated relationship, which now drives the former vice president to prove his partner wrong. Illustration by Klawe Rzeczy By ALEX THOMPSON 08/14/2020 05:11 AM EDT Updated: 08/14/2020 01:50 PM EDT Link Copied Alex Thompson is a national political reporter at POLITICO. The way Joe Biden explained it on the campaign trail in Iowa, he and his friend Barack Obama had long talked of Biden succeeding him in the White House, continuing the work of their administration. It was only tragic fate, in the form of the loss of his son Beau, that intervened. Now, after fou