It’s been a tough year for Joe Biden, to put it mildly. At the start of 2024, the president had the full backing of his party for reelection. Fast forward a few months, and Biden found himself not just out of the race but on the receiving end of a very public political push-off led by some of his closest allies—or so he thought.
The unraveling began in June, during his first debate against Donald Trump. Biden’s performance—or lack thereof—put his cognitive struggles on display like never before, sending shockwaves through the Democratic establishment. That’s when the power brokers stepped in. Former President Barack Obama and ex-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, wielding their influence like pros, began gently (or not so gently) encouraging Biden to bow out.
Biden resisted as long as he could. But by July, the pressure was too much, and he officially exited the race. In a matter of hours, the Democrats had anointed Kamala Harris as their new standard-bearer, skipping the whole messy primary process. Spoiler alert: It didn’t work. Harris went on to lose decisively to Trump, in both the Electoral College and the popular vote.
Birthday Wishes and Awkward Optics
Now, just months after this political upheaval, Biden marked his 82nd birthday on Wednesday. Ever the diplomat, Barack Obama took to social media to wish his “friend” Joe a happy birthday. A sweet gesture, right? Not so fast.
Fox News’ Jesse Watters was quick to call out the irony. “‘Happy birthday to my friend, Joe Biden. My friend who I just couped,’” Watters quipped, adding, “Kamala also chimed in with, ‘Happy birthday to my dear friend.’ Sounds so insincere.”
Meanwhile, Pelosi was notably silent on Biden’s big day. No card, no call, no celebratory tweet. However, she did remember that it was Trans Day of Remembrance, which likely didn’t earn her an invite to Biden’s beach house bash in Rehoboth.
A Grudge Match Behind Closed Doors
The rift between Biden and the Democratic establishment is no secret. While Obama’s birthday shoutout might suggest the two are on good terms, Pelosi’s comments last month painted a different picture. Speaking on The Guardian’s podcast, Pelosi acknowledged that her relationship with Biden has been frosty since his exit from the race.
“Not since then, no,” Pelosi admitted when asked if they’d spoken recently. “But I’m prayerful about it.” Translation: they’re probably not exchanging holiday cards this year.
Pelosi has also been busy deflecting blame for Harris’ disastrous loss, suggesting Biden waited too long to step aside. “Had the president gotten out sooner, there may have been other candidates in the race,” she remarked, lamenting the lack of an open primary.
No Love Lost
Despite Obama’s public display of goodwill, it’s hard to imagine Biden feeling warm and fuzzy about his former boss—or any of the Democratic leaders who effectively pushed him out. Pelosi’s post-election finger-pointing hasn’t helped matters, nor has the perception that Biden was treated more as a liability than a leader in his final months on the campaign trail.
Obama may tweet “happy birthday” all he wants, but behind the scenes, it’s safe to say the Biden-Obama-Pelosi triangle isn’t exactly a model of friendship and harmony. At 82, Biden might be celebrating another year of life, but his relationships within the Democratic establishment? That’s a whole other story.
