A ‘fascinating relationship’: Is the bromance over for Obama and Biden?

In brief…

• Barack Obama said he was ‘proud’ to call Joe Biden a friend during his Democratic National Conference speech.
• But it is believed the close, but tense, relationship between the two has been strained by a lack of support from Obama before Biden dropped out of the 2024 presidential race.
• The News Agents believe this stems from Biden’s loss in the 2008 primaries, which he dropped out of early.

What's the story?

When Barack Obama spoke at the Democratic National Conference, he was full of praise for President Joe Biden.

"History will remember Joe Biden as an outstanding president who defended democracy at a moment of great danger," Obama told delegates gathered in Chicago in August.

"I am proud to call him my president, but I am even prouder to call him my friend."

But prior to Joe Biden stepping out of the presidential race in July 2024, there were rumours Obama had privately shared concerns over Biden's health with key figures in the Democratic Party, while remaining silent in public over growing calls for his "friend" to drop out of the race.

He referenced Biden's decision to make way for Kamala Harris in his speech, adding: "We needed a leader who was steady and brought people together, and was selfless enough to do the rarest thing there is in politics, putting his own ambition aside for the sake of the country."

Biden wouldn't have heard this tribute to his time in power, if media reports are to be believed, however.

He allegedly skipped Obama's speech due to frustrations that the former President hadn't spoken to him directly about his concerns over his health and suitability for another four years in The White House, according to sources close to the President.

"It's a fascinating relationship," says Lewis Goodall, of the pair who have always been seen to be friendly, caring and respectful to one another – but one that has always faced scrutiny for what lies beneath the goodwill.

"Two things can be true at once.

"It's clear that they did become genuinely close in lots of ways while they were in the White House".

What's the history between Obama and Biden?

The News Agents have previously spoken about the "bromance" between Biden and Obama, which partly has its origins in a place of rivalry, with the duo both having run to become the Democratic Party nominee in 2008.

Biden dropped out of that race early, but was announced as Obama's running-mate in August 2008, winning over the Republicans and entering The White House.

Their time together in politics was characterised (at least in public) with smiling photos on White House grounds and on diplomatic stages, laughing, joking and patting each other on the back.

But Biden was quoted as saying “the President was not encouraging” of his run in 2016, when Hillary Clinton won the Democratic nomination.

"It was clear that Obama thought Hillary would be the better candidate but, as we eventually saw, it was Biden who beat Trump, not Hillary," says Lewis.

"Biden, and the people around Biden, believe that had he stood, he would have beaten Trump in 2016 and spared the country the toxin of the Trump presidency and the ongoing Trump presence, in that presumably he wouldn't have stood again."

In 2019, Joe Biden posted a tribute on Twitter (as it was known at the time) to Barack Obama to mark 'Best friends day', although this wasn’t reciprocated.

The supposed tensions between the political powerhouses came under the spotlight again this year, when Obama stayed silent following the June presidential debate between Trump and Biden, as calls from the Democrats grew louder for Biden to step aside.

He made a public statement the day Biden pulled out of the race paying tribute to his "deep empathy and hard-earned resilience" and writing about “love and gratitude” to both Joe and Jill Biden.

What's The News Agents' take?

Jon Sopel says the tensions between the two runs back to Biden's unsuccessful 2008 campaign to become to Democratic candidate.

"Biden ran and failed, being beaten by Obama. He was smashed," Jon says.

"I just think he is slightly obsessed by having spent so long in the shadow of Barack Obama, this hugely gifted, talented politician."

But Lewis says there is no questioning the closeness the pair have shown during their time in the political spotlight.

"They did have a much closer presidential relationship than a lot of Presidents and Vice Presidents have, and Biden had real input.

"Obama did value his foreign policy expertise, which he'd built up over many years in the Senate."

Lewis describes Obama as a much more “aloof” figure than Biden, with Biden taking more pleasure than the then-President in speaking with senators, and getting "down and dirty about legislation".

But despite his political confidence and enthusiasm, Lewis also speculates that Biden may have struggled with insecurities concerning his upbringing and eventual place among the top-tier of American politics.

"Biden considers himself the boy from Scranton, and he has always believed that Democratic party elites in Washington DC generally have always looked down on him," he adds.

"He was a little bit uncouth by comparison, not as smart, not as clever, he talks about this all the time.

"I think he thinks that the very embodiment of that is Barack Obama."

Despite all this, he believes it will have been Obama's silence this summer that truly stung for the 81-year-old.

"Obama has not been there for him during this period, I'm doubtless that resentment will fester,” says Lewis.

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