Kamala was hoping to be coronated as the nominee. But not if Obama has anything to say about it.
And he has a 2024 surprise in store that completely blindsided Kamala Harris.
Former President Barack Obama’s reluctance to endorse Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign stems from his belief that she can’t defeat Donald Trump, a source close to the Biden family reveals.
After Joe Biden’s surprising exit from the race on Sunday and his swift endorsement of Harris, Democratic elites quickly circled the wagons around her — but Obama remains conspicuously absent from the chorus of support.
“Obama’s very upset because he knows she can’t win,” the Biden family source told the New York 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.”
“When you are running for president there are things you can and can’t say.”
Biden, 81, was driven to his breaking point after his disastrous debate performance against Trump in Atlanta last month. The Post previously reported that the debate was part of an “elaborate set-up” to edge him out of the race.
But the source is even more pessimistic about a potential debate between Trump and Harris. Another debate had been scheduled for September 10 when Biden was still in the race.
“Wait until the debate… She can’t debate. She’s going to put her foot in her mouth about Israel, Palestine, Ukraine. She’s going to say something really stupid,” the source said.
“Obama knew this was going to happen, Joe knew this was going to happen. Now she is going to have to answer real questions.”
The White House did not respond to The Post’s request for comment.
The source also revealed that Obama’s original plan was to get Biden out of the way, orchestrated in part by an article written by George Clooney in the New York Times urging Biden to step aside.
However, Democratic insiders were blindsided by Biden’s immediate endorsement of Harris, with the source noting, “Obama was shocked” when Joe threw his support behind her.
Post-Biden’s departure, Obama — who did not return a request for comment Wednesday — reportedly favored Arizona Senator and former astronaut Mark Kelly to lead the ticket at the Democratic National Convention next month, according to the source.
Obama is “furious” that his plans have been derailed, explaining his absence from the wave of Democratic support for Harris, the source added.
Another Democratic insider remarked, “Obama being surprised by a smart political decision actually makes sense when coupled with his personal inability to see politics beyond his singular, immediate interests.”
“Obama always thinks he is the smartest and coolest guy in the room. He’s friends with George Clooney, after all.”
Rod Blagojevich, the disgraced former governor of Illinois who labeled Obama a “threat to democracy” in a Wall Street Journal op-ed on Tuesday, told The Post he believes “Obama was instrumental” in pushing Biden out of the race.
Blagojevich, now a Trump supporter, was Illinois governor when Obama became a state senator in 2005.
“It [Biden’s departure from the race] couldn’t have happened without him [Obama],” Blagojevich told The Post. “Without Obama, Biden is still the Democratic nominee. Obama was the conductor leading the orchestra that convinced Biden to step aside.”
Obama transitioned from Illinois senator to President in 2008, while Blagojevich was impeached in 2009 for attempting to sell Obama’s vacant Senate seat, removed from office, and later convicted on corruption charges.
Reports also suggest Obama’s persuasion kept Biden from running in 2016, to give Hillary Clinton a shot at the White House, which Biden later confirmed in the New York Times, referring to Obama’s lack of encouragement.
“He’s running the Democratic party like a Chicago ward boss from the shadows in the back room,” Blagojevich continued. “In this case it’s a big backroom because he has a lot of big houses.”
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