After a rough debate performance by Joe Biden, which left many Democrats worried and even joking about moving to the moon, Barack Obama stepped up to defend his former vice president on social media. On X, he wrote: “Bad debate nights happen. Trust me, I know. But this election is still a choice between someone who has fought for ordinary folks his entire life and someone who only cares about himself. Between someone who tells the truth; who knows right from wrong and will give it to the American people straight — and someone who lies through his teeth for his own benefit. Last night didn’t change that, and it’s why so much is at stake in November.”
Despite his public support, Obama is reportedly just as concerned about the election as anyone else. According to The Washington Post, he confided in allies that Biden’s shaky debate performance has made his already tough path to reelection even more challenging. This private worry contrasts with Obama’s encouraging public statements.
In addition, there’s more drama behind the scenes. Obama apparently knew in advance that George Clooney was planning to publicly criticize Biden’s chances of winning due to his age. Before Clooney’s New York Times op-ed calling for Biden to step down, he reached out to Obama for a heads-up. According to Politico, while Obama didn’t push Clooney to publish his thoughts, he also didn’t try to stop him. This lack of objection is surprising, especially since Obama had been one of the first big names to defend Biden after the debate, even as many of his former aides criticized the current president.
