On January 7, 2024, Axios published a report revealing former President Barack Obama’s deep-seated worries regarding Biden’s campaign.
A Biden ally was quoted saying, “When you’re advertising on TV, and you’re going backward, that’s serious.”
This situation has reportedly caused significant unease for Obama.
According to Axios:
Many top-tier Democrats are expressing concern that President Biden and his reelection team are too complacent — and lacking creativity — about the risk of losing to Donald Trump, sources inform us.
The most recent warning came Saturday in a leak to The Washington Post about a private meeting where former President Obama suggested a different approach for Biden’s campaign. It was reportedly a lunch just before the holidays. Obama urged Biden to consider relocating his political operation outside of — and beyond — his White House advisers, similar to what the former president did with his Chicago-based 2012 reelection team.
“Obama also recommended that Biden seek advice from Obama’s own former campaign aides, which Biden officials say they have done,” The Post added.
Why is Obama nervous? Below is a map of CNN’s 2024 projections released in early January.
Map of 2024 based on CNN projections
Obviously take this with a grain of salt, but if this is indicative of reality and holds until November, this year will be interesting pic.twitter.com/IEsIGTaVrX
— Jesse Hughes ✝️🇺🇸 (@jhughes1776) January 6, 2024
Following the reports about Obama’s concerns, an interview with Michelle Obama was released on a podcast.
In an interview on Jay Shetty’s “On Purpose” podcast, released on January 8, Obama expressed her fears about the upcoming presidential election. “I am terrified about what could possibly happen,” she said.
“Because our leaders matter. Who we select, who speaks for us, who holds that bully pulpit — it affects us in ways that sometimes I think people take for granted,” the former first lady said when asked to name some of her biggest fears keeping her awake.
“The fact that people think that government, does it really even do anything? And I’m like, ‘Oh my God, does government do everything for us.’ And we cannot take this democracy for granted. And sometimes I worry that we do,” Obama, 59, said.
She also listed wars “in too many regions,” the future of artificial intelligence, education issues and voter engagement among her chief concerns.
The former First Lady did not directly mention former President Trump but took a veiled shot at his “tone.”
“The tone and tenor of the message matters. We can’t just say what the first thing that comes to our minds,” Obama said.
“That is not authenticity to me. That’s childish, and we see childish leadership right before us — what that looks like and how that feels, where somebody is just base, and vulgar and cynical in a leadership position,” she told Shetty.
“It doesn’t trickle down well. That just begets more of that,” Obama said.
“I think we are obligated to model, for those of us that have a platform, because it resonates,” she added.
“And I want to resonate good. I want to resonate reason, and compassion and empathy,” she added.
Doesn’t this sound suspiciously like a campaign speech?