1 week ago
As Joe Biden disembarked Air Force One successful nan early hours of Tuesday greeting successful California past week, he was visibly shaking.
It was approaching 5.30am East Coast clip and nan president had been awake almost 24 hours.
Walking slow down nan plane's stairs, he struggled to measurement up into nan SUV waiting to return him to nan 8,000-acre Santa Barbara ranch wherever he and his family person conscionable enjoyed a week-long vacation. His Secret Service agents surrounded him, shielding him from nan watching cameras, arsenic 1 gave him a adjuvant boost into nan car.
On nan tarmac, First Lady Jill Biden watched, visibly concerned. For her hubby — who dropped retired of nan predetermination title almost a period agone to nan day — had conscionable ended his exhausting travel from Democratic nominee to lame-duck president.
Last Monday, Biden had flown successful to Chicago to reside nan first nighttime of nan Democratic National Convention.
Scheduled to speak astatine astir 10.30pm (ET), nan evening was meant to beryllium his swan song, a farewell to nan statement religious and a passing of nan torch to his Vice President and nan caller Democratic nominee, Kamala Harris.
As Joe Biden disembarked Air Force One successful nan early hours of Tuesday greeting successful California past week, he was visibly shaking.
In nan end, he didn't speak until good past primetime — leaving nan shape astatine 12.15am erstwhile astir of America had agelong gone to bed.
A crowded speaking schedule meant that a planned video tribute to nan president had to beryllium trim astatine nan past infinitesimal — arsenic did nan expected capacity by James Taylor, 1 of Biden's favourite singers — successful a hopeless bid to get him connected shape earlier midnight.
Jill and their girl Ashley said to present Biden, pinch galore noting really little nan 2 women's remarks seemed to beryllium — though nan White House insists neither reside was shortened.
Nonetheless, nan organisational nonaccomplishment will person done small to thief what has been described successful caller weeks arsenic nan First Lady's increasing emotion of 'betrayal' astatine really nan Democratic statement has treated her husband.
Earlier this month, nan Mail exclusively reported really erstwhile speaker Nancy Pelosi sent a connection to Biden connected Saturday, June 20, threatening to spell nationalist pinch her concerns astir his candidacy if he did not retreat from nan predetermination race. The adjacent day, Biden tweeted a missive confirming his withdrawal, earlier endorsing Harris.
Pelosi's ultimatum is said to person near nan Bidens furious — and has each but ruined a 50-year relationship betwixt their families.
The Biden clan near Chicago almost instantly aft his reside had wrapped. The formation to California was astir 4 hours, pinch nan president taking overseas information briefings for overmuch of that time. It's improbable that he managed to get overmuch slumber astatine all.
Far from extraordinary, however, that image of Biden, shaking pinch exhaustion arsenic he near Air Force One and aft his ain statement had humiliated him connected nan world stage, was 1 of conscionable galore behind-the-scenes dramas successful a week truthful fraught pinch statement infighting that it began to lucifer a Shakespearean tragedy.
On Tuesday, nan turbulence continued, arsenic Michelle and Barack Obama took nan keynote slots successful Chicago's United Center.
While Barack lauded his erstwhile Vice President pinch praise, referring to him arsenic his 'brother' and thanking him for his service, Michelle notably did not sanction Biden a azygous clip during her rousing, 23-minute speech.
Was it a snub? Insiders opportunity it was — adding that nan erstwhile First Lady allegedly refused to speak astatine nan normal while Biden was still successful nan 2024 race.
Michelle is said to stay angry pinch nan Bidens complete their curen of her adjacent friend Kathleen Buhle, Hunter Biden's ex-wife.
Buhle has been exiled by nan family during a lengthy separation from Hunter making love backmost to 2017.
Michelle ne'er campaigned for Biden erstwhile he was nan nominee and, sources say, only confirmed her DNC speaking slot after he was retired nan way.
It was 1 of conscionable galore behind-the-scenes dramas successful a week truthful fraught pinch statement infighting that it began to lucifer a Shakespearean tragedy. (Pictured: The Obamas).
Monday night's organisational nonaccomplishment will person done small to thief what has been described successful caller weeks arsenic nan First Lady's increasing emotion of 'betrayal' astatine really nan Democratic statement has treated her husband.
Meanwhile, seated successful nan beforehand row, watching it all, was nan female who led nan complaint against Biden: Nancy Pelosi.
Asked by nan Mail connected Monday if he was still angry pinch Pelosi aliases if he has spoken to her recently, Biden simply replied: 'No, I haven't spoken to her.'
However, it is understood that nan president has been keen to nonstop his revenge — namely pinch his full-throated endorsement of Harris arsenic nan caller statement nominee.
Pelosi and Harris are some from California but are not close. When Harris first ran for nan state's lawyer wide domiciled successful 2010, Pelosi endorsed a rival candidate.
After Biden dropped out, Pelosi had been successful favour of an unfastened normal alternatively of a coronation for Harris, pinch whom she is said to person superior reservations.
There is beardown speculation that Biden endorsed Harris wrong hours of his withdrawal precisely to aggravate Pelosi — and to extremity her from pushing Harris out, conscionable arsenic she'd done to him.
The tv cameras were trained connected Pelosi arsenic Biden addressed nan normal connected Monday. She sat pinch nan California delegation, holding a 'We bosom Joe' motion and awkwardly mouthing on to chants of 'We emotion you'.
Biden aides are keen to accent that Joe and Jill person 'moved on' and are 'looking forward' — but insiders opportunity otherwise.
Indeed, Biden is besides said to person maintained a lingering resentment for his aged boss, aft Obama favored Hillary Clinton's candidacy complete his ain backmost successful 2016.
Reports earlier this summertime suggested Obama had privately urged Biden to driblet retired nan 2024 race. But erstwhile nan erstwhile president's adjacent pal, character George Clooney, penned a damning New York Times op-ed, openly calling for Biden to go, it seems that resentment turned into full-blown anger.
On Tuesday night, arsenic nan Obamas addressed nan convention, Harris held a run rally 90 miles away, successful Milwaukee. It was not a coincidence.
Harris's determination to absent herself was made retired of sensitivity and respect to Biden, insiders say.
Pelosi (pictured) and Harris are some from California but are not close. Pelosi had been successful favour of an unfastened normal alternatively of a coronation for Harris, pinch whom she is said to person superior reservations.
On Tuesday night, arsenic nan Obamas addressed nan convention, Harris held a run rally 90 miles away, successful Milwaukee. The determination to absent herself was made retired of sensitivity and respect to Biden, insiders say.
But Harris hardly needed nan ocular of a triumphant on-stage quality pinch Barack Obama. The 2 are said to beryllium close. Harris was an early endorser of his 2008 campaign, backing him complete Clinton. They speak connected nan telephone often.
After Harris gave her final-night reside to nan DNC connected Thursday, Obama posted his gushing support connected Twitter.
'[Harris] represents nan champion of America. Let's get to work,' he wrote.
With only 70 days to spell until nan election, nan Democrats surely person their activity trim retired if they're to guarantee that their ain soul problems — sparked by nan ousting of a sitting president — don't derail Harris's campaign.
