Infighting and division amongst Democratic Party leaders has officially boiled over after shocking new details emerged that former President Barack Obama and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi erupted into a profanity-filled fight that has left the party’s future in question.
In his new book “Retribution”, ABC News’s Jonathan Karl details that Obama raged at Pelosi over her endorsement of then VP Kamala Harris the day after President Joe Biden dropped out of the presidential race.
According to Karl’s new book, Obama was “not happy” with Pelosi’s quick endorsement of then-Vice President Kamala Harris — and he let it be known in a phone call with the former House speaker..
Pelosi described Harris as “brilliantly astute” and expressed “full confidence” that the ex-California senator could defeat President Trump in her endorsement statement, which came less than 24 hours after Joe Biden ended his 2024 re-election bid.
However, Obama preferred to let “a process” determine Trump’s Democratic Party opponent, then called Pelosi shortly after her endorsement to vent his frustration — having thought they were on the same page.
“The Obamas were not happy,” a Pelosi insider told Karl, according to an excerpt obtained by the media.
“This person summed up Obama’s message to Pelosi as, essentially, ‘What the f–k did you just do?’”
Obama reportedly had serious concerns about Harris’ ability to beat Trump in the general election.
“That train has left the station,” Pelosi reportedly told Obama during their call, according to Karl, apparently referring to Biden’s quick endorsement of Harris after announcing his decision to end his campaign.
Karl wrote that Obama and Pelosi both “agreed Harris should not simply be handed the nomination unchallenged.”
“Therefore, Obama and Pelosi — arguably the two most influential figures in the Democratic Party — had privately agreed to abstain from making any endorsements,” Karl claimed.
According to the book, both Obama and Pelosi had been in “regular communication” leading up to Biden’s July 21, 2024, withdrawal announcement, which is why Obama was so stunned by Pelosi’s decision to back Harris.
However, a source close to Obama described the former president’s conversation with Pelosi as “’good-natured ribbing,” rather than heated, according to Karl.
“The former president wanted to know what had happened. Why had Pelosi issued a statement endorsing Harris so soon? Hadn’t he and Pelosi agreed days earlier that party leaders anointing the vice president as Biden’s replacement would be a mistake?” Karl wrote.
However, sources close to Pelosi felt that Obama sounded “genuinely irritated” on the call.
Many Democratic leaders, including one Biden official believed that Obama, who waited five days after Biden dropped out to endorse Harris, didn’t think Harris could defeat Donald Trump in the general election.
“There’s only one Black Jesus,” the undisclosed senior Biden adviser told Karl.
It also wasn’t just Obama who was stunned at Pelosi.
Pelosi’s husband, Paul, was also surprised by the former House speaker’s decision.
“Kamala?” Paul Pelosi asked his wife, according to Karl.
To which Nancy Pelosi shot back: “Don’t start with me.”
Karl noted in his book that big-name Democrats, such as the Clintons, and potential challengers, like Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and California Gov. Gavin Newsom, quickly endorsed Harris at the time, leaving Pelosi “had no choice.”
“No other candidates had stepped forward — Kamala Harris was it. The only thing Pelosi could do was try to help her win the election,” he wrote.
Karl’s “Retribution” hits bookstores today.