Former President Barack Obama is becoming more involved in President Joe Biden’s campaign over “grave concern” that Republican challenger Donald Trump could win in November, The New York Times reported Wednesday.
An unidentified senior aide told the paper that Obama is going to “eke it out” with Biden in what appears to be a tight race because the former president has “always” been worried about a loss to Trump.
Obama’s increased “level of engagement” includes regular phone conversations with Biden and calls to White House chief of staff Jeffrey D. Zients and top campaign aides to formulate a game plan and offer tips, according to the Times.
CNN reported that Obama spent hours with Biden at the White House Friday in primarily a “working visit.” Obama had praised him for his fiery State of the Union address and emphasized the importance of health care to win over voters. Obama deems the push to re-elect Biden an “all hands on deck” effort, those familiar with Obama told the news network.
To that end, Obama has also committed to many events to stump for his former vice president, aides said to CNN.
One of them is an appearance together along with former President Bill Clinton in a $25 million-plus campaign fundraiser at Radio City Music Hall on Thursday.
The New York Times asserted that Obama and Biden were perhaps “on the same page” regarding Biden’s future for the first time.
Before the 2020 election, Obama kept his distance somewhat, endorsing Biden in April of that year after Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) had dropped out of the race. There were reports that Obama had pledged behind the scenes to prevent Sanders from earning the nomination.
