SPICY: New book details why ex-White House staff thought Obama ‘was a pr*ck’

[mystery-ak]

SPICY: New book details why ex-White House staff thought Obama ‘was a pr*ck’
July 5, 2025 | Vivek Saxena

Former President Joe Biden’s aides thought fellow former President Barack Obama “was a pr*ck” because of the way he treated their boss, according to a new book by journalists Josh Dawsey, Tyler Pager, and Isaac Arnsdorf.

“There was a lot of overlap among aides to Obama and Biden, but to Biden loyalists, Obama was a pr*ck,” the book reads, according to a copy reviewed by The Guardian.

“They thought he and his inner circle had constantly disrespected and mistreated Biden, despite his loyal service as vice president,” the book continues.

The book, “2024: How Trump Retook the White House and the Democrats Lost America,” documents one example of this “pr*ck” behavior that occurred shortly after Biden assumed office in 2021.

“They [the aides] felt vindicated when for the first time during Biden’s presidency, Obama publicly returned to the White House and began by saying ‘Thank you, Vice President Biden,’” the book reads.

“Obama was quick to claim he was joking, but to Biden’s stalwarts it was merely the latest example of Obama’s arrogance,” it continues.

more
https://www.bizpacreview.com/2025/07/05/spicy-new-book-details-why-ex-white-house-staff-thought-obama-was-a-prck-1565600/

[mountaineer]

It remains unclear if the viral moment of Obama laughing at whatever Trump said during the Jimmy Carter funeral came when DJT invited Barry to play golf with him. Reported in the book referenced above.

https://twitter.com/unlimited_ls/status/1942877438784000092

[mountaineer]

More tidbits from the book are revealed in this review, for example:

Biden’s decline was obvious to his Chief of Staff Jeff Zients and senior advisor Anita Dunn, who “had serious reservations about the octogenarian’s ability to win, but they largely kept those concerns to themselves.” Everyone was concerned about his age, for they knew the voters were concerned about his age, but no one challenged Biden about his age when he decided to run.

Instead, the people who were loyal to Biden stayed loyal. “Aides enveloped him when he walked across the South Lawn to board Marine One, to obscure his ataxic gait.”  ...

Senior advisor Anita Dunn was warned to “stop talking about Hunter Biden, or at least be careful who was around her when she did, because Jill Biden’s top aide and enforcer, Anthony Bernal, was telling others that Dunn was being disloyal.” Bernal once again looms as the éminence grise of the Biden White House.

Self-interest also appears to have crept into decision-making. Mike Donilon, whose “interpretation of polls never completely aligned with conventional wisdom,” also “stood to make millions of dollars by the end of the campaign, since overseeing campaign ads meant he got a cut of the media buys.” Ricchetti, who demanded pollsters be magicians, wanted to be Chief of Staff in the second Biden term. “Both advisers denied their own interests had any bearing on their counsel to the president,” but of course they would deny it.  ...

While the team cut back debate prep time to let Biden rest, he still arrived to the debate late and exhausted. It showed when he “trailed off while making an unintelligible point about health-care policy, tripping over his words until he finally stopped, seemed to sigh, and concluded, ‘We finally beat Medicare.’” Biden had confused Medicare with Big Pharma. “Back in the hold room, [Ron] Klain stood up and announced: ‘We’re f**ked.’”   ...

That's a shame. 

[Hoodat]

Instead, the people who were loyal to Biden stayed loyal. “Aides enveloped him when he walked across the South Lawn to board Marine One, to obscure his ataxic gait.”  ...

Senior advisor Anita Dunn was warned to “stop talking about Hunter Biden, or at least be careful who was around her when she did, because Jill Biden’s top aide and enforcer, Anthony Bernal, was telling others that Dunn was being disloyal.” Bernal once again looms as the éminence grise of the Biden White House.

It wasn't loyalty to Biden.  They seized the opportunity to become shadow fiefdom Presidents.  They were effectively driving policy and running the country under the authority of each other.

[mountaineer]

Of course. I am sure very few were loyal to Biden as a personal matter. Their only thought was self-advancement and self-enrichment.

[Smokin Joe]

It wasn't loyalty to Biden.  They seized the opportunity to become shadow fiefdom Presidents.  They were effectively driving policy and running the country under the authority of each other.

Not to mention cashing in, personally.