Biden refused to speak with Obama for weeks before and after dropping out: book

President Joe Biden spurned former President Barack Obama’s calls in the two weeks before Biden dropped his re-election bid last July — and then wouldn’t speak to his ex-boss for another month after ending his quest for a second term, according to a new book on last year’s race for the White House.Biden, now 82, served eight years as vice president to Obama, now 64, but their relationship soured as the first black president’s hand was rumored to be behind a devastating George Clooney New York Times op-ed, published July 10, 2024, that called on Biden to step aside following his disastrous June 27 debate with former President Donald Trump.The Oscar-winning actor had declared in the scathing piece that Biden “cannot win” less than a month after co-hosting a fundraiser that brought in some $30 million for the Democratic ticket, but was overshadowed by Biden freezing up during the event and having to be led offstage by Obama.“Obama had been trying to get in touch with Biden for about two weeks, but his calls had not been returned,” ABC News chief Washington correspondent Jonathan Karl writes in an excerpt from his upcoming book “Retribution: Donald Trump and the Campaign That Changed America” that was published by the Dispatch on Friday and detailed the 48 hours before Biden announced he was leaving the race.“Obama reached out again after Biden suspended his campaign, but the two men would not end up speaking until shortly before the Democratic National Convention four weeks later.”A Biden spokesperson declined to comment, and an Obama rep did not immediately respond to a request for comment.Biden’s feelings toward Obama were complicated throughout his own term by the fact that the charismatic 44th president’s star power dwarfed Biden’s own, something that was felt whenever Obama dropped by the executive mansion.“Obama caused tension when he would visit the White House because he operated as if he still ran it,” a Biden White House ...