Mary Margaret Olohan on August 19, 2019
Former President Barack Obama warned Joe Biden’s campaign advisers in March to make sure the former vice president did not “damage his legacy.”
Obama summoned Biden’s campaign advisers to a March meeting where they briefed the former president on Biden’s campaign strategies, according to the New York Times.
After the meeting, Obama reportedly told the campaign advisers to make sure that Biden did not “embarrass himself” or “damage his legacy” during his campaign, two sources familiar with the situation told the New York Times.
Obama also met with Biden several times before the former vice president announced his presidential bid and pushed Biden on whether he would run for president again, the Times reports. Biden reportedly told Obama in response that he would not be able to forgive himself if he did not try to defeat President Donald Trump.
“You don’t have to do this, Joe, you really don’t,” Obama said to Biden, a source familiar with the situation told the New York Times.
Neither the Biden campaign nor Obama responded to requests for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation.
Biden also reportedly assured Obama aides in 2008 that “Barack would never have to worry” about Biden using his vice presidency to attempt a presidential bid, saying at the time he was too old for such aspirations.
The former vice president’s promise proved “helpful” in securing his spot in the White House, the Times reports that top Obama strategist David Plouffe said, since Biden was the only candidate to promise Obama this.
