Obama And Joe Biden's Simmering Feud Reaches A Fever Pitch With Carter Funeral Side-Eye
Barack Obama and Joe Biden have always played nice in public, but their latest appearance at former president and humanitarian Jimmy Carter's funeral has everyone buzzing for all the wrong reasons. Just months ago, whispers of a feud between the former president and his VP seemed speculative at best, especially after Obama publicly called Biden a "dear friend and partner" on Medium while praising his contributions to America.
But something about their recent interaction just doesn't seem right. As America's political elites gathered to honor the late president, sharp-eyed viewers noticed a moment that hinted at anything but harmony between the two. Obama appeared to side-eye Biden, who was seated just a row in front of him, staring straight ahead.
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Of course, a funeral isn't the place for smiles, and no one looked particularly cheerful — except, of course, Melania Trump, whose ego is somehow bigger than Donald's at Jimmy Carter's funeral — but Obama's frosty gaze seemed reserved just for Biden. Given their reported rivalry, it's hard not to wonder if there's trouble brewing in past president paradise.
The good, the bad, and the ugly of Obama and Biden's relationship
So, are Biden and Obama besties who share friendship bracelets, or are they more like Elon Musk and Donald Trump with a bromance going down in flames? The truth likely falls somewhere in between. Like most close partnerships, the former president and his VP share a well-documented, complicated history. When Biden was serving as VP, he was one of the poorest politicians in Washington and couldn't afford to pay for his son Beau Biden's medical treatments. He confided in Obama that he was planning to put his home on the market, but the then-president wouldn't hear of it: "I'll give you the money. Whatever you need, I'll give you the money. Don't, Joe — promise me" (via CNN).
However, their relationship hasn't always been rosy. In 2007, Biden got into a bit of trouble with what many saw as a racist compliment when he described Obama as the "first sort of mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy" (via NBC). To quiet the whispers, Biden publicly apologized to everyone and Barack Obama. Their lowest point reportedly stemmed from Biden's presidential run. Unverified sources claimed that Obama urged another politician not to "underestimate Joe's ability to f**k things up" (via Politico). Other reports suggested Biden was upset with Obama for pressuring him to drop out of the 2024 election. Still, the pair have only ever publicly confirmed the positive parts of their relationship.