Overview
- Excerpts from Jonathan Karl’s Retribution report that Barack Obama phoned Nancy Pelosi after her swift public backing of Kamala Harris, with a Pelosi confidant paraphrasing his reaction as, “What the f*** did you just do?”
- Karl writes that Obama and Pelosi had privately agreed to withhold endorsements so Democrats could run a process rather than hand the nomination to Harris immediately.
- Accounts of the call’s tone conflict, with a source close to Obama calling it good‑natured ribbing and a Pelosi ally describing him as genuinely irritated.
- Pelosi endorsed Harris less than a day after Joe Biden ended his 2024 bid, while Barack and Michelle Obama publicly backed Harris five days later.
- Anonymously sourced reporting in the book includes a senior Biden adviser saying Obama doubted Harris’ chances, and Karl notes Pelosi felt boxed in as party heavyweights quickly lined up behind Harris.