A new political book titled “Fight: Inside the Wildest Battle for the White House,” which came out on April 1, 2025, is spilling the beans on some tension between former President Barack Obama and his own Democratic Party.
Written by seasoned reporters Jonathan Allen from NBC News and Amie Parnes of The Hill, the book suggests that when Barack Obama stepped down, he left the Democratic Party in a bit of a mess. It turns out that some of the decisions he made after his presidency, like starting his own nonprofit for politics, didn’t sit well with everyone.
@amieparnes and @jonallendc join @robbysoave to dive into their new book “Fight: Inside the Wildest Battle for The White House” pic.twitter.com/0W9HjLYukg
— Rising (@RisingTheHill) April 2, 2025
According to these authors, “never really embraced being a party loyalist.” This kind of behavior on his part was reported to have created power struggles right under everyone’s noses, especially because they were all gearing up for the 2024 elections. It’s like he had an agenda that did not always align with the party’s, and that created some tension.
So, with everyone expecting a smooth transition and a united front, it seems there were more fireworks than at a Fourth of July celebration. The book is an eye-opener of what transpired after Obama was in office and how it impacted the party dynamic.
At the centre of the argument made by the authors is the idea of Organizing for Action (OFA), a not-for-profit organization that was formed way back in 2012 with the primary purpose of assisting Obama’s legislative goals. Instead of bolstering the Democratic Party, it’s suggested that OFA ended up redirecting resources.
According to the viewpoint expressed in Fight, “Though Organizing for Action never realized his vision, it competed with the party for power and money… He left the Democratic Party far weaker than he found it.”
One unnamed Black party operative put it bluntly: “Obama destroyed that s—.”
Unlike his predecessors, Bill Clinton and Joe Biden, Obama is portrayed as someone who relied more heavily on his personal charm and specific groups of supporters, particularly those who were Black professionals. This approach is believed to have distanced him from the traditional workings of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) leadership.
Perhaps most troubling of all, the book uncovers Obama’s initial hesitation to support Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 race. There were increasing concerns regarding President Biden’s ability to serve effectively. Obama reportedly doubted Harris’s chances of beating Donald Trump, which left her feeling quite frustrated.
Although he did endorse her eventually, it was a full five days after Biden had decided not to run, which seems to have left a mark on their relationship. Harris, according to the authors, was “very annoyed” by this delay.
Meanwhile, the book tells us that Bill and Hillary Clinton, together with Biden and Donna Brazile, were actively working to regain their grip on the inner workings of the Democratic Party. They set out to ensure that the more liberal wing didn’t take over the DNC.
By filling their loyal members in strategic areas within the framework of the party at both state and national levels, they ensured that the progressives didn’t grab too much authority. This step was very calculative and successful in ensuring continuity within the party.
Interestingly enough, while Obama stayed somewhat removed from these maneuvers for power, the former First Lady Michelle Obama herself publicly endorsed Kamala Harris during the Democratic National Convention. She lauded Harris as “more than ready for this moment” and “one of the most qualified people ever to seek the office.”
“You know who did that?” a Black Biden ally told the authors. “Bill and Hillary motherf—ing Clinton.” This ally’s candid words underscore the perception that the Clintons were the ones orchestrating this behind-the-scenes effort to maintain control and keep the party’s more progressive elements in check.
hillary clinton, who will not shut up, says she’s coaching kamala to beat trump
..so hillary really does want kamala to lose
— Gio DeBatta 🍸 (@GDebatta) September 19, 2024
Obama’s critics have a point in suggesting that his tactics may have unintentionally set the stage for Donald Trump’s potential victory in the 2024 election. Political analyst Ben Burgess expressed: “He still doesn’t understand why his eight years in power culminated in the rise of Trump.”
Strategists ponder whether the former president’s influence is as lasting as once thought.
