Michelle Obama is frustrated with the Bidens over how her friend Kathleen Buhle was treated after divorcing Hunter Biden. This has made her hesitant to campaign for President Biden, a new report reveals.
Michelle and Buhle became friends while Barack Obama was president, and Joe Biden was vice president. Buhle and Hunter separated in 2015 and divorced in 2017. Buhle's memoir, "If We Break," details Hunter's addictions and infidelity. She was "largely exiled" from the Biden family after their split, according to Axios.
The Bidens were reportedly upset by Buhle's book. This came a year after Hunter's memoir, "Beautiful Things," which also discussed his addiction.
In 2017, Obama attended a fundraiser for the Beau Biden Foundation. At the time, Hunter was dating his late brother's widow, Hallie Biden. Obama reportedly called the situation "weird s--t," but he later denied this.
Michelle privately expressed that she felt Buhle was wronged after her marriage ended. She hasn't actively campaigned for Biden during his re-election battle against Trump. Although she works with a voter registration group, she hasn't campaigned for others either, as she dislikes partisan politics.
She was "initially reluctant" to campaign for Biden in 2020 but eventually did, speaking at the Democratic National Convention. Despite the reported tension, discussions about her joining Biden's campaign trail continue. Michelle's approval ratings are high, making her a strong political force for Democrats.
While Obama and Biden are united politically, their relationship changed in 2015 when Obama discouraged Biden from running for president, favoring Hillary Clinton. Obama's camp stressed it was about Biden's well-being, as he was grieving his son Beau's death.
"The Biden and Obama families are like family to each other," said spokesman Andrew Bates. "The former President and First Lady have been strong supporters of President Biden’s leadership."
Michelle's spokesperson also responded, noting Jill Biden attended the memorial service for Obama's mother, Marian Robinson. "Mrs. Obama supports President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign," said Crystal Carson. "She is friends with Kathleen and the Bidens. Two things can be true. On Monday, Dr. Biden graciously joined the family to celebrate Marian Robinson’s life."