Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician and attorney who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Barack Obama was the first African-American president of the United States. He previously served as a U.S. senator from Illinois from 2005 to 2008 and an Illinois state senator from 1997 to 2004.
Biden 'Marveled' at Controversial Interview That Angered Obama, Book Says
Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden highlights one particular TV appearance that angered staffers in the midst of the 2012 re-election campaign.There was tension between Obama and Biden aides during the campaign's kickoff in May of 2012, according to New York Magazine correspondent Gabe Benedetti's book, The Long Alliance.During an appearance on Meet the Press, Biden made comments about gay marriage that were not in lockstep with the administration's position—including one unprovoked and unrehearsed statement that made Obama staffers irate."I think Will and Grace probably did more to educate the American public than almost anything anybody's ever done so far," Biden told former host David Gregory after being pressed multiple times about his views on same-sex marriage.Not only did Biden invoke a TV show that had been off the air for six years, his off-the-cuff response to a question about federal policy reportedly caused a rift between Obama and Biden aides that lasted months.
Many, reportedly including Obama, felt Biden took the lead as part of a joint campaign issue."In private, in his innermost inner circle, [Biden] was still proud, no matter how uncomfortable he'd made Obama," the book says. "Once some of the dust had settled, he and [Biden's son] Beau sat down in front of a TV and together rewatched the interview over and over, to marvel at what he'd done."Prior to the appearance, Biden was prepped for multiple days and attended an LGBTQ fundraiser in Los Angeles.Aside from also telling Gregory "the president sets the policy," Biden said he was "absolutely comfortable" with gay and lesbian couples marrying.
