Michelle Obama refused to speak at the Democratic National Convention until Joe Biden stepped aside, sources told the Daily Mail.

Obama gave the speech that many saw as the headliner, in which she attempted to channel the "hope" of her husband's 2008 campaign while lifting up Kamala Harris. The speech made no mention of Biden, however, drawing notice from the White House.

Michelle Obama's snub

Democrats gave Biden a patronizing send-off at the convention, delegating him to a late-night speaking slot after he was forced out in a ruthless party coup.

Chief among the plotters was Nancy Pelosi, who reportedly threatened to publicly dress Biden down, the Daily Mail previously reported.

Despite the palace intrigue, both Pelosi and Barack Obama effusively praised Biden in Chicago. But the notoriously moody Michelle Obama wore her heart on her sleeve. She never mentioned Biden in a speech that soared with rhetoric about "hope" making a "comeback." The White House took it as a snub.

"It was an implicit rebuke of the Biden era,” a White House aide told Politico.

Biden, harboring some spite, did not linger at the convention after delivering his own speech.

Resentments linger

Sources told the Daily Mail that Obama wanted no part of the DNC as long as Biden was still the nominee. Obama had also not campaigned for Biden prior to his shock decision to end his campaign.

Michelle Obama is said to resent the way the Bidens treated her friend Kathleen Buhle, the ex-wife of Hunter Biden. Buhle testified at Biden's felony gun trial in June, which delved into his drug addiction and personal relationships.

Biden and Barack Obama have long had a tense relationship, with Obama famously snubbing Biden's 2016 presidential ambitions in favor of Hillary Clinton's. Obama continued to express doubts about Biden's viability as a politician in 2020 and again in 2024.

After Biden's disastrous June debate, Obama was widely seen as a driving force in pushing Biden off the ticket. Many saw actor George Clooney's public takedown of Biden as a message from Obama. Biden is said to be furious that Obama never shared his concerns directly.

Some believe Joe Biden's swift endorsement of his vice president was motivated by spite, after Obama and Pelosi were initially slow to back her. Both politicians reportedly wanted an open convention, but Harris quickly coalesced the party behind her, setting the stage for a coronation in Chicago.