Obama Struck Secret Deal to Back Hillary in 2016: Book

A new book by journalist Edward Klein says Obama has been pushed into supporting a 2016 presidential run by Hillary Clinton. Obama offered the endorsement in exchange for Bill Clinton's enthusiastic nominating speech at the 2012 Democratic convention, writes Klein in an extract of The Amateur: Barack Obama in the White House published in the New York Post. The deal was allegedly struck in spite of a history of animosity between the two presidents. "Obama doesn’t know how to be president. He doesn’t know how the world works. He’s incompetent. He’s an amateur!" Klein quotes Bill as saying privately, via a source.

But after the convention, Klein says Obama cooled to the idea of offering Hillary his endorsement, deciding he'd rather stay neutral. "Bill Clinton went ballistic and threatened retaliation," writes Klein. "Obama backed down. He called his favorite journalist, Steve Kroft of 60 Minutes, and offered an unprecedented 'farewell interview' with departing Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. The result was a slobbering televised love-in—and an embarrassment to all concerned." But, says Klein, Obama may renege on his promise yet. And "as Obama’s presidency sinks deeper into scandal and inaction, the question is—will Clinton even still want his endorsement?" Click to read the full excerpt at the Post. (More Hillary Clinton stories.)