The collective weight of their words isn’t dispositive: Clinton might not run, and even if she does, she’s likely to face a primary challenge of some kind.

But it would be difficult for Biden, who occupies a similar ideological space, to challenge Clinton in any meaningful way.

And at minimum, the comments from former advisers to Obama could serve as a disincentive to the president’s second in command.

Axelrod, Cutter and Plouffe didn’t respond to emails for comment. But one Democratic operative argued the comments are not meant to be unkind; nor are they reflective of any larger tension between Obama’s office and Biden’s. They are, the operative said, “reflecting reality.”