The conventional wisdom is that Kamala Harris is trying to separate herself from the Biden-Harris administration's record. On the economy, the border crisis, and even Israel, Kamala desperately wants to brand her potential presidency as a "new way forward" and turn the hyphen in "Biden-Harris administration" into a ten-foot pole.
So why is Joe Biden joining her on the campaign trail? Biden took a break from his vacation to appear on stage with Kamala Harris in Pittsburgh. Perhaps the theory is that "Scranton Joe" will help her in the Keystone State, where recent polling for her doesn't look so good. But actually, Biden's presence just reminds us that Harris was a key player in covering up his cognitive decline and is as responsible for the administration's failures as he is.
Biden's performance at the rally was, to say the least, a train wreck.
Biden is officially back:
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) September 2, 2024
"Greatest manufacturing city, county in the world, state in the world, city in the world" pic.twitter.com/OT1psrVgqT
I don't know what he's trying to say here:
Can ANYBODY understand Joe Biden here??
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) September 2, 2024
Holy crap. He’s COMPLETELY unintelligible anymore.
KAMALA IS IN CHARGE! pic.twitter.com/HFySemEo2y
In this clip, he seemed to momentarily forget that he's no longer running for office.
Biden still campaigning for 4 more years:
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) September 2, 2024
"We made a lot of progress. Kamala and I will build on that progress." pic.twitter.com/YG4iqeMDVn
If he were still the candidate, we'd be asking some serious questions about his cognitive health and wondering if he'd be dropping out of the race soon. Now that he's no longer the candidate, we're asking why Kamala is letting him join her on the campaign trail.
Even Newsweek is wondering why Kamala is letting Joe campaign with her.
There are concerns that having the president campaigning for Harris could be a hindrance, especially considering the circumstances that led to Biden dropping out of the race. The 81-year-old president quit his bid for re-election under pressure in July after a disastrous debate performance magnified concerns about his age and ability to beat Republican Donald Trump in November.
But while Biden is an asset in winning over some voters, experts say his involvement in Harris' campaign carries risks.
"I think it's risky," Grant Davis Reeher, a political science professor at Syracuse University, told Newsweek. "Many Democrats and others got excited about the Harris campaign precisely because it wasn't a Biden campaign. Biden's numbers up until he pulled out were trending downward. Many in the Democratic base were hoping this change meant a more progressive candidate and campaign, and this joint appearance provides visuals of continuing on with the Biden administration's policies."
Keep in mind that Joe Biden wants to be on the campaign trail. Don't think for a second that the Harris-Walz campaign invited him — it goes against everything the campaign is trying to accomplish.
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I've never really believed that Joe Biden wants Kamala Harris to win — or any Democrat for that matter. Biden has long insisted that he was the only Democrat who could beat Trump, and considering how sour he is about being forced out of the race, I think it likely that he wants Harris to lose — not that he would ever admit to this publicly.
Earlier this month, we also learned that Biden loyalists are still harboring resentment over his ouster from the race and the way he was insulted at the Democratic National Convention. There was even talk about some kind of revenge.
Biden is playing the role of a loyal Democrat trying to help Kamala get elected. But the reality is that he is bitter about being pushed out of the race against his wishes and wants his legacy to be that he was the only Democrat capable of defeating Trump. By joining Kamala on the campaign trail and strengthening the link between the two of them, he might be trying to solidify that narrative.
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