I've been saying for months now that Joe Biden doesn't want Kamala Harris to win in November. I still believe it. And the past few weeks have made it increasingly clear that's what's going on. It now seems that it's becoming obvious to the Harris-Walz campaign as well, as tensions between Kamala Harris’ camp and the Biden White House have escalated in the final weeks before Election Day.
And I'm really enjoying seeing it all play out.
According to a report from Axios, some members of Harris’ camp are increasingly frustrated, feeling that top aides in the Biden administration aren’t properly coordinating with Harris’ campaign. They also believe Biden’s messaging and schedule are often at odds with what’s best for the vice president’s bid. And when you take a closer look, it’s hard to argue with their perspective.
Axios reports that just as Harris was preparing to take the stage at a campaign event in Michigan, Biden held an impromptu press conference at the White House. The timing was a disaster for Kamala, as her event was overshadowed by Biden’s unexpected media moment. This blunder ensured that Harris got less coverage than she otherwise would have. Then there was the way Biden completely undercut her attempt to politicize the federal response to Hurricanes Helene and Milton. Kamala had criticized Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for ignoring her calls about recent hurricanes. Soon after, Biden publicly praised DeSantis for being “gracious” and “cooperative.”
At the core of much of the conflict is that Kamala is trying to win an election when voters desperately desire change, while Joe Biden is trying to take credit for making things better.
"Biden has been eager to boast about a robust jobs report, helping to end the strike by the longshoremen's union and other perceived victories recently. Harris has been trying to focus on voters' pocketbook concerns, including inflation," reports Axios. "Harris' team has been trying to add staff to the vice president's official office to handle the bigger workload. It's been frustrated at the White House's pace in getting people detailed for that, according to two people familiar with the matter."
Related: Joe Biden Threw Kamala Harris Under the Bus Again
A source from the Harris-Walz campaign told Axios, "The White House is lacking someone in the room thinking first and foremost about how things would affect the campaign."
Kamala’s team has been trying to bulk up her office to handle the increased workload, but they’ve reportedly been frustrated by the White House’s slow pace in getting people on board. While several Biden aides have joined Harris’ campaign, many feel like they’ve been labeled disloyal by their former colleagues for doing so.
While the piece claims Biden’s team is fully behind Harris’ bid—a notion I find hard to believe—it does admit that many of Biden’s senior aides still feel stung by Biden being sidelined from his re-election campaign. These aides are reportedly struggling to adjust to their new supporting roles on the trail.
"They're too much in their feelings," a Kamala ally said of Biden's team. Some White House aides reportedly agreed.
The White House, of course, denies there’s any significant tension. White House spokesperson Andrew Bates told Axios, “President Biden endorsed Vice President Harris immediately after leaving the race, rejecting other approaches that would divide the party.” While the White House continues to push this narrative of unity, it’s clear that the cracks are starting to show.
PJ Media readers have been aware of these fractures for quite some time. Over the past few months, we’ve covered the lingering tensions with Biden loyalists, highlighting how Biden remains resentful over being pushed out. His endorsement of Harris was a calculated move to get back at Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi, and while he will always publicly be supportive of Kamala's candidacy, deep down he wants his legacy to be that he was the only Democrat who could beat Trump.
When you look at everything that's been going no, it's clear that's what's happening.
