Kevin McCarthy, the former Speaker of the House, has alleged that Barack Obama, the former President, is covertly guiding Kamala Harris’ 2024 presidential campaign. McCarthy made these claims during a radio interview on August 11, 2024, on 770 WABC’s “The Cats Roundtable,” sparking extensive dialogue and conjecture about Obama’s potential influence on Harris’ presidential bid.
McCarthy, who was removed from his role as House Speaker in October 2023, highlighted the involvement of several prominent individuals from Obama’s previous campaigns now employed by Harris. These include David Plouffe, who managed Obama’s 2008 campaign, and Stephanie Cutter, who acted as deputy campaign manager during Obama’s 2012 re-election campaign.
David Plouffe has been recruited as a senior adviser to Harris, marking his re-entry into the political scene after a stint in the private sector. Stephanie Cutter, another seasoned operative from the Obama era, now serves as a senior adviser for strategic messaging within Harris’ team. Other notable members include Jennifer Palmieri, Obama’s former White House Director of Communications, and Eric Holder, Obama’s ex-Attorney General, who played a role in the selection process of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as Harris’ running mate.
Beyond alleging Obama’s covert involvement, McCarthy also critiqued Harris’ decision to select Walz over Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, describing it as a strategic error.
McCarthy didn’t hold back from scrutinizing Harris’ legislative record as well. He pointedly criticized her part in the enactment of President Biden’s pandemic-related stimulus bills.
Despite McCarthy’s assertions, not everyone agrees with the idea of Obama’s supposed command over Harris’ campaign. A former senior adviser to Obama dismissed the allegations, noting that it’s not uncommon for experienced Democratic strategists to work with different campaigns.
The narrative put forth by McCarthy suggests a party increasingly influenced by personalities from the Obama era, with Harris merely serving as a conduit for Obama’s continued sway.
These developments have amplified the ongoing discourse regarding the power of former presidents in shaping political narratives. The veracity of McCarthy’s claims is yet to be determined, but they undeniably underscore the entrenched partisan divisions as the 2024 election looms.
