Sources claim that staff members in President Joe Biden’s administration have been purportedly undermining Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign initiatives since Biden withdrew from his re-election campaign.
It is suggested that the relationship between the teams of Biden and Harris has been increasingly strained, with actions taken by the President seemingly undermining his previous running mate, despite Biden and the Democratic Party publicly backing her for the 2024 election.
Republican strategist Jason Meister posits that “Biden is intentionally enacting revenge on Kamala for knifing him in the back,” citing Biden’s absence from the majority of Harris’ campaign events and his minimal public endorsements.
Amid these alleged conflicts, Harris’ team has voiced their dissatisfaction with the perceived lack of backing from the White House. This discord has supposedly strained relations between the two factions, with Harris finding it challenging to maintain her loyalty to Biden while presenting herself as a novel candidate for change. An Axios report suggests internal disagreements on strategy, with some of Biden’s aides feeling overlooked or disregarded.
Some aides to Harris allege that White House staff deliberately fail to align Biden’s messaging and schedule to bolster support for Harris’ 2024 campaign. A member of Harris’ campaign pointed out that the White House doesn’t seem to prioritize how its decisions affect the campaign. Just last week, Harris criticized Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for not responding to her calls about relief efforts for Hurricanes Helene and Milton, with DeSantis dismissing her allegations as “politically motivated.” Shortly after, Biden praised the Republican governor for his cooperative and collaborative approach during their discussions.
A White House official denied these allegations, stating that everyone in the administration, including the President, recognizes the significance of the election. They mentioned that many staff members were expected to transition from the administration to the campaign for the crucial final phase.
Harris’ team is working to expand the Vice President’s official office to cope with the increased workload. Those privy to the situation have expressed frustration with the sluggishness of the White House in assigning personnel for this purpose.
Despite the White House’s efforts to aid Harris’ team, there has been dissatisfaction regarding certain regulations that govern who can be assigned and when those assignments can occur.
A number of Biden aides have transferred to Harris’ campaign, yet there are worries among some that they are viewed as disloyal by Biden’s team for either leaving or contemplating the move.
White House spokesperson Andrew Bates defended the Biden administration, stating to Axios: “President Biden endorsed Vice President Harris immediately after leaving the race, rejecting other approaches that would divide the party, and has attested to her leadership abilities and continually made clear his support for her.”
