President Joe Biden is aware that Vice President Kamala Harris may not be suitable for the role of commander-in-chief, and he initially favored Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer as his running mate in the 2020 election before giving in to public pressure, according to a new book released on Tuesday.
Biden opted for Harris just days before the virtual Democratic National Convention that year, sticking to his commitment to choose a woman and influenced by lobbying in favor of Harris, including efforts from former President Barack Obama, the book "Amateur Hour: Kamala Harris in the White House" by veteran Washington journalist Charlie Spiering mentions. So, Harris was never a first choice!
At Least Not Harris
In his recently published book, "Amateur Hour: Kamala Harris in the White House," Charlie Spiering unveils the discord between the mismatched duo, primarily attributing it to Harris's reluctance to collaborate as a team player.
According to Spiering's book, despite Harris, 59, being "a brain stroke away from the presidency", her "many struggles and mistakes during her first years in office were top of mind" as Biden entered his re-election campaign at the age of 81.
The challenges highlighted encompassed Harris's reported "bullying" of White House staff, her reluctance to collaborate with the rest of the administration as a team player, her perceived "artificial" public demeanor, the notoriety of her distinctive laughter, and her frequent use of "word salads" that often failed to convey any meaningful message effectively.
A continuous stream of resignations from the vice president's office has been blamed on Harris' "soul-destroying criticism", as told by a former staff member to the Washington Post by the end of 2021.
The challenging work environment even led Harris to stop using her preferred expletive, "motherf—er."
The "hilarious, incompetent, trailblazing radical" suffered "disastrous and comical first years as vice president," Spiering adds, noting her limited authority as the Biden administration's border czar.
However, as Biden finds himself in another campaign almost four years later with the same running mate, the question of "How do you fix Kamala Harris?" has become a recurring topic in Washington, according to the book.
The book claims that Harris wasn't the preferred choice of Jill Biden, who favored former Obama national security adviser Susan Rice for the role.
Following a heated Democratic primary debate, Jill Biden expressed frustration to close supporters, suggesting that Harris should "go f—" herself.
During the June 2019 debate, Harris criticized Biden for his past remarks about working with segregationist senators, saying that while she believed he was "not a racist," his comments were "hurtful" considering her personal experiences.
Harris also confronted Biden by pointing out, "You also worked with them to oppose busing." She went on to share her personal experience of being part of the second class to integrate her public school while growing up in Berkeley, California.
Disliked by Everyone
While Harris suspended her presidential campaign a few months later, she retained her position as the only black woman in the US Senate. Subsequently, in the aftermath of George Floyd's death in May 2020 at the hands of Minneapolis police, she seized the opportunity to elevate her public profile.
The protests and riots that ensued, continuing throughout the summer of 2020, shifted public opinion toward the expectation that Biden's eventual choice for a running mate would not only be a woman but specifically a black woman.
Following the unrest sparked by Floyd's death, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer lobbied for Harris. However, Biden reportedly contacted Whitmer, encouraging her to stay in consideration as he deliberated over his options for a running mate.
"As Biden remained indecisive, a key Harris ally tried to reassure him about the idea of Vice President Harris: his former boss, President Barack Obama, who was already a fan," Spiering writes.
"Behind the scenes, Obama patiently reminded Biden to let go of the past when making his decision. One of Obama's political advisors [sic] assured me the former president held off endorsing her entirely, making sure that the choice would be Biden's to make."
Less than 300 days away from the general election, Harris "is still in the same place despite multiple attempts at narrative resets and on-the-job training" and "in no position to take over for Biden and lead the Democratic Party into the future."
