Biden Aides Warn Donors Against Kamala Harris Candidacy in New Book Insights

Aides to President Biden cautioned Democratic donors against the notion that he should withdraw from the race in favor of Vice President Kamala Harris. This information emerges from an upcoming book that sheds light on the dynamic between Biden and Harris.

The Guardian shared excerpts from the book titled “Fight: Inside the Wildest Battle for the White House,” revealing significant tensions as Biden faced pressure to step back from the presidential campaign last July.

The excerpts indicate that Biden’s team strongly resisted donor suggestions to replace him due to worries about his age. One strategy employed by his aides involved a stark warning that choosing Harris as the party’s nominee would represent a grave mistake.

According to a donor who received an electronic communication from Biden’s inner circle, top aides expressed their concerns clearly. They firmly stated that the idea of nominating Harris would lead to undesirable outcomes.

“They were aggressively saying that we would wind up with the vice-president and that would be a mistake,” the excerpt noted, highlighting the prominent position of these sentiments within Biden’s team.

Furthermore, a source informed the book’s authors, NBC News reporter Jonathan Allen and The Hill reporter Amie Parnes, that Biden’s aides believed there was widespread reluctance among party stakeholders to support Harris as the candidate, even should Biden drop out.

The source articulated that Harris represented the last resort, saying, “The last threat, the ace in the hole, was Kamala Harris. Even if Biden did drop out and you got your dreamed-up open convention, you would only succeed in nominating the vice-president. Is that what you want? You want her? Look at her polling. No one wants her. Forget it. It’s never gonna happen.”

Despite the support from his aides, the reality was that Biden’s situation appeared grim just two days after his widely criticized debate against Donald Trump in June. At a donor reception organized by then-New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, aides claimed Biden required fluorescent tape to navigate the venue effectively.

“He knows to look for that,” one aide remarked to Parnes and Allen, emphasizing the seriousness of the situation.

Additional excerpts published by The Guardian earlier this week detailed Biden’s reliance on an autocue during unscripted moments, with the authors observing that he “didn’t look well.” Although Biden’s team pushed back against Harris’s potential candidacy, many Democrats seemed increasingly resigned to her eventual nomination.

One seasoned operative succinctly put it, saying, “Well, at least she has a pulse.” This statement reflects a growing acceptance of Harris amid uncertainties surrounding Biden’s viability as a candidate.

Eventually, after Biden withdrew from the race in July, he endorsed Harris, who rapidly secured the nomination without facing significant opposition. Unfortunately, her campaign concluded with a defeat in the general election against Trump.

Fox News Digital sought comments from representatives for both Biden and Harris, but responses were not forthcoming.

The publication of the book also suggests complications in the Biden-Harris relationship post-election. Previously released excerpts revealed that Biden anticipated Harris would safeguard his legacy throughout her presidential campaign. Furthermore, he allegedly insisted on a unified front, stating, “let there be no daylight between us.”

“He would say publicly that Harris should do what she must to win, but privately, he repeated his admonition: let there be no daylight between us,” the authors articulated, highlighting the delicate balance in their professional relationship.

“Fight: Inside the Wildest Battle for the White House” is set for release in April, promising more insights into this complex arena of political maneuvering.