Reports are surfacing that Joe Biden may be deliberately distancing himself from Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign, potentially as a form of retaliation after being forced out of the 2024 race by top Democrats earlier this year.
Since his exit in July, amid growing concerns about his cognitive abilities, Biden has endorsed Harris but has largely avoided participating in her campaign events, raising questions about his support.
Political analysts point to Biden’s decision to deliver his own comments about the federal response to Hurricane Helene, even after Harris canceled a campaign event in Las Vegas to return to Washington for a briefing, as one of several signs of tension.
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On another occasion, Biden drew attention by praising Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for his hurricane preparedness—just a day after Harris criticized DeSantis for not taking her call about the storm.
Joe Biden, for the second time this week, counter-programmed Kamala Harris while she was on The View, contradicting Harris by saying that Gov. DeSantis has been “cooperative” and “doing a great job.”
Kamala yesterday accused Gov. DeSantis of “playing political games” with the… pic.twitter.com/5Yiutyd4KW
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) October 8, 2024
Republican strategist Jason Meister, a member of Trump’s campaign advisory board, claims that Biden’s actions are intentional. “Biden is enacting revenge on Kamala for knifing him in the back,” Meister stated.
He added that Biden appeared happiest when sporting a “Trump 2024” hat during a 9/11 event in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
I thought this was photoshopped, but no! pic.twitter.com/TmIOEUNkXo
— Silas (@Silas84K) September 11, 2024
Meister went as far as to suggest that Biden might be more aligned with Trump than his former running mate, saying, “He should just come out and endorse Trump.”
Democratic strategist Hank Sheinkopf suggested that Biden’s reluctance to fully back Harris could be a subtle power move to remind others of his influence. “It’s possible that Biden resents how he was pushed out, and he’s showing that he’s still the boss,” Sheinkopf said.
He also pointed out Biden’s absence from key swing states where his presence could help Harris, such as Pennsylvania, a state Biden performed well in during his term.
Democrats: “Kamala Harris wasn’t President, you can’t blame her for the last 3.5 years.”
Literally Biden: “We’re singing from the same song sheet. She helped pass all the laws. She was a major player in everything we’ve done.” pic.twitter.com/v2Tqc3rJMe
— Chad Prather (@WatchChad) October 4, 2024
Former GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy added to the speculation during a Trump campaign rally in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
Ramaswamy suggested that Biden might be quietly rooting for Trump to win. “And somewhere, somewhere deep down inside, in a place that he doesn’t want to admit. I think maybe even Joe Biden is actually rooting for him [Trump],” he told the rally crowd.
DJT showed up right here in Scranton. It’d be a home run if we win right here in Biden’s hometown. Something tells me that, deep down, maybe even old Joe is rooting for it. pic.twitter.com/fnqGZIVHsL
— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) October 9, 2024
In a follow-up interview, Ramaswamy doubled down, saying, “I don’t think Biden would have won a second term, but he and his family probably feel they were robbed of it.”
Caroline Sunshine, a spokesperson for the Trump campaign, dismissed the idea that Harris’ campaign needed any outside sabotage, stating, “Harris doesn’t need help sabotaging her campaign because she does that herself every time she speaks without a teleprompter.”
However, Sunshine noted that there is “no daylight” between Biden and Harris on policy and that voters will be reminded of this in the lead-up to the election.
The White House pushed back on these claims. Spokesman Andrew Bates said that Biden has been fully supportive of Harris from the start, noting, “He made clear he was all-in for her when he left the race.”
Bates emphasized that Biden remains committed to moving the country forward, away from what he described as divisive policies like “MAGAnomics” and a national abortion ban (Which Trump doesn’t support).
Tensions within the Democratic Party may continue to simmer, as political insiders and analysts speculate over Biden’s apparent distance from the Harris campaign and whether his actions signal deeper discord within the party.
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