Former Vice President Kamala Harris recently shared insights about her experiences with President Joe Biden’s inner circle.
In a passage from her forthcoming book, Harris, who was given the responsibility to handle immigration issues, implied that Biden’s staff contributed to the critical narrative surrounding her role during that period.
“When Republicans labeled me as the ‘border emperor,’ no one in the White House communication team stepped up to help clarify my actual responsibilities,” she stated.
“Instead, I became synonymous with lax border controls, a challenge for both Democratic and Republican administrations,” Harris added.
She expressed frustration that those around the president didn’t provide her with the support needed to counteract growing criticism.
“Despite having a large communications staff and daily press briefings from Karine Jean-Pierre, it was nearly impossible to communicate anything positive about my contributions or defend against false accusations,” she remarked.
“What troubled me further was realizing that the president’s staff seemed to actively fuel many of the negative narratives about me,” Harris noted. “When unfavorable or inaccurate stories emerged, it felt like his inner circle was okay with it, even encouraging it.”
Harris also alluded to a moment where she felt that Biden’s aides weren’t enthused about her rising popularity, especially as the 2024 election campaign progressed.
“Their mentality seemed to be zero-sum: if I was gaining attention, it diminished him. My success in the spotlight felt like a threat to his own,” she observed. “It’s a reflection of his judgment in selecting me and his belief that if something were to occur, the nation would still be well taken care of. Unfortunately, his team didn’t seem to grasp that.”
