Tensions are rising between the teams of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, as reported by Axios, revealing deep divisions within the Democratic Party. With Harris falling behind in key swing states just weeks before the 2024 election, the two camps are at odds, struggling to find common ground as the campaign intensifies. The friction, described by insiders as a boiling point, has raised questions about the Democrats’ ability to unite in the face of growing challenges.
The conflict reportedly escalated after Biden publicly sided with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis over whether the governor should take Harris’s phone calls. This move was seen by many in Harris’s camp as Biden throwing her under the bus, deepening the existing rift between the teams.
The bickering between the two camps has reached an almost juvenile level, with sources describing the situation as akin to schoolyard squabbles. One Harris loyalist complained that Biden’s team is “too sensitive” and accused them of deliberately slow-walking Harris’s requests to add more staff to handle the increasing workload.
An anonymous source from Axios outlined the mounting frustrations: “The relationship between Kamala Harris’s team and Joe Biden’s White House has been increasingly fraught in the final weeks before Election Day.” According to the report, multiple sources familiar with the situation have confirmed that Biden’s team, while wanting Harris to win, is still adjusting to playing a secondary role on the campaign trail.
Many Biden aides remain bitter, feeling sidelined after the president was pressured to withdraw from the 2024 race. They are struggling to adapt to Harris being the face of the campaign, which has resulted in increased friction. One Harris ally explained the tension, saying, “They’re too much in their feelings,” a sentiment echoed even by some within the White House.
One of the key issues driving the conflict is Harris’s team’s attempts to add more staff to her office, in order to handle the demands of the campaign. However, the White House has reportedly been slow to approve these additions, adding fuel to the fire. According to two people familiar with the matter, Harris’s team feels sidelined and under-supported at a critical time in the election cycle.
The tensions don’t stop there. Harris’s camp is also upset with the timing of Biden’s public announcements, which they say have overshadowed Harris during important campaign moments. One glaring example came earlier this month when Biden held a press briefing to boast about job numbers from the Labor Department on the same day that Harris was in Detroit, touting her role in ending a major port strike. Biden’s announcement stole the spotlight from Harris, leaving her supporters feeling sidelined once again.
“The White House is lacking someone in the room thinking first and foremost about how things would affect the campaign,” one disgruntled Harris supporter told Axios. The complaint highlights the perception that Biden’s team is not prioritizing Harris’s campaign efforts, further deepening the divide between the two camps.
Biden aides who have been assigned to help Harris are also reportedly frustrated by the White House’s internal rules regarding who can be detailed to the vice president’s office and when. Some of these aides have faced cold treatment from Biden loyalists, who resent their decision to join Harris’s team, believing that their true loyalty should lie with Biden.
The friction between the two camps is not new, and it dates back to when Harris first became the Democratic nominee. At the time, there was a clash over whether Biden’s loyalists would continue to hold key media positions or if those spots would go to Harris’s allies. Despite resistance from Team Biden, Harris’s camp ultimately prevailed, installing their own loyalists in prominent roles.
Adding to the tension is a fundamental disagreement over Harris’s electability. Biden’s team had long argued that she was the less electable candidate, a belief they held even before Biden’s lackluster performance against former President Donald Trump in the 2020 debates. This belief has fueled deep suspicion between the two camps, with Harris’s team viewing Biden’s aides as doubting her ability to win.
As the election draws closer, these internal divisions within the Democratic Party have raised concerns about the party’s ability to maintain a united front. While the Democrats may be struggling internally, Republicans are being warned not to get complacent. With just weeks left until Election Day, some Republican strategists are urging their base to stay vigilant, stressing that the Democrats still have time to rally and pose a formidable challenge.
Despite the apparent chaos in the Democratic camp, political observers note that the party has historically been capable of pulling off last-minute victories, often relying on unconventional tactics to turn the tide. As the election nears, both parties are gearing up for an intense final push, with the fate of the White House hanging in the balance.
For now, the growing rift between Biden and Harris’s teams highlights the challenges that Democrats face in mounting a cohesive campaign, raising questions about their ability to overcome these internal struggles and present a united front to voters in November.
