Emerging tensions have marked the relationship between President Joe Biden's administration and Vice President Kamala Harris's campaign following Biden's presidential race withdrawal.
According to Breitbart, the strain stems from differing approaches to public engagement and campaign staffing shared between President Biden and Vice President Harris.
These internal conflicts began to manifest shortly after Biden endorsed Harris for the presidency, nominating her as the Democratic front-runner. This endorsement followed Biden's unexpected exit from the race, sparking a major shift in the Democratic Party's campaign dynamics.
The first notable incident exacerbating these tensions took place during overlapping events in Michigan. President Biden's unplanned press briefing overshadowed Vice President Harris's scheduled campaign event, leading to reduced media coverage for Harris. This overshadowing led to increased frustrations within Harris's camp regarding the coordination with the White House.
Vice President Harris soon found herself at odds with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, criticizing him for not responding to her calls about hurricane relief efforts. DeSantis has denied such claims, stating he never received a call from Harris.
In a twist that added to the tensions, President Biden publicly lauded Governor DeSantis as "gracious" and "cooperative," a statement he made without knowledge of Harris's prior critical remarks about the Florida governor. This misalignment in public communications between Biden and Harris has led to perceptions of disunity and discord at a time when cohesive messaging is crucial.
Behind the scenes, reports suggest that Biden's senior staff, some of whom have transitioned to Harris's team, are not wholly committed to Harris's presidential aspirations. This lack of support reportedly stems from feelings of being slighted or undervalued during the transition process.
Harris's team, on the other hand, has expressed concerns that the White House is not adequately considering the impacts of its actions on Harris's campaign. "The White House is lacking someone in the room thinking first and foremost about how things would affect the campaign," a member of Harris's team lamented. Further complicating matters are the internal disputes among Harris's campaign staff, particularly between long-standing Harris loyalists and the newer staff members who came from Biden's administration.
Despite these reported strains, official channels maintain that there is no discord among the senior staff regarding support for Harris. The White House has been proactive in ensuring that Harris's campaign is well-resourced and her team integrated within ongoing administrative operations.
"Everyone from the president on down knows how important the election is, and we always anticipated a number of staff would want to transition from the administration to the campaign for the final stretch," explained a White House official, underscoring the planned nature of these staff transitions.
Moreover, White House spokesperson Andrew Bates reiterated, "President Biden endorsed Vice President Harris immediately after leaving the race, rejecting other approaches that would divide the party. He has attested to her leadership abilities and continually made clear his support for her."
President Biden has shifted his focus towards cementing his legacy, emphasizing the accomplishments of his administration. Concurrently, Vice President Harris is charging ahead with her campaign, laying out new economic policies aimed at resonating with voters.
While backing from the White House continues, as Bates highlighted, changes have been implemented to "guarantee the vice president's team has all of the support and resources they need." "They’re too much in their feelings," a close ally of Harris commented regarding the president's staffers, reflecting ongoing sensitivities that add layers of complexity to the Biden-Harris transition.
As the presidential campaign heats up, both camps are navigating internal challenges and external perceptions of unity. The transition of staff from Biden's White House to Harris's campaign, although planned, has not been without its tensions. The White House continues to publicly support Harris, emphasizing the importance of the upcoming election and her integrated role in ongoing administrative functions.