Kamala Harris Reportedly Snubbing Biden’s Offers to Campaign Together

With the 2024 election race heating up, President Joe Biden has reportedly sought to join Vice President Kamala Harris on the campaign trail but has faced difficulties connecting, according to sources close to the campaign. Biden’s team has repeatedly contacted Harris’s campaign, only to be told they would reconnect with him later, ‘Axios’ reported Sunday.

“He’s a reminder of the last four years, not the new way forward,” said an anonymous source familiar with the campaign dynamics.

No joint appearances between the 81-year-old President and the 60-year-old Vice President are scheduled for the remainder of the campaign. Biden has embarked on solo campaign stops, most recently addressing the Philadelphia Democratic City Committee on Oct. 15 and making separate appearances in New Hampshire and Pittsburgh last week. The Pittsburgh outing without Harris reportedly raised eyebrows within her team.

The apparent rift is noteworthy, considering that Biden’s endorsement played a significant role in securing Harris’s nomination after he exited the race in 2020.

Responding to speculation, White House Deputy Press Secretary Andrew Bates refuted division claims, asserting that the administration and campaign staff are “in close touch” to plan for Biden’s most impactful involvement.

Vice President Kamala Harris has refrained from publicly knocking President Biden. Getty Images

Despite White House reassurances, some Harris allies have expressed frustration over Biden’s recent offhand comment that “we gotta lock [Trump] up.” Though Biden later clarified he meant “politically lock him out,” the remark fuelled criticism from Republican opponents.

Notably, Biden’s campaign appearances have drawn less public attention than those of high-profile Democrats like former President Obama, who recently campaigned in Georgia and Michigan.

Biden is also considering supporting Democrats in Senate races in Delaware and Maryland as he navigates a tepid approval rating of 40.8%, according to a RealClearPolitics poll aggregate.

Throughout the campaign, Harris has publicly supported Biden’s record and avoided criticizing him directly, remaining cautious about Biden’s policy decisions and leadership. Recently, she told NBC News that vice presidents traditionally support their presidents, even referencing former Vice President Mike Pence’s loyalty to President Trump.

Harris has repeatedly stated that her vision as President would not replicate Biden’s administration. “My presidency will not be a continuation of Joe Biden’s presidency,” she said in an interview with Fox News.

Former first lady Michelle Obama stumped with Kamala Harris on Saturday. AP

This nuanced approach is seen as an effort to distinguish her platform from Biden’s while acknowledging her indebtedness to him, especially after his endorsement lifted her from an underwhelming 2020 campaign.

Rumours of tension between Biden and Harris’s staffers persist, with some of her team allegedly blaming Biden’s staff for not better supporting Harris’s campaign needs. As Election Day nears, some Biden aides reportedly fear that if Harris wins, her administration may seek changes within the staff ranks.

“Staff who haven’t given the vice president’s team the time of day for three years are suddenly swift to loop them in emails and send them updates,” a White House official told ‘Axios’, pointing to a possible shift in dynamics among campaign staffers.