Biden aides caution against endorsing Kamala Harris as successor

In the United States, President Joe Biden's aides expressed concerns regarding the possibility of replacing him with Vice President Kamala Harris during his presidential campaign. These sentiments were highlighted in excerpts from the forthcoming book 'Fight: Inside the Wildest Battle for the White House,' which details the tensions between Biden and Harris ahead of Biden's decision to drop out of the race in July. Biden's team communicated to Democratic donors that selecting Harris would be a mistake, citing her poor polling and lack of support among party members. The authors of the book, Jonathan Allen and Amie Parnes, revealed that Biden's aides were particularly vocal against the notion of an open convention that might lead to Harris being nominated. Insiders suggested that even in a scenario where Biden stepped aside, the confidence in Harris as a viable candidate was minimal. The perception among many Democrats was that her previous performance as Vice President was lackluster, which raised questions about her capability to lead the party effectively in future elections. Despite Biden's struggling approval ratings and ongoing discussions within his team during his campaign, Biden and Harris maintained their public image of unity. However, the book's revelations illuminate how difficult their relationship became as Biden's campaign advanced. Biden was reportedly cautious about Harris' willingness to distance herself from him and aimed to ensure there was no significant separation between their platforms. The Democratic Party's lack of contingency planning for Harris’ potential ascendancy to the presidency became apparent, with some party insiders indicating a belief that Harris might not be a winning candidate. This situation was compounded by concerns regarding Biden's age, as he was nearing eighty at that time, prompting discussions about succession that many felt were insufficiently addressed. Ultimately, Harris received the nomination without contest after Biden's withdrawal, though the fears about her viability as a candidate persisted until the end of the campaign.