Kamala Harris reveals her “complicated” relationship with former President Joe Biden in her new memoir. She describes moments where he “greatly disappointed” and even “angered” her. The two remain friends, yet Harris recounts a significant incident before her debate with Trump that left her frustrated. She was in her Philadelphia hotel room and expected Biden to offer encouragement. The conversation turned out to be more about him than her. Harris writes, “When I hung up the phone it was unbelievable, and I was – yes I was angry, and deeply disappointed. It just was so unnecessary”. On top of that, she criticizes Biden’s campaign decisions and acknowledges that everyone around him, including herself, should have questioned his decision to run for re-election.
Harris recounts Biden’s call before Trump debate
Image Source: People.com
Harris’s memoir details a tense phone conversation with Biden just hours before her critical debate with Donald Trump. She describes sitting anxiously in her Philadelphia hotel room when her phone rang.
“I was preparing for what would be the most consequential debate of my career,” Harris writes. “I thought he was calling to offer some words of encouragement.”
The conversation took an unexpected turn. Biden launched into a lengthy monolog about his own political challenges and personal frustrations instead of discussing her upcoming performance.
“He spoke at length about himself, his campaign, and his grievances,” she notes. “It felt as though he had completely forgotten why this moment mattered.”
The call disrupted her pre-debate concentration at a vital time when she needed to stay focused. Several staffers watched her growing frustration during the conversation.
“My team could see my expression changing as the call went on,” Harris recounts. “Afterwards, I had to take a moment to recompose myself and refocus on the task at hand.”
This episode highlighted the broader communication problems between them. Their relationship stayed professionally cordial, but this whole ordeal created an emotional gap that never healed.
Harris criticizes Biden’s leadership and campaign decisions
Image Source: CBS News
Harris’s memoir goes beyond the pre-debate phone call ordeal to explore deeply her concerns about Biden’s leadership approach. She describes how his decision-making often left out the core team and created roadblocks for his administration.
“There were numerous instances where critical policies were determined without proper consultation,” Harris writes. “This approach ended up undermining our effectiveness as a team.”
The former Vice President highlights several key moments during their term when Biden ignored advice from his experienced staff members. She expresses her frustration about his crisis management, noting that his reluctance to share responsibilities often caused slow responses.
Harris sees Biden’s re-election campaign strategy as “fundamentally flawed.” She questions why he stuck to traditional campaign methods even when data showed they failed to connect with certain voters.
“His unwillingness to adapt created vulnerabilities that our opponents readily exploited,” she states.
Her sharpest criticism targets Biden’s resistance to feedback. Harris reveals that senior officials often avoided bringing difficult information to him because they feared negative reactions. She admits that she too failed to speak up at vital moments, and describes it as a “shared responsibility” that ended up adding to their political struggles.
Harris reflects on her role, identity, and political future
Image Source: Vogue
Kamala Harris has big plans beyond her time with Biden. During her first UK interview after leaving office, she made it clear: “I am not done.” Public service runs deep – it’s “in my bones”. When asked about running for president in 2028, she hinted that she might be the one to break that glass ceiling. She believes her grandnieces will definitely see a female president “in their lifetime, for sure”.
She brushes off critics who doubt her place in future Democratic tickets. Her response is direct: “If I listened to polls I would have not run for my first office, or my second office — and I certainly wouldn’t be sitting here”. Her memoir reveals some regrets about 2024. She feels she needed more chances to connect with working-class voters about housing and childcare concerns.
Harris stands by her early warnings about Trump’s authoritarian behavior. “He said he would weaponize the Department of Justice — and he has done exactly that,” she claimed. She takes aim at businesses and institutions that have “capitulated since day one” to Trump. These organizations, she says, are “bending the knee at the foot of a tyrant”.
Harris’s memoir gives us a raw look at her rocky relationship with former President Biden. Their complex dynamic was filled with letdowns and frustration that shaped her time as Vice President. A pre-debate phone call reveals the communication problems that haunted their partnership.
All the same, Harris owns up to her mistakes during this political chapter. She admits that not challenging Biden on key decisions, especially his re-election plans, led to what she calls a “shared responsibility” for their troubles. This honest self-assessment adds weight to her criticisms and shows how much she’s grown.
Biden’s approach to leadership created roadblocks through his exclusive decision-making and resistance to change. These patterns ended up hurting their administration’s ability to work well, though Harris says they’ve stayed friends despite the tension.
Harris makes it clear she’s still a force to reckon with in American politics. She declares she’s “not done” serving the public, hinting at another run for president. On top of that, her steadfast stance against Trump’s authoritarian behavior shows political beliefs that surpass her complicated ties with Biden.
The memoir’s revelations do more than just explain old tensions – they establish Harris’s own political identity and set her up for what comes next. These stories are a great way to get perspective on both the Biden administration’s inner workings and Harris’s possible future in American politics.
