A Political Showdown
In her new book, Kamala Harris reveals a central conflict with the Bidens that affected both her and her husband, Doug Emhoff.
Since the first leaks of the memoir’s extracts, Harris has made it clear that she is holding nothing back about the tensions within the administration.
One extract that surfaced describes Emhoff returning from a tense private meeting with Jill Biden on the Fourth of July, visibly angry.
The dispute centered on doubts Jill Biden expressed about Harris and Emhoff’s loyalty to President Joe Biden following his poor debate performance against Donald Trump, highlighting underlying mistrust and frustration within the team.
A Controversial Revelation
According to Harris, Jill asked Doug if they were loyal and if they planned to remain by Biden’s side, despite numerous loud calls from Democrats demanding that he resign.
Doug repeated, “Of course,” while appearing extremely confused by the question. He knew that for the past four years, he and Kamala had been unwavering in their loyalty to Biden and his administration.
Eventually, Kamala and her husband had a private conversation, during which Doug explained that he was furious. He felt the vice president had been given an impossible and demeaning job and that the administration had refused to correct lies and mischaracterizations about her. Yet, they were still being asked about their loyalty.
Harris writes, “She seemed tense, even angry. ‘What’s going on?’ she demanded. ‘Are you supporting us?’ Of course, Doug said. Of course we are supporting you. ‘OK. That’s really important. We need to know that.’ When I joined him,” Harris continues, “Doug was wearing a grim expression. Doug runs cool. He’s slow to anger. But I could tell something had gotten to him.”
The California politician also reveals, “Later, he unloaded. ‘They hide you away for four years, give you impossible, shit jobs, don’t correct the record when those tasks are mischaracterised, never fight back when you’re attacked, never praise your accomplishments, and now, finally, they want you out there on that balcony, standing right beside them. Now, finally, they know you are an asset, and they need you to reassure the American people. And still, they have to ask if we’re loyal?’”
The Final Reckoning
Harris further details her frustration with the Bidens in the book, describing a notable example where, after delivering a powerful speech, she was criticized by Biden’s team for outshining him and told she should “dim her light” in the future. This reflects the ongoing tension Harris experienced regarding her role and recognition. She explained: “Their thinking was zero-sum: If she’s shining, he’s dimmed.”
The Bidens will probably answer these accusations in their memoirs.
