President Biden and Jill Biden’s relationship with Vice President Kamala Harris and Doug Emoff was troubled after the vice president lost the election to President-elect Donald Trump, according to a new report.
The Wall Street Journal reported Monday that the “post-election relationship” between the Bidens and the Harris family has been “cold” at times, privately, citing people familiar with the relationship.
Harris took the presidency at the top of the Democratic ticket after weeks of pressure campaigning forced Biden to drop out of the race in July. The president was hailed as a hero relegation patriotbut has been blamed in recent weeks for not coming out sooner after President-elect Donald Trump’s victory.
The WSJ noted that First Lady Jill Biden has disliked Harris since she accused the president of opposing the federally mandated busing policy during a Democratic debate in the 2020 election cycle, citing two people close to the first lady and Harris.
President Joe Biden, left, with Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, right, on stage at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s Phoenix Awards Dinner in Washington, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
HARRIS DISTANCES FROM BIDEN’S CALLING TRUMP SUPPORTERS TRASH‘
White House spokesman Andrew Bates and the vice president’s spokeswoman, Kristen Allen, denied there were any disagreements between the two, the paper said.
During the last few weeks of the campaign, Harris the team was frustrated with the president’s public appearances. Biden made a surprise appearance in the White House briefing room in early October, then made headlines in late October when he said Trump supporters were “garbage,” though the White House denied that was his intention.
Harris has repeatedly defended the president against attacks on his age, fitness and ability to serve, even after the president recanted.
Biden expressed regret due to dropping out of the race, according to a Washington Post report, and said he thought he could have beaten Trump.
President Joe Biden, left, and Vice President Kamala Harris look on during a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in observance of National Veterans Day at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va., Monday, Nov. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
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Biden was careful not to blame Harris while insisting to aides that he could have won, the Post reported.
According to the WSJ report, the belief that the president would beat Trump is not shared by other close associates of Biden in the White House.
White House staff have described the work environment as “exhausting” and “depressing” in recent weeks, the WSJ reported.
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Among the admissions of other mistakes — including his debate performance — Biden also said he regretted picking Merrick Garland as attorney general, the Post reported.
Brie Stimson of Fox News contributed to this report.
