Washington insiders say there’s an uncomfortable chill in the air, and they aren’t talking about the cooler temperatures of the autumn equinox. Members of the Fourth Estate are exercised about the relationship between the Joe Biden and Kamala Harris camps, and it’s beginning to look a lot like a WWE match between the White House and the Harris campaign. If you believe what you read, there is a disconnect -- some even go as far as to call it sabotage – going on at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. In small and large ways, the media wonders whether the Biden camp would be ever so more joyful should Harris lose to former President Donald Trump.
If true, this wouldn’t be the first time a president has hindered the election efforts of his vice president. Perhaps the most egregious occurrence of stabbing one’s second in command comes from President Dwight Eisenhower, regarding his loyal number two, Richard Nixon. Here’s the quote from The Nixon Foundation in which Time magazine reporter Charles Mohr queried Eisenhower:
“Q. Mr. Mohr: We understand that the power of decision is entirely yours, Mr. President. I just wondered if you could give us an example of a major idea of his that you had adopted in that role, as the decider and final –
“THE PRESIDENT: If you give me a week, I might think of one. I don’t remember.”
Ouch! In his memoirs, Nixon asserted (probably rightly) that the quote was taken out of context, but the damage had been done. John F. Kennedy’s campaign astutely used Eisenhower’s remarks in every way possible to damage Nixon politically. You know the rest of the story.
Considering Harris’ candidacy was only recently arranged, it makes sense that there would be bad blood between Biden loyalists, who believe their man was unnecessarily kicked to the curb, and the vice president’s campaign team. This past Sunday (Oct. 13), an Axios article hit the fan and enumerated the many and varied slights of the Harris campaign by Biden’s White House staff; it was a scandal that the political class could sink its teeth into. These include poor communication skills and not bothering to see what the other half is doing. Here are a few examples from Axios:
Biden gave an impromptu press conference in the White House briefing room just as Harris was about to do an event in Michigan, ensuring that her event would get less TV coverage than it otherwise would have.
Earlier in the week, Harris criticized Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) for not taking her call about the recent hurricanes, only for Biden to praise DeSantis soon after for being "gracious" and "cooperative." (A person familiar with the situation told Axios that Biden hadn't been briefed on Harris' comments.)
Biden has been eager to boast about a robust jobs report, helping to end the strike by the longshoremen's union and other perceived victories recently. Harris has been trying to focus on voters' pocketbook concerns, including inflation.
Wounded Warrior in the White House
One can say many things about Biden, but it cannot be said that he was not a loyal foot soldier for the Democrats. Prominent members of the Democratic Party waged a not-too-subtle campaign to get him off the ticket. However, the question that must be asked is whether this political tragedy will make him bitter or sweet. If recent actions are telltale, the former appears to have gripped the emotions of Biden & Co., so their moves and motivations are naturally suspect. Let’s just call it a lack of trust.
America has watched the man from Scranton, PA, turn into what many regard as an angry, passive-aggressive elderly gentleman. His actions, say media leftists, reveal his resentment at being practically kicked out of the Oval Office despite his insistence to the American people that he was up to the job. After his untimely exit from the campaign, President Biden was largely left alone, as if he were the odd man who wouldn’t leave the party when everyone else had gone.
However, what has been seen at the occasional event where he and Harris both appear is made to look like the two are extremely fond of one another. There are hugs, European-style smooches, and plenty of handholding raised above their heads in the victory pose. The leftist media can’t stop pointing out that in such a divisive – some might posit toxic -- atmosphere, all you have is a deep, unsettling fog, the kind New Englanders call “a real pea souper.” It will be fascinating to see what happens to the Democratic candidate for president if the sitting president sticks it to his rival or goes quietly into that good night.
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