Kamala Harris reveals in her upcoming memoir that former President Joe Biden frustrated her just hours before her high-stakes debate against President Trump in September 2024. According to Harris, the phone call from Biden not only distracted her but left her “angry and disappointed” at a moment when she needed focus.
In her book 107 Days, Harris recounts sitting in her Philadelphia hotel room preparing for the debate when Biden called. After briefly wishing her well, he raised concerns that his brother had heard she was “bad-mouthing” him to influential political donors in Philadelphia. Biden admitted he didn’t know if the rumors were true but suggested Harris should be aware in case her campaign was “trying to put daylight” between them.
Harris wrote that she was stunned Biden chose to bring up such concerns on the eve of one of the most important debates of her career. She said the call quickly shifted to Biden reflecting on his own experiences debating Trump, including occasions when he admitted to not feeling well but still insisting his missteps never cost him politically. To Harris, the conversation seemed to make the moment “all about himself.”
She admitted the timing rattled her, saying she could hardly believe he would burden her with doubts rather than encouragement. Her husband, Doug Emhoff, urged her afterward to let it go and concentrate on the debate, but Harris said the damage had already been done.
The account highlights the strained dynamic between Harris and Biden in the final months of his presidency. Harris has criticized Biden’s decision to run for reelection despite concerns about his performance and strategy. This episode adds to reports of discord and mismanagement within the Democratic Party during the campaign, which ended with Harris carrying the ticket into the general election.
