A new book by journalists Jonathan Allen and Amie Parnes claims that former President Joe Biden repeatedly warned Kamala Harris against breaking from him on policy issues during her 2024 presidential run, reported Fox News. The book suggests that Biden’s insistence on unity may have hindered Harris’ ability to redefine herself in the eyes of voters.
The book, Fight: Inside the Wildest Battle for the White House, yet to be published, details the behind-the-scenes tension. According to the authors, “He would say publicly that Harris should do what she must to win. But privately, including in conversations with her, he repeated an admonition: let there be no daylight between us,” the authors wrote.
Harris’ campaign faced criticism for being too closely tied to Biden’s presidency. During campaign preparations, Democratic strategist Stephanie Cutter reportedly suggested highlighting Harris’ achievements with Biden. However, campaign advisor Sean Clegg strongly opposed this approach, arguing that it would make her seem stuck in the past. After expressing his concerns, he was reportedly excluded from further media strategy meetings.
One of the biggest moments in Harris’ campaign was her interview on The View, where she was asked if she would have done anything differently from Biden. Her response—“There is not a thing that comes to mind”—reinforced the perception that she was running as a continuation of Biden rather than as her own candidate.
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