Biden-Harris election defeat/ Harris’s campaign loss/ Biden blamed for Harris defeat/ Biden impact on Trump victory/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Following Kamala Harris’s significant election loss to Donald Trump, allies of Harris are blaming Joe Biden’s late exit from the race, citing his delay as a factor that hindered the Democratic Party’s chances. Frustrations also stem from Biden’s handling of key issues like inflation, immigration, and his popularity among voters due to age-related concerns. Some argue that Biden’s prolonged decision cost Democrats valuable time to mount an effective campaign.
“Biden’s Role in Harris’s Election Loss Quick Looks”
- Harris Defeat Blamed on Biden: Harris allies argue Biden’s late campaign exit hurt the party’s election chances.
- Key Issues Cited: Inflation, border concerns, and Biden’s age are seen as factors contributing to the loss.
- Lack of Differentiation: Harris struggled to distinguish herself from Biden’s policies, which hindered her campaign.
- Party’s Internal Frustrations: Some Democrats blame party leaders for not addressing Biden’s weaknesses sooner.
- Broader Democratic Concerns: Discontent over party direction and lack of connection to voters raised by figures like Bernie Sanders.
Biden Takes Heat from Harris Allies for Defeat by Trump
Deep Look
President Joe Biden’s delayed decision to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race is facing scrutiny from Vice President Kamala Harris’s supporters, who contend that his hesitancy contributed to her significant loss to Donald Trump. Harris’s backers argue that Biden’s reluctance to step aside early on, despite voter concerns about his age, inflation, and handling of immigration, put the Democratic Party at a disadvantage.
Some Democrats have pointed to the party’s failure to push Biden out of the race sooner, arguing that doing so would have allowed for a stronger candidate selection and campaign strategy. Andrew Yang, a 2020 Democratic contender who endorsed Harris, expressed frustration over Biden’s decision, noting that if he had exited earlier, Harris’s campaign might have had the opportunity to mount a more compelling bid. “The biggest onus of this loss is on President Biden,” Yang said, adding that a January exit rather than a summer one might have led to different results.
Biden’s supporters point to a list of achievements, including his efforts to lead the country out of the COVID-19 pandemic, support for Ukraine amid conflict with Russia, and a landmark $1 trillion infrastructure bill. However, critics argue that Biden’s contributions are overshadowed by his role in ushering in another Trump administration just four years after defeating him.
Thom Reilly, co-director of Arizona State University’s Center for an Independent and Sustainable Democracy, commented on the difficult legacy Biden faces: “Maybe in 20 or 30 years, history will remember Biden for some of these achievements… but in the shorter term, he may be remembered as the president who beat Trump, only to see him return to the White House.”
On Wednesday, Biden remained out of the public eye, issuing congratulatory calls to Democratic lawmakers who won down-ballot races and extending a formal invitation to Trump for a meeting at the White House. Biden’s Thursday Rose Garden address is expected to touch on Harris’s historic campaign and offer his reflections on the election.
Behind the scenes, key figures in the Harris campaign voiced disappointment with Biden’s failure to recognize the signs of voter dissatisfaction early in the election cycle. Sources within the campaign revealed that Democratic heavyweights, including former President Barack Obama and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, nudged Biden toward an early exit. Yet, it wasn’t until Biden’s shaky debate performance this summer that he stepped down, passing the campaign reins to Harris.
For many, the election revealed weaknesses in the Democratic Party’s strategy. Polling throughout Biden’s tenure showed that voters were increasingly wary of his age and stamina for the job. In an August 2023 poll by the AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs, 77% of respondents felt Biden was too old to serve another term effectively.
Reflecting broader frustrations, Yang noted a lack of leadership among Democrats who avoided the issue. “Why was this not coming from any Democratic leaders?” he questioned, adding that Democratic reluctance stemmed from “a lack of courage and independence and an excess of careerism.”
Several other dynamics played a role in Harris’s unsuccessful campaign. Younger and Arab American voters voiced anger over the administration’s stance on Israel’s actions in Gaza and Lebanon, a stance they felt alienated the party’s progressive base. Additionally, Sen. Bernie Sanders criticized the party’s inability to connect with working-class Americans, raising concerns that the Democrats were increasingly out of touch with the issues impacting middle- and low-income voters. “Will the big money interests and well-paid consultants who control the Democratic Party learn any real lessons from this disastrous campaign?” Sanders asked in a statement.
Harris’s challenge was compounded by her close alignment with Biden’s policies, which made it difficult for her to outline a distinct vision for the country’s future. Her inability to identify any specific policy divergence when asked during an interview on ABC’s “The View” provided the Trump campaign with a sound bite they used repeatedly.
Campaign advisers believe that if Biden had withdrawn sooner, the party would have had time to hold a primary, forcing candidates to outline their unique platforms and establish stronger connections with voters. Without that primary process, Harris had little time to differentiate herself from the sitting president or gain traction on her own merits. While she succeeded in energizing parts of the Democratic base, her alignment with Biden’s policies ultimately made it hard for voters to see her as a change agent.
At Harris’s concession speech on Wednesday, supporters expressed regret that she didn’t have more time to make her case. “I think that would have made a huge difference,” said Jerushatalla Pallay, a Howard University student who attended the event at her university’s campus center.
As Republicans prepare to take control of the White House and Senate, Democrats are left questioning their approach to 2024 and examining potential missteps. For Matt Bennett, executive vice president at the Democratic-aligned group Third Way, this loss represents a major setback. Bennett reflected that Harris faced an uphill battle, partially due to Biden’s handling of the campaign timeline: “Harris was dealt a really bad hand. Some of it was Biden’s making and some maybe not. Would Democrats fare better if Biden had stepped back earlier? I don’t know if we can say for certain, but it’s a question we’ll be asking ourselves for some time.”
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