In a bold move that has stirred the political landscape, former Vice President Kamala Harris has come forward with biting criticism of President Biden's administration, as revealed in excerpts from her forthcoming memoir. The book, titled "107 Days," is set to be published in September and details her experiences during her brief presidential campaign and subsequent term as vice president.
The Atlantic, which published the initial excerpt, showcased Harris' discontent with the internal dynamics of the White House, particularly accusing the administration's communications team of neglecting to defend her work and achievements. She pointedly criticizes the press operations, led by press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, for their failure to counteract negative press and support her initiatives publicly.
"They had a huge comms team; they had Karine Jean-Pierre briefing in the press room every day. But getting anything positive said about my work or any defense against untrue attacks was almost impossible," Harris expressed in the published excerpt.
Harris' allegations extend beyond mere lack of support to active sabotage. She claims the president's staff played a role in perpetuating adverse stories about her, alleging a concerted effort to undermine her image. One particularly stubborn narrative, she says, was the supposed chaos and high staff turnover in her office. Reports of workplace toxicity and incompetence had surfaced in media outlets like Politico, with OpenTheBooks analysis in July 2024 showing a 91.5 percent staff turnover rate within her first three years.
In her defense, Harris argues that the scrutiny she faced was amplified due to her historic role and the dedicated press pool that followed her. She suggests that this attention resulted in unfair coverage and that the president's team was content to allow negative portrayals to proliferate.
The vice president's role in addressing immigration issues also came under fire during her tenure, with Harris lamenting the lack of White House support in clarifying her responsibilities and publicizing her achievements in the area. Despite securing significant private investment commitments for migration source regions, she felt pigeonholed as the "border czar" and held accountable for longstanding challenges at the border.
Additionally, Harris recounts an incident involving her supportive remarks for Israel following a terrorist attack by Hamas. Despite the speech being vetted by the White House and the National Security Council, her adept delivery allegedly drew ire from the West Wing, suggesting an atmosphere where her successes were not welcomed.
In conclusion, Harris' excerpt underscores her view that the Biden administration harbored a flawed, zero-sum approach to her success, failing to recognize the mutual benefits of her thriving in the vice presidential role.
