White House, Dem infighting erupts following Kamala’s overwhelming loss to Trump: ‘It’s a blood bath’
Some insiders have described Biden as an “81-year-old albatross hanging around Harris’s neck.”
Democrats in the White House are experiencing significant internal strife after Kamala Harris’s defeat to Donald Trump in the presidential election, with blame being cast on different individuals within the party.
Following Harris’ loss, the vice president’s aides are directing criticism toward President Joe Biden, pointing to his handling of key issues such as inflation and immigration, as well as concerns about his cognitive abilities, verbal gaffes, and his refusal to exit the race earlier. Some insiders described Biden as an “81-year-old albatross hanging around Harris’s neck,” according to a report by the Daily Mail. The outlet quoted one observer saying that the blame game within the Democratic Party is a “blood bath.”
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi echoed these sentiments by Harris aides in a recent interview with The New York Times. “Had the president gotten out sooner, there may have been other candidates in the race… there would be an open primary,” she remarked.
However, the Biden team has pushed back against this narrative. Per the Dail Mail, one White House insider argued that Trump’s overwhelming victory made it clear that Harris was unable to win regardless of how long she was the nominee for president. Biden loyalists also highlighted that he remains the only Democrat to have successfully defeated Trump, emphasizing Harris’s historically low popularity as vice president prior to becoming the nominee.
The apparent tension between the Bidens and Harris was further underscored by the absence of both Joe and Jill Biden from Harris’s election watch party. Speculation grew after Biden’s address acknowledging Harris’s loss, during which observers noted he appeared unusually upbeat. Similar claims arose when Biden and Trump were seen smiling together during Trump’s visit to the White House, as there have long been rumors that the Bidens are still frustrated by Joe’s ousting as the nominee in the 2024 election.
Discontent within Harris’s camp has reportedly been widespread. A Democratic official told JP last week that campaign staffers “felt lied to by the campaign.” Staffers were reportedly angered after exit polling revealed Trump’s significant gains among key demographics the party counted on.
“How do you lose a campaign this badly?” questioned one party strategist. “For weeks, they told us this campaign would be tight. And really, it wasn’t even close.”
The blame game has even extended to former President Barack Obama and his circle of advisors.
“There is no singular reason why we lost, but a big reason is because [former] Obama advisers publicly encouraged Democratic infighting to push Joe Biden out,” a former Biden staffer said about David Axelrod, per the Daily Mail.