Allies of former President Joe Biden are publicly pushing back after excerpts from former Vice President Kamala Harris’s upcoming memoir accused Democrats of being “reckless” in leaving the party’s nomination to Biden, highlighting growing tensions within the party.
Harris, who recently announced she will not run for California governor in 2026, used the memoir to reflect on her political trajectory while indirectly criticizing party leadership.
“The stakes were simply too high. This wasn’t a choice that should have been left to an individual’s ego, an individual’s ambition,” Harris wrote in The Atlantic excerpt. “It should have been more than a personal decision.”
She also bluntly described Democrats as “reckless” for the way the nomination process unfolded, sparking backlash from party allies who see her comments as undermining the party publicly, the Conservative Brief reported.
Several former White House colleagues characterized Harris’s memoir excerpts as a self-serving effort to subtly attack Biden. One former staffer told Politico, “No one wants to hear your pity party.”
Another added, “I hate that we’re beating up on a man struggling with cancer, and [who] did genuinely serve our country pretty damn well, even if he made a critical error at the end. But maybe what is even more painful is that we needed more of this distinction and acknowledgement during the campaign. … I’m most offended by this being too little, too late.”
Other former Biden aides questioned why Harris did not air such reflections during the campaign, noting that distancing herself from the president in real time could have been politically prudent.
“Why didn’t she do this during the campaign?” one source asked. “Her main imperative would’ve been to distance herself because there was an election going on.”
Harris’s candid assessment of Biden, whom she described as having “grown tired” during the election, contrasts with the deference she had shown him immediately following the 2024 campaign.
While Harris campaigned vigorously for Biden, her memoir emphasizes moments of tension and misalignment with party strategy.
A source close to Harris stated that the excerpts were intended as honest reflections on her experiences, rather than an orchestrated attack on Biden.
“She set out to be candid in this book, whether that’s her genuine struggles with how to balance her loyal relationship with President Biden with tough political realities, or reflecting on her own missteps on the campaign trail,” the source said.
Political analysts say Harris’s timing and tone could complicate her relationships within the Democratic Party, particularly as 2028 approaches. Longtime strategist James Carville has been vocal, warning Harris and her allies that the party is looking to move on from figures tied to the 2024 campaign.
“Don’t be terrified,” Carville said on his podcast. “She wisely chose not to run for governor of California. Anybody that had anything to do with 2024, the party wants to move on from that. This isn’t anybody’s fault.”
Carville added bluntly, “If I were your friend, if I were your chief advisor, I’m doing this not from a personal standpoint, but because this is not going to be the environment where Democrats look to anybody connected to the 2024 campaign.”
