An adviser claims that Joe Biden’s decision to stay in the 2024 race severely hurt Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign chances.
Adviser blames Former President Joe Biden for Kamala Harris’ 2024 presidential election setback
Tensions within the Democratic Party have intensified following the 2024 presidential election.
Kamala Harris’ advisers blame President Biden’s delayed withdrawal for her defeat in the 2024 election.
A forthcoming exposé, ‘Original Sin’, claims Biden’s decision to remain in the race despite health concerns hurt Harris’s campaign.
David Plouffe, a seasoned Democratic strategist and Obama-era senior adviser, expressed strong criticism in the book.
He described Harris’ campaign as a “nightmare” and held Biden accountable, stating, “And it’s all Biden,” he told the authors. “He totally f–ked us.”
His remarks reflected frustrations over the perceived mismanagement of the leadership transition within the party.
Concerns raised after Biden’s 2024 debate performance
The turning point, according to insiders, came after Biden’s faltering performance during the June 27, 2024, debate against Donald Trump.
Donors and party officials began questioning the president’s fitness, both mentally and physically, to continue campaigning.
Plouffe reportedly received numerous calls from concerned supporters, but claims his warnings were dismissed.
Despite visible signs of aging and increasing criticism, the White House and Biden’s inner circle maintained confidence in his ability to win a second term.
However, the president eventually withdrew from the race on July 21 — weeks after the damage had been done to Harris’ momentum.
Strategists face backlash due to campaign missteps.
Biden’s late exit and internal divisions worsened Harris’ campaign, with Plouffe and Cutter facing backlash from within the party.
Critics say they misjudged voter priorities and relied too heavily on strategies that worked for Barack Obama but were ill-suited to Harris’ unique candidacy.
One campaign source noted, “They tried an Obama play with a non-Obama candidate,” suggesting a disconnect between messaging and the electorate’s concerns.
“Cutter and Plouffe were doing messaging and ads and they misjudged what people cared about because cable news and Twitter are not real life,” the source added.
“Biden should have never run [in 2024] AND the party is too far left.”
After the loss, Plouffe deleted his social media, stating the campaign did its best but couldn’t fully recover.
Some Democrats have gone further, accusing Biden of undermining the party’s chances.
A strategist called it an “abomination,” claiming Biden’s decision to stay cost Democrats the White House and damaged voter credibility.
“I love Joe Biden. When it comes to decency, there are few in politics like him.
Still, it was a disservice to the country and to the party for his family and advisers to allow him to run again,” one senior aide was quoted as saying in the book.
“It was an abomination. He stole an election from the Democratic Party; he stole it from the American people,” a prominent Democratic strategist added.
Biden responded to the claims
In response to the book’s claims, a Biden spokesperson rejected the idea that age equaled incapacity.
They argued the president remained mentally sharp throughout his term and pointed to his legislative accomplishments as proof of his effectiveness.
The 2024 election fallout exposed Democratic Party fractures as leaders struggle to rebuild trust and refocus strategy for upcoming races.
“And so far, we are still waiting for someone, anyone, to point out where Joe Biden had to make a presidential decision or make a presidential address where he was unable to do his job because of mental decline.
In fact, the evidence points to the opposite — he was a very effective president.”