FRICTION

Jill Biden Opposed Kamala Harris as VP Pick After Debate ‘Attack,’ Book Claims

The First Lady reportedly made her frustrations with Biden’s pick for a running mate known in private conversations.

Jill Biden reportedly argued against Joe Biden picking Kamala Harris as his running mate in the 2020 election because she “attacked” him during the first Democratic primary debate. According to a new book by New York Times’ reporters Jonathan Martin and Alexander Burns, excerpts of which were published by Fox News, the First Lady made her feelings known in a private conversation in which she noted the abundance of potential candidates for a VP pick and questioned “why do we have to choose the one who attacked Joe.” Harris famously confronted Biden over his past ties to segregationists in one of the most standout moments of the primary debate. The book also claims that Biden himself had flagged Harris’ “past romantic relationship with Willie Brown” as “something that should be off limits.” But White House chief of staff Ron Klain, then a top campaign adviser, saw the friction during the debate as an advantage for Biden, reportedly telling him that selecting her as a running mate would show how “unifying” he could be.