Former US Vice-President Kamala Harris has expressed concern that she didn't ask Joe Biden to pull out of the race for the White House. In an interview with the BBC for Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, she said: I do reflect on whether I should have had a conversation with him, urging him not to run for re-election. After months of speculation about his health and mental acuity, President Biden ended his re-election bid in July 2024 after a disastrous performance in a debate against Donald Trump a few weeks earlier.
Harris, who stepped in as the Democratic nominee but lost to Trump, has revealed in her book about her three-month campaign that she did not discuss with President Biden her concerns over his ability. Nor did the then 81-year-old raise the issue with her.
In the book, 107 Days, the former vice-president wrote that Biden's decision to run again was a choice that shouldn't have been left to an individual's ego, an individual's ambition. She wrote that perhaps she should have raised it with him. In this interview she told the BBC that she still ponders whether she should have acted differently and talked to him about it.
I do reflect on whether I should have had a conversation with him, urging him not to run, she said, adding that she questioned whether it was grace or recklessness that stopped her from speaking up. Harris expressed that her worry was not about Biden's ability to fulfill the presidential role but rather about whether he could meet the demands of a grueling election campaign.
When pressed on the distinction, she explained that there is a significant difference between running for office and performing the duties of the presidency, especially against Trump's current campaign. Part of the issue there was that it would – would it have actually been an effective and productive conversation, given what would otherwise appear to be my self-interest? she stated, highlighting the challenging nature of political discussions regarding capacity and health.
Reflecting on the campaign dynamics, she admitted being conflicted about raising concerns to Biden, fearing an accusation of promoting her own interests. The discussion around Biden's decision to run again and the advice from his close circle is increasingly prominent, with some questioning if more could have been done to challenge his candidacy. Biden's aides have dismissed claims of a cover-up regarding his health, affirming his mental fitness for office.
While promoting her new book in the UK, Harris indicated that she has not ruled out running for the presidency again in the future, stating, I'm not done with public service.
Harris, who stepped in as the Democratic nominee but lost to Trump, has revealed in her book about her three-month campaign that she did not discuss with President Biden her concerns over his ability. Nor did the then 81-year-old raise the issue with her.
In the book, 107 Days, the former vice-president wrote that Biden's decision to run again was a choice that shouldn't have been left to an individual's ego, an individual's ambition. She wrote that perhaps she should have raised it with him. In this interview she told the BBC that she still ponders whether she should have acted differently and talked to him about it.
I do reflect on whether I should have had a conversation with him, urging him not to run, she said, adding that she questioned whether it was grace or recklessness that stopped her from speaking up. Harris expressed that her worry was not about Biden's ability to fulfill the presidential role but rather about whether he could meet the demands of a grueling election campaign.
When pressed on the distinction, she explained that there is a significant difference between running for office and performing the duties of the presidency, especially against Trump's current campaign. Part of the issue there was that it would – would it have actually been an effective and productive conversation, given what would otherwise appear to be my self-interest? she stated, highlighting the challenging nature of political discussions regarding capacity and health.
Reflecting on the campaign dynamics, she admitted being conflicted about raising concerns to Biden, fearing an accusation of promoting her own interests. The discussion around Biden's decision to run again and the advice from his close circle is increasingly prominent, with some questioning if more could have been done to challenge his candidacy. Biden's aides have dismissed claims of a cover-up regarding his health, affirming his mental fitness for office.
While promoting her new book in the UK, Harris indicated that she has not ruled out running for the presidency again in the future, stating, I'm not done with public service.
