Former President Joe Biden’s stubborn refusal to exit the 2024 presidential race crushed Kamala Harris’ chances, a top campaign adviser has just claimed.
David Plouffe, a senior Harris campaign aide and former Obama White House insider, pointed the finger at Biden for the vice president’s defeat in a scathing new book, and the revelations expose a Democratic Party in disarray, clinging to a faltering leader while ignoring the will of working-class Americans, as the New York Post reports.
Plouffe, in the forthcoming book Original Sin by Alex Thompson and Jake Tapper, blames Biden’s delayed withdrawal for Harris’ loss against Donald Trump after a grueling 107-day campaign. The adviser’s blunt assessment lays bare the chaos within the Democratic Party elite, who prioritized loyalty to Biden over the nation’s needs.
Concerns about Biden’s fitness emerged sharply after his shaky debate performance on June 27, 2024. Plouffe privately questioned the president’s mental and physical stamina, yet Biden’s inner circle insisted he could secure another term. This denial, Plouffe argues, set Harris up for failure.
Despite Plouffe’s warnings, Biden’s team dismissed concerns about his stumbles, gaffes, and apparent confusion. The White House publicly maintained that Biden was in robust health, a claim that rang hollow to many. Plouffe later called the situation “a f–king nightmare” for Harris’ campaign.
Biden finally stepped aside on July 21, 2024, three weeks after the debate debacle. His exit came too late, leaving Harris with scant time to rally voters against Trump’s populist surge. Plouffe minced no words, declaring Biden “totally f–ked us” by clinging to the race.
The fallout was brutal, with Democratic Party insiders slamming Plouffe and fellow Obama alum Stephanie Cutter for misreading voter priorities. Critics argued the duo was swayed by cable news and social media echo chambers, disconnected from the heartland’s concerns. One source close to the campaign sneered, “They tried an Obama play with a non-Obama candidate.”
Plouffe and Cutter’s focus on elite-driven issues alienated working-class voters, insiders claimed. “Cable news and Twitter are not real life,” one source said, blasting their messaging as out of touch. This miscalculation deepened the hole from which Harris struggled to emerge.
Two days after Harris’ defeat, Plouffe briefly deleted his X account following a post admitting the campaign “dug out of a deep hole but not enough.” The move sparked speculation of internal panic as Democrats grappled with the loss. Plouffe’s frustration underscored the campaign’s uphill battle, rooted in Biden’s delayed departure.
Democratic Party critics didn’t spare Biden’s inner circle, accusing his family and aides of enabling a doomed candidacy. One senior aide lamented, “It was a disservice to the country and to the party” for Biden to run again. The aide praised Biden’s decency but decried the decision as reckless.
A prominent Democratic Party strategist went further, calling Biden’s persistence “an abomination” that robbed the party and the nation of a fair shot. The strategist accused Biden of effectively stealing the election from Democrats by refusing to step down sooner. These harsh words reflect a party fractured by hubris and misjudgment.
Biden’s defenders, however, pushed back against the criticism. A Biden spokesperson insisted that “evidence of aging is not evidence of mental incapacity.” They argued that Biden remained effective, challenging critics to pinpoint any presidential failure tied to mental decline. The spokesperson doubled down, claiming Biden’s record proved his competence. “He was a very effective president,” they said, dismissing allegations of mental or physical shortcomings. Yet, these defenses did little to quell the growing discontent within Democratic ranks.
The liberal media has also faced backlash for downplaying Biden’s visible struggles, from physical stumbles to moments of confusion. Critics argued this cover-up shielded Biden but doomed Harris, leaving her to inherit a sinking ship. The media’s role in propping up Biden fueled distrust among voters weary of elitist narratives.
Plouffe’s blunt assessment in Original Sin paints a damning picture of a Democratic Party unmoored from reality. “And it’s all Biden,” he declared, pinning Harris’ loss on the president’s refusal to bow out gracefully. The fallout exposes a party beholden to progressive dogma, ignoring the values of faith, family, and hard work that resonate with everyday Americans.
As Democrats lick their wounds, the Harris campaign’s collapse serves as a warning against elitism and denial. Biden’s legacy, once celebrated, now carries the stain of a strategic blunder that handed Trump the advantage. For a nation craving strength and sovereignty, the Democrats’ missteps prove they’ve lost touch with the heartland.
