Kamala Harris scrambled to prop up a faltering Joe Biden, but her pleas couldn’t mask the obvious. A week after Biden’s disastrous debate performance against Donald Trump, Harris met with Democrat governors at the White House, desperately trying to convince them that Biden could still lead the ticket, as the Daily Mail reports. Her efforts fell flat, as skepticism about Biden’s mental sharpness grew louder.
Harris convened governors in person and via Zoom to shore up support for Biden’s campaign. Governors such as Gavin Newsom of California, Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, and Andy Beshear of Kentucky attended, but many left unconvinced of Biden’s viability. The meeting’s failure foreshadowed Biden’s exit from the race just two weeks later.
Harris echoed Biden’s campaign rhetoric, framing the election as a battle to “save democracy” from Trump. “This is about saving our f***ing democracy,” she declared, but her profanity-laced plea sounded more like panic than conviction. Governors saw through the spin, sensing Biden’s campaign was on life support.
Biden’s senior advisers had pushed for an early spring debate to showcase his leadership against Trump. “The earlier you are able to debate the better,” they wrote in a six-page memo, claiming it would highlight Biden’s strength. Instead, over 50 million Americans watched Biden stumble in Atlanta, exposing his frailty to a shocked nation.
The White House meeting revealed deep cracks in Democratic unity. Govs. Newsom, Whitmer, and Beshear, all potential 2024 contenders, declined to challenge Harris for the nomination, perhaps sensing a sinking ship. Meanwhile, governors like Tim Walz of Minnesota, Kathy Hochul of New York, and Wes Moore of Maryland publicly backed Biden, but their support rang hollow.
Walz, who later joined Harris as her running mate, insisted, “Yes he’s fit for office.” His bold claim crumbled under scrutiny, as Biden’s debate performance left even loyalists questioning his capacity. Walz’s loyalty to Harris secured his spot on the ticket, but it couldn’t salvage Biden’s campaign.
Behind closed doors, Harris’ team had long prepared for Biden’s potential collapse. Starting far earlier in his term, when Biden briefly transferred power to Harris during a colonoscopy, her Chief of Staff, Lorraine Voles, led a contingency plan for Biden’s death in office. This grim foresight revealed Harris’ lack of confidence in Biden’s durability.
Jamal Simmons, Harris’ communications director until January 2023, went further, creating a “death-pool roster” of federal judges to swear Harris in if Biden’s health failed. Simmons kept Harris in the dark but left a spreadsheet with an aide, advising colleagues to alert him if Biden’s condition worsened. Such macabre planning underscored the unease surrounding Biden’s leadership.
A Democratic Party operative, speaking to author Chris Whipple, admitted, “We just feel like we should put a plan in place.” The operative’s cautious words betrayed a party bracing for disaster, knowing Biden’s age and health were liabilities. Harris’ team clearly saw the writing on the wall long before the public did.
Biden’s campaign unraveled swiftly after the governors’ meeting, culminating in his withdrawal two weeks later. He endorsed Harris as the Democratic nominee, thrusting her into the spotlight. Harris, ever the loyal soldier, publicly vouched for Biden’s ability to lead, but her earlier actions suggested she knew better.
Books like 2024: How Trump Retook the White House by Josh Dawsey and others have detailed Harris’ behind-the-scenes maneuvering. These accounts exposed a Democratic Party grappling with Biden’s decline while Harris tried to hold the line. Her efforts to rally governors and project confidence couldn’t hide the chaos within.
Harris’ campaign leaned heavily on Biden’s “defend democracy” mantra, but it failed to inspire. The strategy felt recycled, a weak attempt to distract from Biden’s obvious struggles. Voters saw through the rhetoric, rejecting the narrative that Biden -- or Harris -- could steer the nation forward.
Donald Trump’s sweeping victory in November 2024, capturing all battleground states, crushed Democratic Party hopes. Harris’ campaign, built on Biden’s shaky foundation, collapsed under the weight of voter distrust. The governors’ skepticism at that White House meeting proved prophetic, as Biden’s weaknesses became the party’s downfall.
The contingency plans, secret rosters, and frantic meetings revealed a Democratic Party in disarray. Harris’ attempts to paper over Biden’s decline only delayed the inevitable. Her “save democracy” cry rang empty when the electorate delivered its verdict.
History will remember Harris’ White House meeting as a desperate bid to salvage a lost cause. Biden’s exit and Trump’s triumph exposed the futility of her efforts. The Democratic Party’s refusal to confront reality cost them dearly, and Harris’ secret freakout was just the beginning.
