According to two New York Times reporters, Jill Biden, first lady, expressed disappointment that Kamala Harris was her top choice for vice-president.
Fox News received a portion from Alexander Burns’ book “This Will not Pass: Trump, Biden and the Battle for America’s Future,” which describes the vice presidential nomination process in Joe Biden’s 2020 campaign.
She began, “There are millions of Americans. “Why, she asked, “do we have the one who attacked Joe?” The authors describe a conversation Jill Biden had with Harris after Harris was named as her running mate.
However, Harris was supported by many in Biden’s circle. Ron Klain, the White House chief-of-staff, was tasked with screening vice presidential candidates. According to the book, Harris told Biden that Harris was the best qualified candidate for the job because she had previously sought the presidency.
“Yes, Harris had attacked Biden harsher than any major Democratic candidate during the primaries. Yes, it was viewed by the Biden family as a smear campaign and betrayal. Klain believes that this would be to Biden’s benefit,” the book says. Klain said to Biden that Harris choosing Harris would show people you are kind and generous. It will demonstrate to the nation how unifying a leader you are.
Biden’s reservations about Harris being her running mate are also highlighted in the book. Biden noted her past relationship with Willie Brown (the former mayor of San Francisco who appointed Harris to two minor political positions), and the book stated that the behavior was “not something that should be allowed.”
Other candidates for Biden’s running mate were New Mexico Gov., as discussed in this book. Michelle Lujan Grisham, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, along with activists and members from all parts of Congress.
Stacey Abrams was another candidate who tried hard to get the job. According to the book, she “did not pass the test” and was considered a loser by Biden’s advisors after she failed in the Georgia gubernatorial election in 2018.
The book claims that Abrams tried hard to win genuine consideration, but did not overcome the “experience issue” Biden’s advisors warned him about.
Grisham, who was described in the book as a “nononsense former state secretary of health buried in managing a pandemic on-the ground”, told the authors that Biden’s team had “insane” during the vetting process.
According to the book, Lujan Grisham stated that he asked me to sell him on the vice presidency: “Why should you be the vice President?”
Biden told her that she didn’t ask for the vice presidency. “You requested that I be vetted. Please tell me why you think you would make a good vice-president. This was not my idea.”
Biden’s campaign viewed other candidates, such as Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.) and Rep. Val Demmings (D-Fla.), as compromises or risky. These candidates reached the same conclusion: Harris would be the nominee.
Biden’s advisors believed Harris was the best choice to win the White House, despite her past of targeting Biden.
A close advisor to Biden stated in the book that white women are just as racist as white men. None of this was safe. It was risky. It was one of the best choices we had.
