"If They Had Finished" vs "If They Had Quit Early"... Biden and Harris Engage in 'Blame Game' Debate

WSJ Report... "Biden and Harris Relationship Cold"
Biden Side "If Not Given Up, Would Have Defeated Trump"
Harris Side "If Campaign Period Had Been Longer"

After the Democratic Party's defeat in last year's U.S. presidential election, claims have emerged that the relationship between President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris has grown cold. The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on the 31st (local time), citing multiple sources, that "President Biden, who abruptly withdrew from the candidacy last July due to concerns about his age, believes that if he had not given up his bid for re-election, he would have defeated President-elect Donald Trump in the election."

U.S. President Joe Biden (right) is seen on stage on the first day of the Democratic National Convention held at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, on August 19 last year (local time), raising Vice President Kamala Harris's hand. Photo by Yonhap News

In August last year, at the Democratic National Convention, which was Harris's presidential campaign launch event, President Biden attended and personally explained the reason for his withdrawal from the candidacy. He said, "I love my job, but I love my country more," and added, "It is not true that I am angry at those who told me to step down." He also said, "Choosing Harris as my vice president was the best decision of my life," and promised, "I will be the best volunteer for Harris and (vice presidential candidate) Tim Walz's campaign."

Afterwards, it was reported that President Biden went on vacation to the California home of his billionaire friend Joe Quiani, who told WSJ, "Biden really believed he could have won if he had challenged."

There were also claims that Jill Biden, President Biden's wife, disliked Senator Harris because Harris attacked President Biden during the 2020 Democratic presidential primary. During a TV debate at the time, Harris targeted Biden's past record of cooperating with racially discriminatory Republican senators. She tearfully said, "You worked with them on 'busing' opposition. There was a little girl in California who took the bus to school every day. That little girl was me."

Busing refers to the policy of transporting black and white students by bus between school districts to integrate them. Biden was unable to properly counter these remarks and was put on the defensive, while Harris gained significant attention from voters. Subsequently, Harris gave up her presidential ambitions, and Biden was confirmed as the Democratic presidential candidate, but Harris made a spectacular comeback as his running mate.

On the other hand, WSJ claimed that "Vice President Harris's camp privately says that if (President Biden) had withdrawn earlier and secured a few more weeks of campaigning, the election outcome might have been different." It was also analyzed that their relationship grew strained due to frustration over Biden's multiple public statements and actions after withdrawing from the candidacy, which sparked controversy.

In October last year, President Biden appeared directly in the White House briefing room to take questions from the press, diverting public attention, and near the end of the election, he caused controversy by calling Trump supporters "trash."