New Jill Biden Book Reveals Tense Exchange With Kamala Harris
Former First Lady Jill Biden’s upcoming memoir sheds new light on the chaotic hours following President Joe Biden’s decision to end his 2024 reelection campaign, including a tense conversation with then-Vice President Kamala Harris that ultimately led to Biden’s immediate endorsement of her candidacy. The book, which is scheduled for release on June 2, offers an inside account of the dramatic events of July 21, 2024, when Biden became the first sitting president since Lyndon Johnson in 1968 to abandon a reelection campaign. Advertisement Jill Biden writes that Joe Biden personally called Harris to inform her of his decision. “Oh my God, Joe. Are you sure? ” Jill Biden recalls Harris saying. Advertisement The conversation quickly shifted to what would happen next. Advertisement “I want it sooner,” Harris reportedly told the president. “Could you do it soon? Say, in 20 minutes? ” she asked. Jill Biden writes that she eventually left the room during the exchange. Ultimately, Biden endorsed Harris approximately 30 minutes after announcing that he was ending his campaign.
The Path to the Endorsement
The endorsement effectively ended speculation about a contested Democratic nomination battle and helped prevent what many observers had anticipated could become a divisive mini-primary ahead of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. The relationship was strained after a high-profile debate confrontation in 2019, when Harris criticized Joe Biden over his past positions on federally mandated school busing programs designed to promote racial integration. The exchange became one of the defining moments of the Democratic primary campaign. The criticism reportedly infuriated Jill Biden. According to previously published accounts, she defended her husband during a conference call with supporters shortly after the debate. The episode created lingering resentment that reportedly continued even after Biden secured the Democratic nomination.
Tensions and Friction
“There are millions of people in the United States,” she reportedly said. “Why do we have to choose the one who attacked Joe? ” Despite those concerns, Biden ultimately selected Harris as vice president. Still, reports of friction between Harris and members of Biden‘s inner circle persisted throughout much of the administration. The new memoir provides one of the most detailed firsthand accounts yet of the final hours of Biden‘s presidential campaign and the rapid transition that followed. Without Biden‘s backing, Democrats may have faced a contentious fight over the nomination just weeks before their national convention, The New York Post reported. Instead, Harris quickly consolidated support from party leaders and delegates following Biden‘s withdrawal.