For the second time in a month, President Joe Biden seemed to throw Kamala Harris under the bus, unintentionally benefiting Republicans.
In late September, on "The View," Biden said he “was able to delegate [Harris’s] responsibility on everything from foreign policy to domestic policy.” This contradicted her campaign message and the media’s narrative that she had little involvement in his administration’s failures.
Then, on Monday night, Biden spoke with Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis about Hurricane Milton. At the same time, Harris was accusing DeSantis of playing political games by allegedly “refusing” her phone call. DeSantis denied it, saying he wasn’t aware she had even reached out.
Biden further praised DeSantis’s hurricane response during a Tuesday press conference, calling it a “great job,” despite Harris’s earlier criticism of him.
JUST IN: Joe Biden completely contradicts Kamala Harris, says DeSantis has his direct number and is DOING A GREAT JOB on hurricane response.. pic.twitter.com/7dofDMdpKH
— Chuck Callesto (@ChuckCallesto) October 8, 2024
This is a bad look for Harris. She’s already under fire for recording an interview on the podcast “Call Her Daddy” while the Southeast still deals with Hurricane Helene’s aftermath. As for whether Biden’s actions are deliberate, it’s unlikely.
It’s more likely Biden didn’t realize he was talking to DeSantis about a storm. But this will certainly give Republicans more ammo. They can now portray Harris as someone caught up in petty politics and misinformation while the country faces serious issues.