Joe Biden’s allies are reportedly ready to leak unflattering stories about Kamala Harris’s time as vice president if she discusses his cognitive decline, according to journalist Mark Halperin. On Friday’s episode of The Morning Meeting, Halperin revealed that if Harris attempts to challenge Biden or take issue with his leadership, Biden’s team may push out negative stories about her preparation for the vice presidency.
“I will tell you, and this has never been reported, barely at all,” Halperin began. “If the Biden people decide that Kamala is coming after Joe Biden, wait till you hear the Palinesque stories about how much they tried to help her be prepared to be vice president and be in a position to run. And how much they decided, ‘Not happening.
She’s not up to this.” The term “Palinesque” references the barrage of negative stories that were leaked about Sarah Palin after she served as John McCain’s running mate in the 2008 election. Following McCain’s loss to Barack Obama, rumors about Palin’s unfitness for office, including the infamous story that she didn’t know Africa was a continent, were widely circulated from within her own campaign.
Halperin went on to explain that these stories about Harris would be released only if she were to turn on Biden as she promotes her new book, 107 Days, which chronicles her 2024 campaign. “It’s not like they’re at war currently, but I’m telling you, if Joe Biden feels threatened, if his people feel threatened by her, this is gonna escalate in a big way,” Halperin warned.
Halperin also pointed out that Biden’s team has been “extraordinary in trying to help her do the job of vice president.” He said they provided Harris with every opportunity to succeed, but found that she faced difficulties in certain areas.
Since losing the 2024 presidential election to Donald Trump, Harris has largely stayed out of the spotlight. Her book title refers to the shortened campaign schedule she faced after Biden dropped out of the race as the Democratic nominee.
This development has led to growing speculation about Harris’s political future, especially after she confirmed she would not run for California governor in 2026. Biden’s potential cognitive decline has also been a subject of concern, with reports suggesting that his aides concealed it from the public, as detailed in the book Original Sin by Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson.
While Biden’s cognitive issues and the speculation about his leadership are ongoing concerns, it seems that the political drama between Biden and Harris may escalate if she challenges him publicly.