Biden ‘a political liability’ for Harris: Axios
4 Min Read
Sources told Axios that the Harris campaign reacted to Biden's attempts to endorse her with communications that stated, "We'll get back to you."
-
President Joe Biden speaks at an election campaign event in Pittsburgh, on October 26, 2024. (AP)
The campaign staff for US Vice President Kamala Harris has been rejecting President Joe Biden's attempts to help her in the last days before the November election, Axios reported.
Biden has set aside several days to campaign for Harris, despite her staff's lack of plans for joint appearances.
Sources told Axios that the Harris campaign reacted to Biden's attempts to endorse her with communications that stated, "We'll get back to you."
This may be due to Harris' perception that the 81-year-old Biden is a "political liability" at a critical time in the campaign. Her staff, however, is hesitant to make this clear or reject Biden's attempts to advocate for her.
According to one insider, Biden and Harris' relationship is like a "slow-moving break-up".
"Harris' team and allies respect Biden's service but are wary of further tying Harris to the unpopular president on the campaign trail," according to Axios.
"He's a reminder of the last four years, not the new way forward," one insider told the publication.
Biden ignited a reaction last week when he said Trump should be "locked up" at a New Hampshire campaign office. “I know this sounds bizarre. If I had said this five years ago, you’d lock me up, but we’ve got to lock him up,” Biden added, accusing the former President of attempting to use his immunity and privileges to "physically eliminate someone he believes is a threat to him."
He subsequently explained that he intended to "politically lock up" Trump, but his remarks attracted criticism from the former president and other Republicans, who have long accused the Biden administration of using the Justice Department to target him.
Axios also reported that Biden's comments "frustrated" some Harris aides, and, despite the behavior, many on Biden's team feel he can still help Harris win and that his influence with specific voters is being underestimated.
1 in 4 US citizens believe a civil war is likely post-elections: Poll
Almost 27% of US citizens fear a civil war outbreak following the elections, with both Harris and Trump's supporters expressing similar concerns, a recent YouGov poll revealed.
Six percent of poll takers said the possibility of a civil war breaking out post-elections was "very likely", while 21% stated that it would be "somewhat likely". The survey, conducted between October 18-21 for The Times and the SAY24 project, showed that similar percentages of supporters for both Trump and Harris believed that a civil war was at least somewhat likely.
Twelve percent of the 1,266 respondents indicated they know someone who might resort to violence if they felt Trump had been unfairly denied victory, while five percent said the same about Harris. The pollsters also inquired about gun ownership but found no links to perceptions of the likelihood of a civil war.
The poll exposed significant divisions in American society, with 84% of voters acknowledging that the country is more divided now than it was a decade ago.
After US President Joe Biden dropped out of the election race and endorsed Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee, the party experienced a "honeymoon phase" with voters, with polls indicating high chances of a Democratic win in November. However, more recent surveys show Trump leading the race and winning over key states, even within the margin of error.
