A new book reveals stunning details about Vice President Kamala Harris's behind-the-scenes efforts to secure her spot as Joe Biden's running mate in the 2020 presidential election.
According to Fox News, a recently published book titled "Fight: Inside the Wildest Battle for the White House" claims Harris orchestrated a "dark-arts operation" to undermine other potential vice presidential candidates through targeted information campaigns.
The book, authored by NBC News journalist Jonathan Allen and The Hill's Amie Parnes, details how Harris's team strategically worked to diminish the prospects of several prominent Democratic women who were also under consideration for the vice presidential nomination. The revelations are based on extensive interviews with over 150 political insiders, offering unprecedented insight into the selection process.
One of Harris's advisers openly acknowledged their systematic approach to undermining competitors, specifically targeting Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, former UN Ambassador Susan Rice, and former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams.
An advisor from Harris's team, speaking about their tactics, admitted to the systematic nature of their operation against other candidates. As quoted in the book:
We stabbed Karen Bass a little bit. We stabbed Susan Rice a little bit. We stabbed Stacey Abrams a little bit. We stabbed Gretchen Whitmer.
While the book exposes these aggressive campaign tactics, it's noteworthy that the targeted politicians maintained professional relationships with Harris, suggesting the political maneuvering didn't create lasting animosity.
Despite the revealed undermining efforts, many of the targeted politicians later showed public support for Harris. Bass endorsed her candidacy, while both Whitmer and Abrams participated in Harris's campaign events during the 2024 election cycle.
Susan Rice demonstrated her continued support for Harris by defending her against criticism. When Representative Ted Burchett described Harris as a "DEI hire," Rice forcefully rejected the characterization during a CNN interview.
The book's publication by William Morrow and Company on April 1 adds another layer to our understanding of the intense competition for the vice presidential nomination in 2020.
The book also explores former President Barack Obama's hesitancy to support Harris in the 2024 election. This reluctance stemmed from concerns about Biden's fitness for office and doubts about Harris's political capabilities.
These revelations about Obama's reservations provide additional context to the complicated dynamics within the Democratic Party's leadership during the transition period.
Harris has since signed with CAA Speakers, joining their roster of high-profile clients, though the agency has not commented on the book's claims about her vice presidential selection campaign.
Vice President Kamala Harris's campaign team executed a calculated strategy to secure her position as Joe Biden's running mate in 2020, employing targeted information campaigns against other potential candidates. The book "Fight: Inside the Wildest Battle for the White House" reveals how Harris's advisers systematically worked to undermine competitors, including Gretchen Whitmer, Karen Bass, Susan Rice, and Stacey Abrams, through strategic information dissemination. Despite these aggressive campaign tactics, many of the targeted politicians maintained their support for Harris, demonstrating the complex nature of political relationships and alliances in modern American politics.
