Kamala Harris Admits Biden Was ‘Off’ Before Debate, Claims He Never Wanted to Face Trump
Kamala Harris is now admitting what many suspected after Joe Biden’s disastrous debate performance in June 2024: he didn’t want to be there in the first place.
In a new interview promoting her upcoming book 107 Days, Harris told YouTube host Steven Bartlett that Biden was clearly “a little off” in the days leading up to the debate that ultimately ended his campaign. She recalled getting a call from him during debate prep and immediately sensing something was wrong.
“I don’t think he wanted that debate,” Harris said flatly. “You’ve got to want it. If you don’t, it affects your performance.”
That performance—halting speech, a frail voice, and nonsensical lines like “We finally beat Medicare”—was the final straw for many Democrats. Biden dropped out of the race a month later, clearing the way for Harris to take the nomination.
But her new honesty stands in stark contrast to what she told CNN’s Anderson Cooper immediately after the debate, when she aggressively defended Biden and insisted he was still fit for office. At the time, she brushed off concerns, saying, “Joe Biden is extraordinarily strong.”
Now, she admits she was watching the entire thing unfold from a Los Angeles hotel room, taking “vigorous notes” and clearly seeing what the rest of the country saw.
Harris’ interview comes as Congress digs deeper into what White House insiders knew about Biden’s condition and when they knew it. According to transcripts released by the House Oversight Committee, multiple former Biden aides confirmed that discussions about a cognitive test were raised but ultimately brushed off.
Former Chief of Staff Jeff Zients told investigators that communications staff, led by Anita Dunn, debated whether a cognitive test would help dispel public concerns—or backfire by making the issue even more visible. Bruce Reed, another senior aide, testified that Biden’s physician Kevin O’Connor dismissed such tests as “meaningless.” Dunn admitted that no matter how many tests Biden took, “it would never really quiet the people who were attacking him.”
None of the aides declared Biden unfit for office under oath, but their reluctance to test his mental sharpness raises more questions about transparency during his presidency.
Harris also used the Bartlett interview to air long-simmering grievances about her treatment inside the White House. She claims Biden’s inner circle worked behind the scenes to damage her image, saying they “decided I should be knocked down a little bit more.”
She believes some of it was rooted in professional jealousy, explaining, “There are far too many people who approach things with a zero-sum game.” When asked whether Biden knew what his staff was doing, Harris replied, “I don’t know if he did.”
As for whether she and Biden are still “friends,” Harris offered a diplomatic but telling answer: “It’s very complicated. There were times he greatly disappointed me and, frankly, angered me.”
When asked if Biden even wanted her to win after he stepped aside, she claimed he did—because, in her words, “I was the only one who would be able to preserve his legacy.” The interviewer noted, “But even that’s about him.”
With the general election now in full swing, Harris’ interview and book are raising eyebrows in Democratic circles. Instead of rallying the party around her campaign, the former vice president seems more interested in rewriting history—and throwing the former president under the bus.