Biden snaps at White House official reminding him to let Kamala Harris speak
During a hurricane briefing, President Joe Biden awkwardly continued speaking past the cue to Vice President Harris.
During a White House briefing on hurricanes Helene and Milton, US President Joe Biden snapped and said, “I know,” when he was gently reminded by Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm that it was Vice President Kamala Harris’ turn to speak.
The virtual briefing took a slightly awkward turn as Biden appeared to continue, “I think we’ve saved lives, not me, but we, all of those folks out in the field, have saved lives, but there’s more to do, and I’m going to do everything in my power to get it done,” Biden said, flipping to the final page of his prepared notes.
Granholm, seated next to him, seemed to notice that the president was approaching the end of his speech and tapped him on the arm, gesturing toward the monitor where Harris was waiting to speak.
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Biden snapped with a quick “I know,” before adding, “I’m going to go to the vice president in a second.” He then joked, “She’s my boss,” referring to Granholm.
The POTUS then continued to speak for a few more moments, even addressing Harris directly. “Hang on one second, Madame Vice President,” he said as he tried to wrap up his thoughts.
Biden’s remarks continued briefly, including a note that his administration would be asking Congress for more funding to support hurricane recovery efforts. Finally, he turned to Harris, saying, “So with that, I’ll yield to the president — I mean the vice president,” prompting laughter from those attending the briefing.
Biden is reportedly unhappy with Harris
Several reports suggest that there may be deeper tensions between Biden and Harris. NBC News reported that the president has been privately expressing frustration that Harris and the Democratic Party seem to have “moved on from him” since his withdrawal from the 2024 presidential race in July.
Biden is said to be upset that Harris has not been highlighting his accomplishments and policies enough on the campaign trail as she works to carve out her own identity in preparation for the election.
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However, White House spokesperson Andrew Bates refuted the NBC News report was “the polar opposite of the truth.”
Former President Donald Trump weighed in on the rumoured discord between Biden and Harris during a recent rally. “He’s angry, he’s angry at her,” Trump said.