In the aftermath of an unexpected election defeat, some Democratic operatives are holding President Joe Biden responsible for the party’s loss, arguing that his decision to stay in the race ultimately hindered Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign. Biden’s delayed exit, they say, left the party scrambling to reorganize and handed Harris little time to establish her platform. While some within the party believe the blame lies with both Biden and Harris, others see the setback as a result of Biden’s insistence on running despite growing concerns about his age and mental sharpness.
Reports indicate that Biden’s struggle during a key debate against President-elect Donald Trump intensified these concerns, weakening his approval ratings and prompting calls for him to step down. However, Biden held his ground, delaying his withdrawal for another month, which left Harris with only a brief period to pivot and introduce her vision to voters. This decision, critics say, deprived the vice president of critical time to distance herself from Biden’s shortcomings and present her own ideas.
Several Democratic insiders expressed their frustrations, claiming that Biden’s legacy is now tied to Trump’s return to power. Many of Biden’s accomplishments, both executive and legislative, may now be at risk of reversal, with some Democrats arguing that the president’s stubborn commitment to the race reflected personal pride rather than sound political judgment. Even as polling consistently showed Biden’s struggle against Trump, his team maintained that he was the only viable candidate to defeat the GOP front-runner. This position, according to pollster James Zogby, created an atmosphere where potential successors like Harris and other promising figures were sidelined, unable to prepare their own campaigns.
When Biden finally stepped aside, some within the party called for a competitive primary, hoping that voters could weigh in on a successor. Instead, party leaders consolidated their support around Harris, who assumed the nomination at the Democratic National Convention without a formal contest. Representative Seth Moulton, one of the early voices urging Biden to bow out, argued that a primary would have allowed Harris to separate her platform from Biden’s legacy, potentially energizing the party base. Without this opportunity, Harris carried forward under the shadow of an unpopular administration, a reality Moulton believes limited her campaign’s potential.
While some Biden allies defend his record, pointing out that Democratic infighting and outdated campaign tactics played a significant role in the loss, other critics argue that both Biden and Harris failed to adequately address voters’ pressing concerns, particularly on economic issues. As inflation became a more visible burden, the White House initially downplayed its effects, attributing economic dissatisfaction to “bad vibes” rather than tangible struggles. Although Harris touched on issues like price-gouging and housing costs in her campaign, critics say these messages didn’t resonate deeply with working-class voters, who increasingly shifted toward Trump. Bernie Sanders reflected on this disconnection, suggesting that Democrats’ failure to champion the needs of the working class contributed to their defeat — a lesson he believes the party must confront if it hopes to rebuild trust with voters.
