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Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Kamala Harris launched ‘dark-arts operation' against opponents for VP spot in 2020, new book claims
Former Vice President Kamala Harris ran a 'dark-arts operation' intended to undermine her competition for the running mate slot on former President Joe Biden's 2020 presidential campaign, according to a new book. The operation, which involved disseminating unfavorable information about potential Biden vice presidential picks, specifically targeted Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, former US Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice, former Democratic Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, the book 'Fight: Inside the Wildest Battle for the White House' revealed. 'In 2020, when she beat out a crowded field to join Biden's ticket, Harris advisers ran a dark-arts operation to undermine the competition, circulating negative information on her rivals,' political journalists Jonathan Allen and Amie Parnes wrote in its pages, according to Fox News. ''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,'' a former Harris adviser told the journalists. The book, published by William Morrow and Company on April 1, did not detail the specifics of the reported campaign to undercut the ex-vice president's potential opponents. It's unclear if Harris's targets were aware of the alleged behind-the-scenes campaign to thwart their candidacy. Bass, Whitmer and Abrams all publicly endorsed Harris when she replaced Biden on the 2024 Democratic presidential ticket, with the latter two appearing at campaign events for the former vice president. Meanwhile, Rice defended Harris from criticism leveled by Rep. Ted Burchett (R-Tenn.), who described the former vice president as a 'DEI hire' last July. Rice dismissed Burchett's characterization of Harris as 'incredibly insulting,' in an interview with CNN, according to Fox News. Harris did not respond to the outlet's request for comment. The book also claims the former VP was 'completely shocked' by her crushing loss to President Trump this past November, having 'bought the hype' that her campaign was in good shape in the run-up to Election Day. The authors further revealed that former President Barack Obama was reluctant to endorse Harris after Biden dropped out of the race because he felt she couldn't beat Trump.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Harris launched 'dark-arts operation' against opponents for VP spot in 2020, new book claims
Former Vice President Kamala Harris engaged in a "dark-arts operation" to undercut other potential running mates for former President Joe Biden in the 2020 election, according to a new book. The book, "Fight: Inside the Wildest Battle for the White House," published April 1 by William Morrow and Company, claims that Harris spread unfavorable information about other possible vice presidential picks for Biden. "In 2020, when she beat out a crowded field to join Biden's ticket, Harris advisers ran a dark-arts operation to undermine the competition, circulating negative information on her rivals," write political journalists Jonathan Allen of NBC News and Amie Parnes of The Hill. Tensions Allegedly Rise Between Biden White House And Harris Campaign: 'Too Much In Their Feelings' Specifically, the book singled out Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice, former Democratic Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams, and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. "'We stabbed Karen Bass a little bit. We stabbed Susan Rice a little bit. We stabbed Stacey Abrams a little bit," one adviser said of the effort four years earlier. 'We stabbed Gretchen Whitmer.'" Read On The Fox News App The book did not delve into the specifics Harris took to undercut her opponents as they all vied for the vice presidential nomination. But any steps Harris took to undermine those women didn't damage their relationships enough to stop them from backing her in the 2024 election. Bass endorsed Harris, and both Whitmer and Abrams appeared at Harris campaign events in 2024. Additionally, Rice also defended Harris in July after Rep. Ted Burchett, R-Tenn., described Harris as a "DEI hire." Rice described the comment as "incredibly insulting," in an interview with CNN. Kamala Harris Was 'Very Annoyed' With Obama As She Sought His Endorsement, Book Reveals Harris, who previously served as a senator from California, has signed with CAA Speakers, which represents high-profile celebrities. CAA did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. "Fight" chronicles how President Donald Trump secured the White House for a second term. Allen and Parnes conducted interviews with more than 150 political insiders for the book, according to the book's description. The book also details how former President Barack Obama remained wary of supporting Harris in the 2024 election to replace Biden, amid concerns about his mental fitness. Likewise, the book shares that Obama doubted Biden's political abilities as the race dragged article source: Harris launched 'dark-arts operation' against opponents for VP spot in 2020, new book claims
Fox News
09-04-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Harris launched 'dark-arts operation' against opponents for VP spot in 2020, new book claims
Former Vice President Kamala Harris engaged in a "dark-arts operation" to undercut other potential running mates for former President Joe Biden in the 2020 election, according to a new book. The book, "Fight: Inside the Wildest Battle for the White House," published April 1 by William Morrow and Company, claims that Harris spread unfavorable information about other possible vice presidential picks for Biden. "In 2020, when she beat out a crowded field to join Biden's ticket, Harris advisers ran a dark-arts operation to undermine the competition, circulating negative information on her rivals," write political journalists Jonathan Allen of NBC News and Amie Parnes of The Hill. Specifically, the book singled out Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice, former Democratic Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams, and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. "'We stabbed Karen Bass a little bit. We stabbed Susan Rice a little bit. We stabbed Stacey Abrams a little bit," one adviser said of the effort four years earlier. 'We stabbed Gretchen Whitmer.'" The book did not delve into the specifics Harris took to undercut her opponents as they all vied for the vice presidential nomination. But any steps Harris took to undermine those women didn't damage their relationships enough to stop them from backing her in the 2024 election. Bass endorsed Harris, and both Whitmer and Abrams appeared at Harris campaign events in 2024. Additionally, Rice also defended Harris in July after Rep. Ted Burchett, R-Tenn., described Harris as a "DEI hire." Rice described the comment as "incredibly insulting," in an interview with CNN. Harris, who previously served as a senator from California, has signed with CAA Speakers, which represents high-profile celebrities. CAA did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. "Fight" chronicles how President Donald Trump secured the White House for a second term. Allen and Parnes conducted interviews with more than 150 political insiders for the book, according to the book's description. The book also details how former President Barack Obama remained wary of supporting Harris in the 2024 election to replace Biden, amid concerns about his mental fitness. Likewise, the book shares that Obama doubted Biden's political abilities as the race dragged on.
Yahoo
07-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Harris team crafted federal judge 'death-pool roster' to swear her in should Biden die as president, book says
A communications director for former Vice President Kamala Harris created a so-called "death-pool roster" of federal judges appointed by a Republican that could swear in Harris as president – in the event that President Joe Biden suddenly died, according to a new book. The book, "Fight: Inside the Wildest Battle for the White House," published Tuesday by William Morrow and Company, claims that Harris' White House communications director Jamal Simmons crafted an entire communications strategy to employ in the event of Biden's death. The book, authored by political journalists Jonathan Allen of NBC News and Amie Parnes of the Hill, said Simmons imagined that losing Biden unexpectedly would be akin to when Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn in on Air Force One following John F. Kennedy's assassination in 1963. But he worried people would question her legitimacy as president, and was specifically concerned that "Trump people" would go "apes---" if Harris became president, the book claims. Tensions Allegedly Rise Between Biden White House And Harris Campaign: 'Too Much In Their Feelings' "Simmons believed Harris would be strengthened by an institutional stamp of approval if she were sworn in hurriedly because Biden had died unexpectedly," Allen and Parnes wrote. "Her legitimacy might be questioned, he worried, recalling the January 6 effort to stop Biden from being certified as president." Read On The Fox News App As a result, Simmons created a spreadsheet of various judges nominated by a Republican who might be equipped to help bolster her legitimacy. "The strongest validator, he believed, would be a federal judge who had been appointed by a Republican other than Trump," Allen and Parnes wrote. "He compiled a spreadsheet of those jurists across the country, down to a city-by-city breakdown, and carried it with him when he traveled with Harris." Simmons said he never told Harris about the so-called "death-pool roster" before his departure with her communications team in January 2023, however he instructed colleagues to notify him immediately if something did happen to Biden so he could implement the communications strategy. Ultimately, Simmons left the spreadsheet with another Harris staffer, according to the book. The book did not specify which judges were included on the list. Harris, who previously served as a senator from California, is now a speaker with CAA Speakers, which represents high-profile celebrities. CAA did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. Kamala Harris Was 'Very Annoyed' With Obama As She Sought His Endorsement, Book Reveals The book also includes details revealing how former President Barack Obama remained hesitant to back Harris in the 2024 election to replace Biden, amid concerns about his mental fitness, while also doubting Biden and Harris' political abilities. According to the book, Obama didn't believe Harris could beat now-President Donald Trump in the November 2024 race – an issue that frustrated Harris. "Fight" chronicles how Trump secured the White House for a second term and the ramifications of his victory on the Democratic Party. Allen and Parnes conducted interviews with more than 150 political insiders for the book, according to the book's article source: Harris team crafted federal judge 'death-pool roster' to swear her in should Biden die as president, book says
Fox News
07-04-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Harris team crafted federal judge 'death-pool roster' to swear her in should Biden die as president, book says
A communications director for former Vice President Kamala Harris created a so-called "death-pool roster" of federal judges appointed by a Republican that could swear in Harris as president – in the event that President Joe Biden suddenly died, according to a new book. The book, "Fight: Inside the Wildest Battle for the White House," published Tuesday by William Morrow and Company, claims that Harris' White House communications director Jamal Simmons crafted an entire communications strategy to employ in the event of Biden's death. The book, authored by political journalists Jonathan Allen of NBC News and Amie Parnes of the Hill, said Simmons imagined that losing Biden unexpectedly would be akin to when Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn in on Air Force One following John F. Kennedy's assassination in 1963. But he worried people would question her legitimacy as president, and was specifically concerned that "Trump people" would go "apes---" if Harris became president, the book claims. "Simmons believed Harris would be strengthened by an institutional stamp of approval if she were sworn in hurriedly because Biden had died unexpectedly," Allen and Parnes wrote. "Her legitimacy might be questioned, he worried, recalling the January 6 effort to stop Biden from being certified as president." As a result, Simmons created a spreadsheet of various judges nominated by a Republican who might be equipped to help bolster her legitimacy. "The strongest validator, he believed, would be a federal judge who had been appointed by a Republican other than Trump," Allen and Parnes wrote. "He compiled a spreadsheet of those jurists across the country, down to a city-by-city breakdown, and carried it with him when he traveled with Harris." Simmons said he never told Harris about the so-called "death-pool roster" before his departure with her communications team in January 2023, however he instructed colleagues to notify him immediately if something did happen to Biden so he could implement the communications strategy. Ultimately, Simmons left the spreadsheet with another Harris staffer, according to the book. The book did not specify which judges were included on the list. Harris, who previously served as a senator from California, is now a speaker with CAA Speakers, which represents high-profile celebrities. CAA did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. The book also includes details revealing how former President Barack Obama remained hesitant to back Harris in the 2024 election to replace Biden, amid concerns about his mental fitness, while also doubting Biden and Harris' political abilities. According to the book, Obama didn't believe Harris could beat now-President Donald Trump in the November 2024 race – an issue that frustrated Harris. "Fight" chronicles how Trump secured the White House for a second term and the ramifications of his victory on the Democratic Party. Allen and Parnes conducted interviews with more than 150 political insiders for the book, according to the book's description.
