Jamal Simmons, a former aide to Vice President Kamala Harris, said President Joe Biden may have intended to set Harris up for future success after a second term.
These comments highlight internal tensions and strategic disagreements regarding the Democratic leadership's succession plan and the timing of Harris's political ascent.
Simmons said during a CNN panel that Biden had no intention of having Harris run in 2024 [1, 2]. He suggested that the president may have been waiting for a second term to properly position Harris for her own future political achievements [1, 2].
During an interview with The Atlantic, Simmons said, "I think he had no plan ever to have her run in 2024" [2].
Simmons said Biden should resign so that Harris could become president [1, 2]. This call for resignation coincided with reports from July 2024, when the Democratic National Convention in Chicago approved a platform that mentioned a second term for Biden [3].
The former aide's perspective suggests a disconnect between the public image of the administration and the private strategic goals of the president. By advocating for a transition of power, Simmons positioned the move as a way to secure Harris's path to the presidency rather than waiting for a later date [1, 2].
“"I think he had no plan ever to have her run in 2024."”
The assertions by Jamal Simmons reflect a broader debate within the Democratic party regarding the viability of the Biden-Harris ticket and the optimal timing for a leadership transition. By claiming that Biden intentionally sidelined Harris for the 2024 cycle to benefit her later, Simmons suggests that the administration's internal strategy was based on long-term positioning rather than immediate political opportunity.
