Surprising person damaging Kamala’s campaign

Kamala Harris has endured a week from hell with a string of brutal TV interviews and an ugly feud - but one surprising person is making things even harder for her.

President Joe Biden’s mere presence is making life complicated for Kamala Harris as she tries to convince undecided Americans that a vote for her won’t amount to “more of the same’, experts say.

The Vice President, who is going toe-to-toe with Donald Trump as the Democratic presidential candidate, has endured a week from hell with a string of brutal interviews and a bruising political feud amid a deadly hurricane.

Speaking to news.com.au less than a month out from the election, Flinders University politics expert Professor Rodrigo Praino noted “Biden’s presence in this race does complicate matters.”

Kamala Harris has endured a week from hell with a string of brutal interviews and an ugly political feud. Picture: Brandon Bell/ Getty Images via AFP

Biden’s power to undercut Harris became crystal clear last week, when he appeared at a daily White House press briefing – without notice – moments after Harris took to the stage at a campaign rally in Detroit.

Major television networks cut their coverage of Harris and switched to Biden, prompting live commentary from CNN anchor Boris Sanchez that the President was “clearly overshadowing” his deputy.

Professor Praino said it was abundantly clear that viewers at home would be “looking for a story” about the dynamic between the pair.

“He isn’t a President who served two terms and cannot run. He isn’t even a President who chose not to run for re-election. He ran and campaigned hard. He won virtually every single primary election contested and secured enough delegates to get his party’s nomination,” he explained.

The political expert said it was difficult to gauge how Biden – who just last month insisted he was “confident” he would have beaten Trump – felt about dropping out of the election race.

“Everyone wonders how the President actually feels about this.

“And every word the President says can and will be interpreted with this lens. This creates a complication for the Harris campaign.

“And in a race as close as this one is, literally everything and anything has the power to sway a handful of voters in key states that could determine the outcome of the whole election.”

President Joe Biden’s mere presence is making life difficult for Harris, as she attempts to convince voters it won’t be “more of the same” under her leadership. Picture: Evan Vucci

Harris’ tricky balancing act with Biden

Harris has spent the last week fumbling at efforts to convince the last remaining undecided US voters she offers something different from Biden.

On The View on Tuesday, she insisted there was nothing she would have done differently to the Biden administration over the last four years.

Hours later she offered a similarly unsatisfying answer about her policy plans to late night host Stephen Colbert, stating she was “obviously not Joe Biden” but also “not Donald Trump”.

Fox News host Jesse Watters was brutal in his criticism.

“(Harris) just went on TV and said, I’m more of the same. She handed Trump the one campaign ad that Democrats were dreading.”

Complicating matters, Harris has been locked in an ugly battle with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis this week amid reports he refused to take her phone calls in the lead-up to Hurricane Milton striking.

Harris accused Florida Governor Ron DeSantis of ignoring her calls during the lead-up to Hurricane Milton striking. President Biden later revealed he was in constant communication with the Republican. Picture: Jared C. Tilton / Getty Images

Harris accused the governor on Tuesday of being “utterly irresponsible” and “playing political games.”

DeSantis hit back, claiming Harris had “never called on any of the storms we’ve had since she’s been vice president until apparently now.”

Just hours after Harris’ scathing attack on the conservative Republican governor, Biden was given an opportunity to defend the Vice President’s reputation.

Instead, he threw Harris under the bus, claiming DeSantis had been “cooperative” with the federal government and was doing a “great job”.

“I talked to him again yesterday,” Biden said. “I literally gave him my personal phone number to call.”

Again on Wednesday, Biden was asked directly if DeSantis should be taking Harris’ phone calls.

“All I can tell you is I’ve talked to Governor DeSantis,” he replied.

“He’s been very gracious, he’s thanked me for all we’ve done, he knows what we’re doing, and I think that’s important.”

A Trump campaign official said the fallout was good news: “More Biden is good for us”. Picture: Jeff Kowalsky / AFP

History against Harris in election race

Professor Praino pointed out that only one sitting Vice President (George H W Bush 1988) had won a presidential election since 1836.

Al Gore (2000), Hubert Humphrey (1968) and Richard Nixon (1960) all failed.

The political expert also warned about the danger of “October surprises… when campaigns and independent advocacy groups try to release damaging information about their opponent.”

“A national emergency that creates controversy and negative press around a candidate isn’t really what we typically think of as an ‘October surprise’, but the ultimate effect could be very similar,” he added.

Biden’s presence “muddles Harris’ messaging”

Political pundit Steve Schier told Newsweek that Biden’s “increased public presence complicates and muddles Harris’ messaging,” making it difficult for her to convince voters she is a “fresh start.”

CNN host and political strategist Scott Jennings was more blunt in his appraisal, sharing a clip of Biden defending his communication with DeSantis on X.

‘He is literally trying to destroy her campaign and it’s just incredible,’ he wrote.

Kellyanne Conway, who served as a top aide in the Trump White House, claimed on Fox News that Biden was “trying to sabotage this woman (Harris).”

The Trump campaign has meanwhile spent all week gloating about the awkward interactions between Harris and Biden.

“It’s good,” a Trump campaign official told Newsweek. “More Biden is good for us.”