According to a new book about the dysfunction within the Biden administration, aides to then-Vice President Kamala Harris were so concerned about her handling social events that they organized a “mock soiree” before a small dinner party in Washington, D.C. in the spring of 2022.
In Original Sin, co-authors Alex Thompson and Jake Tapper reveal that Harris’s team treated the event as a rehearsal, even deciding not to serve wine to test if the Vice President could “practice with a glass or two.”
The “salon-style dinner” that Harris attended, hosted by media mogul David Bradley—who owns National Journal and has a partnership with The Atlantic—reportedly went off without any awkward moments.
Thompson and Tapper, however, also highlight growing frustrations with the Vice President among Biden’s loyalists, describing Harris as a “regular headache” for the White House.
The authors note, “She often avoided politically challenging tasks that Biden had taken on during his time as vice president.” They also mention that Harris turned down relatively simple requests, such as speaking at Washington, D.C.’s Gridiron Club dinner.
Six months before the “mock soiree,” Harris and her team faced ridicule for a bizarre video on space exploration, which featured child actors who had auditioned for their roles.
In May 2021, Harris was chosen to lead the National Space Council, a cabinet-level role that Thompson and Tapper describe as “politically safe ground.” Despite this, Harris still found the position “difficult” to manage, with aides reportedly complicating matters by confusing astrology with astronomy.
The book also reveals that many on Biden’s team felt Harris didn’t put in enough effort and was considered by some to be “not a very nice person.” Several quietly regretted the decision, believing that Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer should have been chosen as Biden’s running mate in 2020.
Biden had promised to select a woman as his vice president, and Harris and Whitmer were the two final candidates, according to the book.
Many members of former President Biden’s team were skeptical of Harris.
Biden’s confidants, including future White House chief of staff Ron Klain, had been strong supporters of Harris behind the scenes.
However, Jill Biden was frustrated with Harris for criticizing her husband during a Democratic primary debate in June 2019 over the issue of busing.
After Harris joined the ticket, tensions arose between staff members from both camps, and the friction continued once they were in office.
Harris is considering her options for her political future.
According to Thompson and Tapper, “Harris aides began splitting Biden advisers into two groups: the helpful and what one referred to as ‘the cabal of the unhelpful.’” They note that Anthony Bernal from the first lady’s office, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Jen O’Malley Dillon, and many from the political and communications teams often fell into the latter category.
Ironically, O’Malley Dillon would later go on to chair Harris’s campaign after Biden exited the 2024 race in late July.
Original Sin is set to be released on May 20.
