In an eyebrow-raising interview on Wednesday, President Joe Biden made a shocking admission about just how much of his administration Vice President Kamala Harris was responsible for during the last four years.
During a fawning interview on ABC’s The View, Biden revealed that he delegated “everything” to Harris.
The president’s admission is significant, especially as it seems to contradict Harris’s own attempts to sidestep accountability for the administration’s track record.
Harris has repeatedly downplayed her role in some of the administration’s most controversial moments, including the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan, the southern border crisis, and the continuing struggle with inflation.
BIDEN: “As Vice President, there wasn’t a single thing that I did that she couldn’t do and so I was able to delegate her responsibility on everything from foreign policy to domestic policy.”
Joe is Kamala. Kamala is Joe. pic.twitter.com/iPAPZUoOjL
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) September 25, 2024
However, Biden’s comments suggest that Harris has been far more involved — if not leading — in these areas.
“As Vice President, there wasn’t a single thing that I did that she couldn’t do and so I was able to delegate her responsibility on everything from foreign policy to domestic policy,” he remarked.
Elsewhere in the interview, Biden seemed to push back against the idea that Democratic leaders had forced him out of the presidential race ahead of the 2024 election.
Biden to The View: “I never fully believed the assertions that somehow there was this overwhelming reluctance of my running again…my polling was about…always within range of beating this guy I didn’t sense that….I was confident. I would beat Trump.” pic.twitter.com/zutdHVOM3M
— Alex Thompson (@AlexThomp) September 25, 2024
Despite polls showing growing concerns over his age and fitness for office, Biden told The View hosts that he never believed there was a strong push within the party to remove him from the ticket.
“There was a perception that perhaps your hand was forced,” co-host Alyssa Farah pointed out, suggesting that Democratic leaders like House Speaker Nancy Pelosi may have played a role in pushing him aside.
“Our relationship is fine,” Biden said of Pelosi. “I never fully believed the assertions that somehow there was this overwhelming reluctance of my running again. I didn’t sense that.”
“And although the polling, they said Biden’s polling was different, the fact of the matter is, my polling was about, always within range of beating this guy [Donald Trump].”
Biden said he got the sense that some people wanted to see him step aside, “so they had a chance to move on,” but said that wasn’t the reason he dropped out of the presidential race.
The president acknowledged that his advanced age was behind his decision, “But it’s hard to think of, it’s hard for me to even say how old I am,” he commented.
Biden went on to claim that he could have beaten Trump had he stayed in the race, citing his confidence in his polling numbers. “I was confident I would beat Trump.”
Sara Haines inquired if he was “at peace” with his decision, to which Biden replied that he was.
“When I ran for this last term, I saw myself as a transition president. Transitioning to a new generation of leadership, now I know I only look 40 but I am 180 years old,” he joked. “I’ve been around forever.”
Democrats are the party of violence. pic.twitter.com/OHmSOVNs0P
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) September 25, 2024
Biden and moderator Whoopi Goldberg caught some flack for wanting to squash Trump “like a bug.”
Goldberg complained that Trump was like an insect that could not be shooed away.
“Then he just wouldn’t go — he was like a bug, he just kept being there, like a — like a bug, right there, buzzzzzzzbzzzzzzbzzzz,” Goldberg said while miming trying to swat a bug away.
Biden then slapped the table, as if he had squashed a bug with his hand, which caused the panel and audience to roar with laughter.
“Slap him down,” cohost Joe Behar encouraged, despite Trump’s second assassination attempt happening just over a week ago.
The Trump campaign posted the clip on social media to make the point that “Democrats are the party of violence.”
“Is this incitement to violence? Just imagine if Trump did this,” Libs of TikTok tweeted.
“Two assassination attempts on his life isn’t enough for these sick people,” concurred Fox News’ Toni Lahren.