With less than 48 hours until the election, Kamala Harris and her top Democratic allies are frantically campaigning across the country.
The vice president is traveling between swing states in a last-minute attempt to pick up crucial votes that could help her in one of the closest elections in history.
But there is a notable absence from a typically very powerful supporter: President Joe Biden.
The 81-year-old commander in chief spent part of Sunday holed up at the exclusive Fieldstone Golf Club, near his home in Wilmington, Delaware.
He didn’t play, but he had lunch with his old friend and confidant, former Sen. Ted Kauffman, after a week he — and the Harris campaign — would rather forget.
The 81-year-old commander in chief spent part of Sunday holed up at Fieldstone Golf Club near his home in Wilmington, Delaware.
Joe Biden has been somewhat absent from the election campaign
A series of gaffes by Biden meant he diverted attention from his vice president at a critical moment in his battle with Donald Trump.
In his first unforced error, Biden called Trump supporters “trash” on a fundraising call in the middle of Harris’ “shutdown” speech outside the White House on Tuesday night.
On Saturday, while campaigning in Pennsylvania, he drew attention by criticizing Trump and his MAGA friends as guys who would like to “slap their asses.”
Biden left his agenda light so he could follow Harris’ lead, but his campaign has not been forthcoming.
Instead, he went out alone and got unwanted press coverage.
In his first unforced error, Biden called Trump supporters “trash” on a fundraising call in the middle of Harris’ “shutdown” speech outside the White House on Tuesday night.
For some, Biden keeping a low profile may not be so bad.
Former Obama speechwriter Jon Favreau said Friday that the best thing Biden can do for Harris’ campaign is to focus on his final months in office.
“I would look at the numbers, I would look at the race and say, I’m going to focus on being president for the next few days and that’s probably the best thing he can do, not just for Harris’ campaign, but for himself.” and his legacy too,” Favreau said on CNN’s The Lead with Jake Tapper.
Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris (left) greets Martha Roland, mother of Elam barbershop owner Roland Elam Jr., as others look on before participating in a roundtable discussion with local leaders at the barbershop in Elam in Pontiac, Michigan, on Sunday. November 3, 2024
Democratic Vice Presidential candidate Kamala Harris waves as she boards Air Force Two at Oakland County International Airport in Waterford Township, Michigan, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024, en route to Lansing, Michigan.
Harris responded to Biden’s “trash” comments less than 24 hours later and condemned the negative comments about voters.
“First of all, he clarified his comments, but let me be clear: I strongly disagree with any criticism of people based on who they vote for,” he told reporters Wednesday.
Favreau added: “I actually think it was an opportunity for her to take to separate herself a little bit from Joe Biden, which has been, that’s been one of her big challenges, and I think she can now say in these last two days, “Look, I’m here trying to fight for every vote and trying to bring people together and somehow end the division in this country and Donald Trump.”
