Prominent Democrats are pulling aside Vice President Kamala Harris to voice their concerns about President Joe Biden and his 2024 campaign.
When Harris hosted a group of Democratic governors at her home in Washington, D.C., earlier this month, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer pointedly criticized the way the campaign talked about abortion, according to a report by CNN.
The complaints continued, as Illinois Governor JB Pritzker expressed concern about the immigration crisis and Maryland Governor Wes Moore expressed concern about how the campaign was failing to reach young voters.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer spoke with Vice President Kamala Harris about abortion rights
Top Democratic governors complained to Vice President Kamala Harris about the direction of the campaign
Whitmer’s complaints were particularly stinging, as Harris has made abortion rights her top issue in her election campaign.
The criticism seemed like a direct shot at Harris, as Whitmer was also on Biden’s short list for a running mate in 2020. Biden favored Whitmer but ultimately selected Harris as advisers insisted he pick a Black woman in the running. list.
Harris has also received complaints from Rep. Debbie Dingle (D-MI) about Biden’s approach to the war in Gaza hurting his support among Arab Americans.
The vice president also recently hosted a group of black Democrats to help reach black men on the campaign trail.
Vice President of the United States, Kamala Harris
Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during a campaign rally
Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr., Cliff Albright, executive director of the Black Lives Matter fund, and several Black mayors were invited to his home to discuss the administration’s difficulties ahead of the election. The group had many criticisms of the campaign that they shared with Harris.
As the question of Biden’s age grows, Harris has tried to fill the void and appear confident as the president’s number two.
Last week, Harris traveled to the Munich Security Conference to assure European leaders that the United States continued to support Ukraine and NATO, while also voicing criticism of Israel’s war in Gaza.
The vice president told the Wall Street Journal earlier this month that she was “ready to serve” as president and that there was “no question about it” despite her low approval ratings.
An NBC poll conducted in January found that 53% of voters view her negatively. Only 28% of voters view it positively.