Report: Hillary Clinton Thinks Kamala Harris Lacks the ‘Political Instinct’ to Clear a Primary Field

Kamala Harris
AP Photo/Susan Walsh

Hillary Clinton joins a growing list of Democrat officials who are underwhelmed with Vice President Kamala Harris’s job performance, according to a New York Times report.

The Times revealed that Clinton privately has doubts about Harris’s presence on a 2024 Democrat presidential ticket and her proximity to the presidency. 

As the Times reported:

Members of Congress, Democratic strategists and other major party figures all said she had not made herself into a formidable leader. Two Democrats recalled private conversations in which former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton lamented that Ms. Harris could not win because she does not have the political instincts to clear a primary field.

Along with Clinton, prominent Democrat fundraiser John Morgan told the Times that Harris’s weakness would be “one of the most hard-hitting arguments against Biden,” given Biden’s old age. 

President Joe Biden speaks with Vice President Kamala Harris after speaking at the Democratic National Committee Winter Meeting, Friday, Feb. 3, 2023, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

President Joe Biden speaks with Vice President Kamala Harris after speaking at the Democratic National Committee Winter Meeting, Friday, Feb. 3, 2023, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

“It doesn’t take a genius to say, ‘Look, with his age, we have to really think about this,’” Morgan said. 

“I can’t think of one thing she’s done except stay out of the way and stand beside him at certain ceremonies,” Morgan added.

However, Clinton spokesman Nick Merrill denied the Times’ reports, telling the outlet that Clinton supports Harris and they often speak about their shared experiences as being “a woman in power.”

“They have built and maintained a strong bond. Any other characterization is patently false,” Merrill said of Clinton and Harris’s relationship.

Clinton

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton speaks during the 2022 New York State Democratic Convention at the Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel on February 17, 2022, in New York City. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

Still, it is clear that Democrats are increasingly worried about Harris’s presence on a presidential ticket. 

The New York Times report came after Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) refused to answer whether she wants to see Harris join the Biden ticket in 2024.

“Yes, he should run again,” Warren said of Biden. However, when speaking on Harris, she said, “I really want to defer to what makes Biden comfortable on his team.”

Interestingly, Harris’s press secretary Kirsten Allen responded to the Times report on Monday by accusing the outlet of publishing “shade” and recycling “beltway gossip.”

“There’s no shortage of people willing to throw shade anonymously and seemingly no shortage of publications willing to write it up and recycle beltway gossip,” Allen tweeted. “Those still questioning the VP’s role and impact are choosing not to see what is right in front of them.”

Jordan Dixon-Hamilton is a reporter for Breitbart News. Write to him at jdixonhamilton@breitbart.com or follow him on Twitter.

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