Over the past year, reports of tensions between Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have been numerous. We learned recently that Biden made fun of his affirmative-action vice president during a meeting last January. It’s not surprising that Kamala doesn’t like the role she has been given in the administration. Some of her allies even accuse the White House racism.
Politico reports that Kamala’s office began working with the White House in April on a social media video. The purpose of the video was to promote the extension by the administration of its pause on federal student loans payments. However, the White House ultimately rejected the collaboration.
Harris advocated privately for loan forgiveness. According to the report, a White House source stated that Harris’ office was initially open to participating in the administration’s public dialogue about student loans. “But, conscious of the progressives pushing Biden unilaterally to cancel tens and thousands of dollars student debt and that Biden resists such lobbying,” the report says. “But, the vice president was increasingly wary of becoming part the public face for the administration’s reaction.”
Politico observes that “the delicate politics reflects wider divisions within administration over student loan relief, a discussion that goes all the way up to the top.”
Joe Biden has lost control of his vice president, in addition to all his other problems. Vice presidents don’t usually contradict the policies of an administration, no matter what their policy preferences may be.
This administration presented a coepresidency vibe from the beginning. Kamala Harris seems to have learned that on paper it’s only the Biden/Harris administration.
