Joe Biden Candidly Reflects On Kamala Harris' Loss To Donald Trump

More than 100 days into Donald Trump’s return to the presidency, former President Joe Biden has weighed in on former Vice President Kamala Harris’ 2024 election loss.

During a Thursday episode of “The View,” Biden reflected on his withdrawal from the race last July, Harris’ 107-day campaign as his successor, and the result.

Host Sara Haines asked the former president point-blank: “Why do you think the vice president lost, and were you surprised?”

Biden responded that he “wasn’t surprised” by the outcome despite believing that Harris met the qualifications for the role.

“I wasn’t surprised because they went the sexist route, the whole route. ‘This is a woman,’ she’s this, she’s that, really, I’ve never seen quite as successful and consistent [of a] campaign undercutting the notion that a woman couldn’t lead the country — and a woman of mixed race,” he said.

Biden reiterated that while he was “very disappointed,” he still “wasn’t surprised.” What did surprise him, he said, was “the success to which they’ve gone in some of the attacks they’ve made.” 

During the 2024 campaign, critics questioned everything from Harris’ racial identity to her upbringing and even whether she truly worked at McDonald’s.

The former president also said that he and Harris talk “frequently,” noting she had recently “sought his opinion” for a reason he declined to disclose. 

“She’s got a difficult decision to make about what she’s going to do,” Biden said of Harris’ next move. “I hope she stays fully engaged. I think she’s first-rate.”

He ended on an encouraging note, saying he remains “optimistic” about Harris’ future. 

During the interview, Biden — later joined by his wife, former first lady Jill Biden— also spoke candidly about the “hurtful” attacks on his cognition, saying there was “nothing to sustain” the concerns about his fitness for office.

His wife added her own perspective.  

“Being president is not like a job. It’s a lifestyle,” she said. “You live it 24 hours a day. That phone can ring at 11:00 at night or 2:00 in the morning. It’s constant. You never leave it. And Joe worked really hard.”

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