In the book “Fight” by Jonathan Allen and Amie Parnes, the authors provide a vivid account of the intense battle for the White House while delivering a scathing critique of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, who emerged as the ones defeated in this contest.
By the year 2023, well before the campaign commenced, discussions among the senior aides of Biden centered on his age and ability to hold office. Despite these dialogues, there was a lack of serious consideration for his continued candidacy until it was far too late. Meanwhile, Harris found herself in isolation within her party and afraid to engage with the press, ultimately steering a deteriorating campaign to its downfall.
Allen, an experienced political reporter now at NBC, and Parnes, a senior political correspondent for The Hill, previously collaborated at Politico. Together, they have authored books on Hillary Clinton, including “HRC” and “Shattered,” as well as “Lucky,” which chronicled Biden’s victory over Donald Trump in 2020. Their insights, grounded in a measured writing style and reliable sources, lend weight to the narrative.
The assessment offered by the authors is clear: Biden’s pursuit of reelection should have been abandoned, and his decision to select Harris as his running mate was misguided from the beginning. By 2024, Biden was seen as too old and unpopular, with appearances of both frailty and cognitive decline. Advisers deemed Harris as a liability, with similarly doubting views expressed by influential Democrats like Jill Biden, Barack Obama, and Nancy Pelosi.
Contrastingly, Biden’s family, including his wife Jill and his son Hunter, reinforced his determination to remain in the race. Such unwavering support prevented any real consideration of stepping aside, creating a situation where dissent was perceived as disloyalty.
The debilitating effects of such a closed circle were evident. Without independent advisors, Biden reacted poorly to challenges, lacking the strength necessary for leadership. His remarkable comeback was largely due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a pivotal debate on June 27, 2024, Biden performed disastrously against Trump. It was during a subsequent reception hosted by Phil Murphy, the governor of New Jersey, where the extent of Biden’s cognitive issues became apparent, as aides had to direct him on where to walk using fluorescent tape.
The shortcomings of both Biden and Harris had been evident for years. In 2019, Harris attacked Biden’s race record during a debate, only to withdraw her candidacy after failing to gain traction. Harris’s position on the ticket was influenced by the political climate, including the confrontational aftermath of George Floyd’s murder and the shifting dynamics of identity politics within the Democratic Party.
With his opposition weakened to unprecedented levels, Trump contemplates running for a third term, defying constitutional norms. The ability of the Democrats to formulate an effective response is now heavily questioned.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2025/apr/06/fight-book-review-biden-harris-us-election-2024
