Vice President Harris could win the presidential election next week. But fingers in Democratic circles are already being pointed behind the scenes, in the event that she falls to former President Trump.
While some Democrats say they are increasingly hopeful that Harris will win, others have expressed mounting frustration about a string of factors that have plagued the campaign from the outset.
Fingers are being pointed at Harris and her campaign when it comes to disappointment over her messaging, particularly on the economy.
But some Democrats have already looked to pin the blame on President Biden, who some think took too long to step aside.
“People are nervous and they’re trying to cover their ass and get a little ahead of Election Day,” one Democratic strategist said of the sniping. “It’s based on anxiety, stakes and the unique nature of this cycle.
“We didn’t have a traditional process for this election. We didn’t have a primary. People just had to fall in line,” the strategist added, saying “it’s not surprising to me” that some of the blame game is happening even before Election Day.
If Harris loses, “there will be a mad dash to assign blame,” the strategist added.
The vice president’s decision to pick Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) as her running mate over Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) surely will be second-guessed if Trump wins the Keystone State.
“[Harris] is going to look real silly for not picking Shapiro,” one former aide in the Obama White House said.
A Democratic donor agreed: “I’m not sure Walz got her anything. A lot of people I’m talking to say he seems like a great guy. Would I want to have a beer with him? Absolutely. But let’s face it, he wasn’t a great choice.”
Biden put himself squarely in the news cycle on Tuesday evening when he appeared to liken Trump supporters to garbage.
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