WATCH: Former Obama Speechwriter Tells CNN That Biden Has Become a Liability for Harris and His Own Legacy
Former Obama speechwriter Jon Favreau has warned that Joe Biden has become a liability for Kamala Harris — and his own legacy.
Favreau discussed the issue on CNN’s “The Lead with Jake Tapper” on Saturday.
“I would look at the numbers, I would look at the race and say, I’m going to focus on being president over the next couple of days and that’s probably the best thing he can do not just for the Harris campaign, but himself and his legacy too,” Favreau said.
Favreau: Biden “garbage” comment an opportunity for Harris
Watch the full video here: https://t.co/0R57XLoRUU pic.twitter.com/RuKFjBxTvW— The Lead CNN (@TheLeadCNN) November 1, 2024
Biden went viral earlier this week for insulting Trump supporters and calling them “garbage” while on a video call campaigning to Hispanic voters.
#BREAKING: AP has CONFIRMED the White House ILLEGALLY ALTERED the transcript of Joe Biden calling Trump supports “garbage”
This is a BLATANT violation of the Presidential Records Act, and WH press officials MUST BE PROSECUTED.
DO NOT LET THEM GET AWAY WITH THIS! pic.twitter.com/0EisKXVvUc
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) November 1, 2024
Favreau said that the misstep gave Harris an excuse to separate from the president.
“I actually think it was an opportunity for her that she took to separate herself a little bit from Joe Biden, which she has been — that’s been one of her big challenges and I think now she can say in these final couple days, ‘Look, I am out here trying to fight for every vote and trying to bring people together and sort of end the division in this country and Donald Trump is not and we are going to turn the page on all of that in a couple days,” Favreau told Tapper.
The blunder was so bad that the White House was ordered to alter the transcript by the president himself.
The edited transcript makes it appear that Biden was only insulting comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, who has faced fallout for a joke about Puerto Rico being covered in garbage during Trump’s Madison Square Garden event.
On Friday, Fox News’ Jacqui Heinrich reported that Biden was being pulled from stumping for the Democrat presidential nominee who replaced him.
“While Harris campaigns in Wisconsin, President Biden was hundreds of miles away talking to union workers in Philadelphia at an official event,” Heinrich’s report began. “Tonight, Fox News has learned multiple campaign calls that were publicly advised on the president’s schedule for yesterday afternoon were canceled as he faces continuing fallout over his ‘garbage’ comment on a Zoom earlier this week.”
Heinrich continued, “None of the calls that had been scheduled were officially sanctioned by or affiliated with the Harris campaign. Biden has no official campaign events on his schedule ahead of the election, Bret.”
In October, it was reported that Harris’ campaign was already seeking to distance her from Biden.
