President Joe Biden expressed his frustration with Vice President Kamala Harris during the first months of their administration, according to a book.
Politico obtained an excerpt of an upcoming book about Biden’s presidency titled, “The Fight of His Life,” in which the author claims that Biden called Harris a “work in progress.”
Biden reportedly heard Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff was complaining about Harris’ policy portfolio.
Her allies felt the portfolio was not helping politically.
“Biden was annoyed,” author Chris Whipple wrote.
Politico noted Whipple “obtained extensive access” to Biden administration officials during the course of writing the book.
The book claims Biden “hadn’t asked Harris to do anything he hadn’t done as vice president — and she’d begged him for the voting rights assignment.”
Additionally, a senior White House advisor also said, “[Harris’] inner circle didn’t serve her well in the presidential campaign — and they are ill-serving her now.”
The book will be released on Jan. 17.
“I think Biden’s presidency is the most consequential of my lifetime,” Whipple said.
According to Whipple, “His legislative record is comparable to LBJ’s and he’s been underestimated every step of the way. But it’s also been a tale of two presidencies –- the first year and the second year.
Whipple suggested what makes it a “great story” is Biden and “his team really turned it all around, I think.”
The outlet noted Whipple recognized the White House looked at the book with its “usual wariness toward reporters.”
He told Politico, “It was tough, because, as you well know, this is the most battened-down, disciplined, leak-proof White House in modern times.”
White House spokesperson Robyn Patterson issued a statement to Politico about the book.
“We respect that there will be no shortage of books written about the administration containing a wide variety of claims,” Patterson said.
She added, “We don’t plan to engage in confirmations or denials when it comes to the specifics of those claims. The author did not give us a chance to verify the materials that are attributed here.”
