After Vice President Harris’s loss to Donald Trump, the White House has largely kept its activities behind closed doors. Harris, barely visible since the defeat on November 5, retreated to Hawaii, making only a few sparse appearances in Washington.
Meanwhile, President Biden has managed to limit press access during his recent six-day foreign trip and maintained a low profile upon his return, opting for private meetings and events at the White House instead of public-facing engagements. This absence offers a glimpse of what a lame-duck White House might look like as Biden nears the final months of his presidency.
Press secretary Jean-Pierre defends Harris’s vacation, calling it well-deserved after years of service
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre addressed concerns about Biden’s lack of media interaction, suggesting that he might engage more before the new year. However, Biden has earned a reputation for avoiding unscripted questions from reporters. “I get that you all want to hear from the president. I get that. I understand that,” Jean-Pierre said. “And I’m not saying that you won’t. You will. He will certainly continue to engage with all of you.”
Some experts worry that Biden’s reluctance to engage publicly may harm his legacy in his final months. Michael LaRosa, a former special assistant to the president, expressed frustration over Biden’s absence from the media spotlight.
“I really wish he would start talking to the press, holding news conferences, and engaging with the media more frequently as I always believed he should be doing,” LaRosa said. “But they appear to think they can shape his legacy by producing scripted or rehearsed events for the next few weeks.”
LaRosa pointed out that Biden’s departure from the 2024 race in July and his inability to effectively frame his legacy on his own terms could leave him with a lackluster conclusion to his presidency. “Given his unceremonious and slapdash passing of the torch last July and the results of the election, one would think he would want to start framing his legacy on his terms, in his own words, and telling his story,” he added.
Harris, having struggled during the campaign and after the loss, has remained largely out of sight, aside from a brief concession speech, an appearance on Veteran’s Day, and a short visit to the White House. She has spent time in Hawaii since Tuesday, with little communication or public appearances since.
In the wake of the election, Harris retreats to Hawaii while Biden maintains a low-key approach to governance
As the president of the Senate, Harris also missed a critical vote this week when Senate Democrats pushed through Biden’s judicial nominees, an effort that took place before Republicans assume control of the chamber. Meanwhile, the White House faced questions about Harris’s absence, with many wondering why she was on vacation as Democratic staffers prepared for huge job losses in the wake of GOP victories in the upcoming midterms.
White House press secretary Jean-Pierre defended Harris, stating that she deserved time off to be with her family after years of hard work. “She has worked very hard… for the last four years, and her taking a couple of days to be with her family, good for her,” Jean-Pierre said.
While Biden remained mostly out of the spotlight this week, he did have a meeting with North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper to discuss hurricane relief, though the White House kept the event under wraps until later in the evening.
Similarly, Biden presented the Medal of Freedom to former Planned Parenthood president Cecile Richards in a private ceremony, which deviated from the usual public format due to Richards’ health condition.
Biden’s visibility briefly returned Thursday during an event honoring the Boston Celtics, but by Friday, the White House again went dark. A private dinner held on the South Lawn was not publicly acknowledged until after the fact, leading to further speculation over the lack of transparency.
Despite being on the verge of leaving office, Biden’s decision to remain largely unseen may only fuel growing concerns about his age and mental fitness, especially as questions persist about his ability to finish his term. Following Harris’s loss, some Republicans have renewed calls for Biden to step down. Pollster Nate Silver even raised doubts about Biden’s competence to continue serving as president.
Michael LaRosa remarked that Biden’s avoidance of public appearances is doing him no favors. “If we can’t hear from him and if we don’t see him actively making the case for himself in unscripted and unchoreographed situations, the age issue would never go away,” he said.
LaRosa also reflected on Biden’s limited media presence during the 2019 Democratic primary and suggested that First Lady Jill Biden could push her husband to become more accessible before the year’s end. “The bunker mentality did not serve him or the presidency well, and I hope in these final weeks, the first lady steps in again, lets him off the leash, and let Biden be Biden at the end of his long career,” LaRosa said. “He didn’t come this far by being shy. Why now?”
