Kamala Harris snubs Biden, picks Obama when naming America’s most effective presidents

WASHINGTON, DC: Former Vice President Kamala Harris left former President Joe Biden off her list when asked to name the most effective presidents in American history during an appearance on Friday, July 31, a notable omission given she served as his vice president for four years.

Harris became the Democratic presidential nominee in the summer of 2024 after Biden, who was dogged by bad poll numbers at the time, dropped out following a dismal debate performance against President Donald Trump.

Kamala Harris praises Franklin D Roosevelt, JFK, Lyndon B Johnson and Obama

Harris was speaking at the National Urban League in New York, where President Marc Morial asked her to "rank the top three most effective presidents in American history."

The 61-year-old initially hesitated, saying, "Oh Marc, don't make me do that," before naming Franklin D Roosevelt, John F Kennedy, Lyndon B Johnson, and Barack Obama, but not Biden.

Harris credited Roosevelt for expanding the government's role during difficult times, pointing to Social Security and his broader philosophy that "the government has a role" beyond "the benevolence of community organizations."

She then named Kennedy and Johnson together, saying Kennedy "laid the groundwork" that Johnson "followed up on."

Harris closed her list with Obama, praising the Affordable Care Act as a response to what she called a healthcare system that "has failed anyone other than the rich," adding that he "took a lot of heat for it" and calling him "one of the greatest presidents."

A pointed omission after a strained political relationship

Biden's absence from the list comes against the backdrop of a complicated history between the two Democrats.

Harris became the party's 2024 nominee only after Biden, facing weak polling and a widely criticized debate performance against Trump that included the memorable line "we finally beat Medicare," dropped out of the race roughly three weeks later and endorsed her.

Harris ran a compressed campaign that relied heavily on Biden's existing staff and infrastructure, ultimately losing to Trump in both the electoral and popular vote.

The relationship has shown further strain in Harris's own account of the campaign. In a book released last year, Harris wrote that Biden's decision to seek reelection despite his age and standing was "reckless" and driven by his "ego."

Biden, now 83, has largely stayed out of the spotlight since leaving office. With speculation continuing to swirl around a potential Harris run in 2028, her choice to praise four Democratic presidents by name while skipping over the one she served under is likely to draw renewed attention to the tension between them.