Harris memoir says she was stunned by Biden's debate omission on Kabul casualties, misidentifies the 13 fallen
In her memoir 107 Days, Kamala Harris writes she was "stunned" that President Biden omitted acknowledging the 13 U.S. service members killed in the Kabul airport suicide bombing during the June 27, 2024 debate and quotes him saying no troops were "dying anywhere in the world" on his watch. Harris also refers to the dead as "thirteen marines," a factual misidentification — the official toll was 11 Marines, one Army soldier and one Navy corpsman — and the excerpts have provoked sharp reactions from Biden aides and commentators.
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🔍 Key Facts
- In her memoir 107 Days (published Sept. 23, 2025), Harris says she was “stunned” that President Biden omitted any acknowledgment of the 13 U.S. service members killed in the Aug. 26, 2021 Kabul airport suicide bombing during the June 27, 2024 debate; the memoir also refers to the dead as “thirteen marines,” a factual misidentification (official count: 11 Marines, 1 Army soldier, 1 Navy corpsman). Harris was on Air Force Two during the 2021 evacuation attack and recounts Biden saying no troops were “dying anywhere in the world” on his watch.
- The book characterizes Biden’s decision to run for a second term as “reckless”; Harris says she regrets not doing more to challenge or head off that decision, accepts some responsibility, defends Biden’s mental capacity in interviews but blames staff for mismanaging perceptions and his fatigue.
- Excerpts portray White House communications as failing to defend Harris and “adding fuel to negative narratives,” specifically naming press secretary Karine Jean‑Pierre and saying it was nearly impossible to get positive coverage of Harris’s work.
- Publication of the excerpts drew sharp reactions inside and outside the Biden orbit: outlets report Biden aides “reacted with rage” and some unnamed aides criticized Harris’s performance and role, while former Chief of Staff Ron Klain defended her; public responses included TV panel debate and former Biden officials (e.g., Pete Buttigieg) saying Biden should not have run, and protesters interrupted Harris’s first book‑tour event in New York.
- Harris recounts immediate post‑debate moments and internal frustration: campaign staff handed her a highlighted sheet reading “JOE BIDEN WON” after the June 27 debate, which she rejected and later told Biden’s team “No. Don’t feed me bulls‑‑‑t,” and she details rehearsals of crude hypothetical attacks during debate prep at Howard University.
- The memoir includes other notable disclosures and context: a Tony West‑led ‘Red File’ contingency plan prepared in advance of Biden’s withdrawal, a West Wing/West residence mentoring initiative Harris calls the “Stars Project,” her vetting and eventual selection of Tim Walz as running mate (she says Pete Buttigieg was her first choice but viewed as a political risk), and criticisms of Biden’s Gaza response as “inadequate.”
📊 Analysis & Commentary (3)
Notable & Quotable: ‘Who Can Win’
"The WSJ Notable & Quotable item amplifies an Atlantic passage about Democrats’ post‑2024 soul‑searching—featuring Buttigieg’s view that Biden shouldn’t have run—framing ongoing party debates over who can actually win."
The Biden reckoning Democrats need
"The piece reads as an internal critique prompted by revelations in Kamala Harris’s memoir, arguing Democrats must honestly reassess Biden-era leadership, messaging failures, and succession planning rather than pretend nothing went wrong."
107 Days, Zero Ideas
"A sharply critical read of Kamala Harris's memoir arguing that 107 Days emphasizes personal drama and principled posture over concrete policy ideas, thereby risking intra‑party friction without offering a constructive agenda."
📰 Sources (20)
Harris reveals crude hypotheticals on abortion, Viagra rehearsed before Trump debate
New information:
- Memoir anecdote that Harris and advisers rehearsed crude hypothetical personal attacks — including being asked if she had an abortion and a suggested retort about Viagra — during debate preparation.
- Prep location specified as the basement of Howard University where her team and a veteran trial attorney assisted her.
- Direct quoted rehearsal lines: an adviser saying 'He might ask you if you’ve ever had an abortion' and Harris’s prepared reply 'That’s none of your business and that’s not what we’re here for.'
Harris recalls stun over Biden's botched debate response about fallen service members in Afghanistan
New information:
- Harris writes she was 'stunned' that President Biden omitted an acknowledgment of the 13 U.S. service members killed in the Kabul airport suicide bombing during the June 27, 2024 debate.
- Harris recounts Biden saying no troops were 'dying anywhere in the world' on his watch and elsewhere in the memoir refers to the dead as 'thirteen marines' — a factual misidentification (official counts: 11 Marines, 1 Army soldier, 1 Navy corpsman).
- The article quotes passages from Harris's memoir '107 Days' (published Sept. 23, 2025) and places her reaction in the context of her being on Air Force Two when the 2021 evacuation attack occurred.
Harris literally threw 'JOE BIDEN WON' talking points on table after disastrous debate: 'Are you kidding me?'
New information:
- Harris recounts in her memoir '107 Days' that campaign staff handed her a highlighted sheet that read 'JOE BIDEN WON' after Biden's June 27, 2024 debate.
- She reports thinking 'Are you kidding me?' and says she threw the paper back on the table rather than repeating the talking points.
- Memoir quotes Harris telling Biden's team on a follow-up call, 'No. Don’t feed me bulls--t.'
Harris interrupted by pro-Palestinian protesters on first night of book tour
New information:
- On the first night of her book tour in New York City (Sept. 25, 2025), Harris was interrupted by protesters on at least four occasions; the first protester was removed by security after shouting that her 'legacy is genocide.'
- Harris told the packed Times Square performance center (1,500‑seat venue) that 'Donald Trump has given (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu a blank check to do whatever he wants.'
- Her team added a second show that evening because of high interest; dozens protested outside on the sidewalk.
- Harris referenced a prior conversation earlier that day with New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani and expressed support for his candidacy.
Kamala Harris plays up cozy relationship with Hillary Clinton as wedge with Biden widens
New information:
- Onstage remarks at The Town Hall in Midtown Manhattan on Sept. 24, 2025, where Harris said Hillary Clinton 'follows through' in mentoring and supporting candidates.
- Anecdote that Harris called the Clintons' home phone after Biden's July 21, 2024 withdrawal and that Hillary picked up and Bill was in the other room.
- Hillary and Bill Clinton reportedly offered to travel (including by public transit/Amtrak) to campaign for Harris after Biden dropped out, per Harris's account.
'Very talented': Harris reveals Jasmine Crockett was part of 'secret project' of lawmakers she was mentoring
New information:
- Harris describes a previously undisclosed 'Stars Project' — a secret mentoring initiative run from the West Wing/residence to spotlight and mentor younger Democratic leaders.
- Harris names Rep. Jasmine Crockett as one of the lawmakers she mentored and lists other individuals (Lauren Underwood, Robert Garcia, Angela Alsobrooks, Lateefah Simon, Maxwell Frost, Joe Neguse, Lina Hidalgo) as participants.
- Memoir quote: Harris recounts inviting rising Democrats to her office/West Wing on Friday afternoons and personally encouraging them ('You're very talented...How can I help you?').
Harris lashes out at Biden's team for 'adding fuel to negative narratives' against her: book
New information:
- Specific claim that White House communications staff 'were adding fuel to negative narratives' about Harris and 'seemed as if they decided I should be knocked down a little more.'
- Direct quote noting the White House had 'a huge comms team' and Karine Jean‑Pierre briefed daily but 'getting anything positive said about my work... was almost impossible.'
- Anecdotes about internal campaign meetings (Mike Donilon filtering polling data) and a quoted remark by Harris’s chief of staff Lorraine Voles criticizing the briefings.
- Doug Emhoff anecdote that White House staff gauged the couple about their loyalty on July 4th shortly before Biden dropped out.
Harris faces backlash for saying Buttigieg was not viable running mate due to being gay
New information:
- Harris told MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow she saw Pete Buttigieg as 'an ideal partner — if I were a straight White man,' saying a gay vice-presidential pick would have been a 'risk' in a high-stakes race.
- The interview drew immediate criticism from conservative commentators and politicians — named responses include Scott Jennings and Sen. Ted Cruz — and produced a broader online backlash.
- Harris defended the passage as a political calculation rather than personal prejudice and cited the book title '107 Days' as the source of the passage.
Bernie urged Harris to focus 'on the working class, not just on abortion,' book reveals
New information:
- Bernie Sanders reportedly told Kamala Harris (per her memoir '107 Days') to 'focus on the working class, not just on abortion' after Joe Biden withdrew.
- The memoir places the Sanders conversation in the immediate aftermath of Biden's withdrawal (Biden dropped out July 21, 2024) and notes Sanders later endorsed Harris on July 27, 2024.
- Harris cites postelection data (Tufts study referenced) showing many young voters prioritized the economy and jobs over issues like abortion, Gaza or climate — reinforcing Sanders' strategic advice.
Kamala Harris' inner circle crafted a 'Red File' contingency plan a year before Biden dropped out: book
New information:
- Kamala Harris says her brother‑in‑law Tony West began building a 'Red File' contingency plan about a year before Joe Biden announced he was dropping out.
- The 'Red File' included a list of the first dozen calls to world and political leaders, timing and wording for Harris's initial statement, and rules for an immediate transition spanning the first 24–48 hours.
- Harris recounts West meeting with four members of her core team in a family weekend planning session; Brian Fallon is named as participating and expressing skepticism at the time.
Kamala Harris disparages Washington Post, LA Times over non-endorsements in 2024
New information:
- Harris criticizes The Washington Post and the Los Angeles Times for declining to endorse a 2024 presidential candidate, calling the owners' decisions 'pre-capitulation' and saying their posture 'alarmed and dispirited' her.
- The LA Times' Oct. 14 editorial decision not to endorse in 2024 is cited; the article notes the paper's editorial editor Mariel Garza resigned in protest and quotes owner Patrick Soon-Shiong's public statement about not endorsing Harris.
- The Washington Post's publisher William Lewis is quoted (the paper's explanation for non-endorsement is noted), and the piece places Harris's criticism in the context of other outlets (USA Today, Minnesota Star Tribune) that also declined to endorse.
5 takeaways from Kamala Harris' new book about her sprint for the presidency
New information:
- Harris recounts Jill Biden privately asked Doug Emhoff after Biden’s debate whether they were 'standing by the Bidens,' which Emhoff found irksome.
- Harris says Joe Biden phoned her just before a debate during her campaign to ask if she was telling 'powerbrokers' negative things about him; she writes the call made the moment 'all about himself.'
- Harris writes it was 'recklessness' to leave the decision of Biden dropping out solely to the Bidens and says she bears some responsibility; she reiterated this in a Monday MSNBC interview.
- Harris defends Biden’s mental capacity but blames staff for mismanaging his fatigue, worsening public perceptions.
- Advisor David Plouffe is quoted telling Harris, 'People hate Joe Biden,' underscoring her political bind distancing from Biden’s legacy.
- Harris indicates her first choice for running mate was Pete Buttigieg (before ultimately selecting Tim Walz).
Harris on endorsing Mamdani for NYC mayor: "I support the Democrat in the race, sure"
New information:
- In her first live interview since leaving office, Harris said she regrets not doing more to challenge President Biden’s 2024 run, calling it 'recklessness' on her part.
- She labeled President Trump a 'tyrant' and praised the decision to bring Jimmy Kimmel’s show back after a suspension.
Biden response to Gaza was "inadequate," Harris says in book
New information:
- Harris writes Biden was 'incapable' of showing more empathy for Gazan civilians and that his remarks on Palestinians were 'inadequate and forced.'
- She says Biden’s 'perceived blank check' to Netanyahu hurt her in 2024 and that Netanyahu preferred Trump over Biden or Harris.
- Harris recounts VP vetting considerations amid Gaza protests, including discussions with Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro about past writings; she ultimately chose Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.
- She supports Israel’s right to respond to Oct. 7 but criticizes the 'ferocity' of Netanyahu’s response and failure to prioritize hostages, arguing it weakened Israel’s moral standing.
- Axios reports a Harris spokesperson declined comment; a Biden spokesperson did not respond.
Former Biden cabinet member admits president shouldn't have sought re-election in 2024
New information:
- Pete Buttigieg told NBC’s Kristen Welker that Biden "should not have run" for re-election in 2024.
- Buttigieg said Democrats "might have been better off" had Biden decided sooner not to run.
- He said he was not included in the decision process about whether Biden should run again and implied he did not urge Biden either way.
- Buttigieg urged focusing on building a different future for the party and the country.
Whoopi Goldberg lashes out at Democrats, says they should have 'kept their mouths shut' about Biden
New information:
- Whoopi Goldberg said on The View that Democrats should have 'kept their mouths shut' and handled concerns about Joe Biden 'in-house' instead of publicly.
- Panel reactions: Joy Behar blamed sexism ('the country would never elect a woman'); Alyssa Farah Griffin argued parties shouldn’t control nominations and cited polling that 75% viewed Biden as too old for another term; Sunny Hostin said the stakes were too high for Biden to run again.
- The article reiterates an excerpt detail that Harris criticized the White House communications team, naming Karine Jean-Pierre, saying it was nearly impossible to get positive coverage of her work or push back on untrue attacks.
- Whoopi Goldberg: Democrats should have handled Biden concerns privately rather than making a public spectacle.
- Harris’s excerpt called Biden’s decision to run again 'reckless' and faulted WH comms (including Karine Jean-Pierre) for not defending her.
Biden aides blast Harris book excerpts, adding VP 'was simply not good at the job': report
New information:
- Axios reports Biden aides ‘reacted with rage’ to excerpts from Kamala Harris’s book ‘107 Days’.
- An unnamed former Biden White House official said, ‘Vice President Harris was simply not good at the job,’ claiming she had ‘zero substantive role’ and only appeared for ‘stilted photo ops.’
- Another unnamed aide criticized Harris for not speaking up at the time about Biden running and disputed her ‘border czar’ framing, saying she focused too much on perception over work.
- Former Biden Chief of Staff Ron Klain is quoted as saying Harris did a ‘good job’ as vice president.
- A former Biden aide said Biden-world ‘treated her and her team like s---’ and expressed pride she is speaking out.
- Axios-sourced report of Biden aides’ ‘rage’ at Harris’s excerpts.
- Direct quotes from unnamed Biden aides criticizing Harris’s VP record and response to Biden’s 2024 bid.
- Ron Klain’s supportive comment that Harris did a ‘good job’ as VP.
Reporter's Notebook: Kamala Harris on Biden's reelection campaign
New information:
- CBS aired a Reporter's Notebook video segment with John Dickerson summarizing Harris's '107 Days' excerpt about Biden's decision to seek a second term; no new factual details beyond prior reporting are provided.