Vice President Kamala Harris and Sen. Elizabeth Warren broke bread on Tuesday in an apparent attempt at reconciliation after the progressive senator failed to give the VP a rousing endorsement as President Biden’s 2024 running mate.
The feud began in January, when Warren (D-Mass.) told a Boston radio station, “I really want to defer to what makes Biden comfortable on his team,” when asked about her thoughts of Harris remaining Biden’s No. 2.
Warren’s less than enthusiastic support for Harris apparently got back to the veep, and when the Massachusetts Democrat twice called to offer an apology, Harris refused to return her phone calls, according to CNN.
A Tuesday dinner party hosted by Harris at the US Naval Observatory – where she lives – sought to ease tensions between the two, according to a report.
When asked about her thoughts on Harris remaining Biden’s veep, Warren told a Boston radio station in January that she would “defer to what makes Biden comfortable on his team.” Getty Images
Harris refused to return multiple calls from Warren after the radio interview. Bloomberg via Getty ImagesThe banquet was attended by Warren and a bipartisan group of female senators, with invites having been sent out more than a month ago, according to the Hill.
“No one was benefitting from this,” a person familiar with the beef told the news outlet.
“They had to get rid of it,” the person added.
Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) tweeted a video of the dinner on Wednesday showing Warren, beverage in hand, seated near Harris – with Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) in between the two.
“As usual, Kamala’s cheese puffs and personal chicken recipe were a big hit!” Stabenow said in another tweet about the dinner party.
Warren released a statement after her January interview in an attempt to clear the air, stating that she “fully” supports the Biden/Harris ticket in 2024 and “never intended to imply otherwise.”
A person close to the VP told CNN that her office found Warren’s remarks during the radio interview “pretty insulting” and emblematic of the disrespect shown toward Harris since taking office.
Elizabeth Warren (L) and Senator Kamala Harris (R) arrive on stage for the third Democratic primary debate of the 2020 presidential campaign season in Houston, Texas on Sep. 2, 2019. AFP via Getty ImagesA state Democratic Party chair expressed concerns about Harris’ poll numbers and Biden’s re-election chances, saying “right now, she seems to be an albatross.”
“She’s either going to be a liability or a help. And you better embrace her because it’s not like she’s going to be off the ticket,” the person told CNN
