Radio host Charlamagne tha God criticized former Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chairman Jaime Harrison for staying “quiet” and not being honest about former President Joe Biden’s reported weaknesses during the 2024 presidential campaign.
Why It Matters
The exchange highlights an ongoing debate within and outside the Democratic Party over whether leaders should have spoken up about Biden’s fitness to run in 2024. Critics say the lack of openness influenced the party’s messaging and contributed to its election loss.
What To Know
Harrison appeared on The Breakfast Club to discuss his work after leaving the DNC and to answer questions about how the party handled the 2024 campaign.
When asked about the party’s response to policy issues like immigration and the border, Charlamagne asked if things could have been managed better.
“Did you think they got it wrong on the border?” Charlamagne pressed.
“Oh, yeah,” Harrison admitted. “There are things that we should have done better on the border.”
Charlamagne also challenged him on how Democrats handled Biden’s final months in office. “It’s just hard to believe y’all, Jaime, now — simply because we know what y’all watched the last four years,” Charlamagne said, according to Fox News, pointing to Biden’s health.
Harrison also criticized CNN’s Jake Tapper and Axios’ Alex Thompson’s book, Original Sin: President Biden’s Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again, which described Biden as physically and mentally declining while aides allegedly hid it from the public.
“Man, Original Sin is a bunch of sh**,” Harrison said.
Charlamagne argued that the next leader of the Democratic Party must be willing to “throw that old regime under the bus and talk about all the things that they got wrong.”
He also called out other former Biden officials, including ex-Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, accusing them of lying for Biden.
“I ain’t lie about a da** thing,” Harrison responded.
“Well, you ain’t tell the truth. You just kept quiet,” Charlamagne shot back.
What People Are Saying
House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, in July: “Republicans won’t be lectured on ‘transparency’ by the same Democrats who orchestrated one of the most shameless and dangerous cover-ups in history – Biden’s obvious mental and physical decline. When they claim they’re for transparency, roll the tape. They lied to the American people for years to hide Joe Biden’s decline.”
Representative Andy Biggs, an Arizona Republican, in July: “Kevin O’Connor and Anthony Bernal’s refusal to answer questions about Joe Biden’s mental capacity illustrates a clear, coordinated coverup of the truth. If we immunize them, they can no longer plead the fifth. If they still refuse to answer? Contempt of Congress.”
DNC Chair Ken Martin, during a meeting with party leaders this week: “Americans are hungry for leaders. They’re hungry for candidates who are on the side of working people. They’re hungry for leaders who give a damn about their circumstances, and they’re hungry for a government that gives people freedom, not fascism.”
What Happens Next
Democrats now face decisions on how to shape their message for future elections. The debate inside the party — whether to focus on accomplishments, admit mistakes, or try a mix of both — will affect candidate recruitment, fundraising, and their approach to issues like immigration.
