Harris campaign doesn't think President Biden is 'helpful' in final stretch, Axios reporter says

The Harris campaign doesn't believe President Biden could be helpful to them in the final stretch of the campaign, according to new reporting. 

During Tuesday's "CNN This Morning," host Kasie Hunt cited an Axios report which revealed President Biden would like to be campaigning alongside his vice president, but that the Harris campaign was "not exactly embracing the offer." Hunt added, "If they did want him to campaign for her, he would be campaigning for her."

Axios reporter Alex Thompson joined the CNN show as a panelist and said, "The campaign sends out a daily email of all the surrogates, including actors and actresses and members of the cabinet. They did not mention that Joe Biden was going to be in Pittsburgh on Saturday, even in that email." He added, "They could claim oversight, but the fact matter is, like they don't believe that the president is helpful in this final stretch."

Thompson reported on Sunday that Harris' team sees the president as a political liability just a week away from election day. However, the journalist noted that the campaign was hesitant to tell the president's team directly.

KAMALA HARRIS ALLIES RUSH TO PLAY DAMAGE CONTROL AMID WHITE HOUSE INFIGHTING

Axios reporter Alex Thompson reported on Tuesday that the Harris campaign is keeping its distance from the president because they don't think he's helpful. (Screenshot/CNN)

Thompson reported earlier this month that "many senior Biden aides remain wounded by the president being pushed out of his re-election bid and are still adjusting to being in a supporting role on the campaign trail."

In a past Axios report, a Harris ally told Thompson,"They're too much in their feelings."

"Now, Joe Biden, even some of the people on the Kamala Harris campaign, formally of the Joe Biden campaign, believe that actually the Kamala Harris campaign is underestimating his appeal in some of these smaller communities," Thompson said during the Tuesday CNN appearance. 

Thompson said they understand Biden is "unpopular," but they still think the president can appeal to older, White voters in Pennsylvania. 

Fox News Digital reached out to the Harris campaign for comment but did not immediately receive a response.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE

President Joe Biden, center, holds an "I Voted Early" sticker upon exiting the voting booth after casting his early-voting ballot for the 2024 general elections, Monday, Oct. 28, 2024, in New Castle, Del. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

The president voted early in Delaware on Monday and was asked by a reporter if casting his vote for Harris was "bittersweet."

"You know, this is just sweet," Biden said. 

Thompson said, "You know he may say it was not bittersweet, but there‘s certainly people around him that find it more bitter than sweet."

Fellow CNN panelist Phillepe Reines, a former adviser to Hillary Clinton's campaign, said the president would get the "last laugh," and said that he's okay with it.

Hanna Panreck is an associate editor at Fox News.