2WAY Morning Meeting

Episode: Kamala Harris Takes a Swipe at Joe and Jill Biden in New Book: Bidens Are Expected to Hit Back, Hard
Date: September 10, 2025
Host: Mark Halperin
Panel: Sean Spicer, Dan Moore (Democratic strategist)
Main Theme:
Discussion of the explosive early excerpts from Vice President Kamala Harris’s forthcoming memoir 107 Days, and the major political and news developments of the morning. The panel analyzes Harris’s criticisms of the Bidens, predicts the response from Biden world, and explores broader implications for the Democratic Party, 2028 politics, and the news cycle. The show also features discussion on crime, U.S. politics, the war in Ukraine, and listener Q&A.

1. Overview

The September 10th, 2025 edition of the 2WAY Morning Meeting dives into the political shockwaves caused by the first published excerpts from Kamala Harris’s memoir, which sharply critiques Joe and Jill Biden. The hosts examine the revelations and tone of Harris’s account, speculate on the Bidens’ coming response, and discuss the implications for Harris’s political future. The episode continues with deep dives into the day’s headlines—ranging from inflation numbers to Israel/Gaza and Ukraine—and takes questions from listeners on crime, mental health, and the state of U.S. politics.

2. Key Discussion Points & Insights

A. Kamala Harris’s Book Excerpts: Content and Fallout

[07:54–21:38, 57:29–62:25]

• Harris’s Criticism of the Bidens
  Harris’s memoir—previewed in The Atlantic—criticizes Joe and Jill Biden for what she says was recklessness in refusing to step aside in the election, and attributes it to “ego” and “ambition.”

  “It’s Joe and Jill’s decision. We all said that like a mantra… Was it grace or was it recklessness? In retrospect, I think it was Recklessness. The stakes were simply too high.”
  — (Kamala Harris, per excerpt, read by Mark Halperin, [08:09])

• Tone and Motivation of the Book
  The panel finds the tone of the excerpt remarkably self-justifying and defensive, with limited self-awareness.

  “This is a theme throughout this set of excerpts: it’s not my fault… repeatedly she goes to this sense of grievance… But usually there’s some humility, and there’s none here.”
  — Dan Moore ([09:19])

• Expected Biden Response
  The hosts predict the Bidens will “hit back hard,” particularly because Harris’s accounts are seen as not just critical, but demonstrably false about their support and the operations of the West Wing.

  “If you were Jill Biden, you’re walking around today going, I told you so… She’s the one who stabbed us in the back during the primaries…”
  — Sean Spicer ([10:03])
  “Whatever her chances of ever being president were before this book, they’re lower after this.”
  — Mark Halperin ([21:26])

• Biden Team’s View on Harris
  Halperin insists Harris was treated as well or better than any modern Vice President by the West Wing, contrary to her accusations of sabotage or ill treatment.

  “No Vice President in American history in my career has been more thoroughly defended by the West Wing than Kamala Harris. I don’t even think it’s close.”
  — Mark Halperin ([14:00])

• Staff Turnover and Blame
  Harris claims her office’s high turnover was normal and that negative narratives were fueled by Biden staffers. The panel counters that most agree Harris’s leadership is the cause, and the Biden staff worked hard to support her.

  “She blames everybody for everything… Any self-awareness about what she did to contribute? None.”
  — Dan Moore ([14:20])
  “Anyone who’s worked for her… will tell you she blames the staff when things go wrong.”
  — Mark Halperin ([15:46])

• Harris’s Political Future
  The hosts view the memo as disastrous for Harris’s future in Democratic leadership.

  “She would be… she couldn’t win a student council election. She owes everything to this guy. So the idea she’s now saying ‘I’m loyal’ is ridiculous.”
  — Sean Spicer ([18:43])

B. Broader Implications for Dems, 2028, and the Memoir Market

[21:26–22:01, 58:29–60:45]

• Concerns that intra-party fighting will damage Democratic prospects for 2028.
• Comparison to Trump administration “tell-all” books—warning Harris will lose trust within her own party.
• Brief speculation about celebrity candidates (e.g., Stephen A. Smith).

C. News Headlines & Daybook

[05:12–07:54, 22:01–27:37]

• Inflation Update:
  Producer Price Index unexpectedly down; speculation about Fed moves.
• Congress:
  Banking committee advances Fed nominee.
• Israel Attacks Qatar:
  Ongoing coverage of Israeli actions in Gaza/Qatar, uncertainty about escalation.

  “We still don’t know what the President knew or how other countries will respond…”
  — Mark Halperin ([22:12])

• Russia–Ukraine–Poland:
  Russian drones fired into Poland, a NATO country—raising but not triggering Article 5 alarm.

  “Reuters headline: Poland downs Russian drones and first time a NATO member has fired during Ukraine war… Why is Article 5 not being discussed?”
  — Mark Halperin ([24:13]) “It’s being treated like a curiosity…”
  — Sean Spicer ([24:22])

D. Crime, Policing, and Mental Health

[33:00–57:47]

Listener Stories & Questions

• Increasing frustration among city dwellers with crime, police non-responsiveness, and under-reporting.
• Complaints that Democratic messaging on crime is unpersuasive or lacks solutions; perception that data is being manipulated to downplay crime.
• Mental health as both a real issue behind crime and a political “cop out.”

  “They are literally cooking the books in these cities. And the media is complicit in selling this narrative falsely…”
  — Sean Spicer ([37:27])
  “There’s hypocrisy in both sides, meaning budgets have been cut… Do I get rid of the police officer or the mental health bed? Unfortunately, they’ve often chosen the beds.”
  — Dan Moore ([55:29])

Broader takes:

• Both left and right are dodging hard choices, with Democrats often accused of deflecting from crime or making excuses.
• Trump’s deployment of the National Guard in D.C. is welcomed by some, but seen as a short-term fix.
• The difficulty of balancing “grace” in political communication with accountability.

E. Listeners’ Political Sentiments, the Party “Leaving” Voters

[33:00–41:58]

• Several self-identified former Democrats express feeling politically homeless, particularly over crime.

3. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Harris’s book, loyalty, and ambition:

  “It’s Joe and Jill’s decision… Was it grace or was it recklessness? In retrospect, I think it was Recklessness. The stakes were simply too high.”
  — Harris excerpt, read by Mark Halperin ([08:09])

• On Harris’s grievances:

  “This is a theme throughout… it’s not my fault… there’s some humility, and there’s none here.”
  — Dan Moore ([09:19])

• On West Wing’s defense of Harris:

  “No Vice President… has been more thoroughly defended by the West Wing than Kamala Harris.”
  — Mark Halperin ([14:00])

• On Democratic struggle messaging crime:

  “Democrats often try to find kind of an excuse or not a justification but like, 'here’s why that happened' and there isn’t really a bigger problem. And I think that’s where we need to focus on solutions.”
  — Dan Moore ([51:22])

• On urban frustration and political alienation:

  “I am a Bill Clinton Democrat. That’s who I am. And… the party has left me…”
  — Listener David ([34:17])

• On data manipulation and public trust:

  “They are literally cooking the books in these cities. And the media is complicit in selling this narrative falsely to the American people…”
  — Sean Spicer ([37:27])

4. Timestamps for Major Segments

• Kamala Harris Book Excerpts Discussion: [07:54–21:38]
• Political Implications, Score-Settling Memoirs: [21:26–22:01]
• Current News Rundown (Daybook): [05:12–07:54], [22:01–27:37]
• Crime, Policing, and Listener Q&A: [33:00–41:58], [51:21–57:47]
• Mental Health and Social Services Debate: [54:08–57:47]
• Political Future Speculation & Celebrity Candidates: [58:29–60:45]
• Closing and Teasers for Future News on the Harris-Biden Clash: [61:49–62:45]

5. Flow and Tone

The episode is conversational, brisk, and unsparing in political analysis—characteristic of a morning meeting at a national news network. The hosts, while ideologically diverse, generally share a “hard-nosed” view of political memoirs, the Harris-Biden rift, and the inadequacy of both parties’ approaches to urban crime and social services. The listener Q&A often features citizens frustrated with polarization and the “messaging over solutions” approach of US political leadership.

6. Additional Notes

• Multiple ad reads appear throughout, which have been omitted from the summary as requested.
• Mark Halperin leads with a moderator’s hand, emphasizing the spirit of open exchange (“no smack in the chat”) and regularly invites listener questions and challenges.
• Strong emphasis on civility and understanding the “other side.”
• Several allusions to previous and upcoming coverage—suggesting more is to break regarding the Harris memoir and how the Bidens will respond.

Summary Prepared by: [Expert Podcast Summarizer]
For readers who missed the episode, this summary presents the highlights, arguments, political analysis, and the dynamic listener engagement that define the 2WAY Morning Meeting’s take on one of the most dramatic political news stories of Fall 2025.