It’s the story that refuses to go away—and one that could haunt Vice President Kamala Harris well into the 2028 election cycle.

The recently released book Original Sin: President Biden’s Decline, Its Cover-up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again, authored by CNN anchor Jake Tapper and Axios reporter Alex Thompson, pulls back the curtain on the chaos, delusion, and denial inside the Biden administration. And while much of its content confirms what most Americans have long suspected—that Joe Biden was in no condition to serve and was propped up by enablers both in the White House and the media—it still manages to deliver eye-opening moments.

The book reveals a stunning level of dysfunction, cowardice, and complicity across the political and media establishment. Tapper, who once contributed to the very media silence surrounding Biden’s obvious cognitive decline, now attempts to atone by exposing the rot from within. But it’s not just Biden who comes out looking worse—Vice President Kamala Harris arguably fares even worse.

Among the revelations is the story of former Deputy Chief of Staff Steve Ricchetti allegedly pressuring a journalist to drop a report that Biden was “having serious and disturbing moments, forgetting names and facts, sometimes seeming seriously confused at meetings.” That intimidation tactic epitomizes how Biden’s inner circle prioritized narrative control over national security.

And then there’s Harris—whose response to Biden’s disastrous June 27, 2024 debate performance was to lash out in vulgar frustration. Watching the implosion from a hotel suite in Los Angeles, Harris was reportedly blindsided by the tidal wave of panic that swept through the Democratic Party. Instead of recognizing the disaster unfolding before her eyes, she was stunned that “serious people were calling on Biden to step aside.”

As Tapper and Thompson write, “Harris appeared surprised that the panic had reached this level so quickly. Some people on the Biden campaign suggested that she cancel her interviews. They argued that she didn’t want to make it look like she was trying to upstage him.”

True to form, Harris opted to press ahead with media appearances anyway, fumbling through last-minute messaging strategies. She missed her CBS hit entirely and was late to her next interview. Just five minutes before going live on CNN, she settled on the line: acknowledge the “slow start,” but spin the rest as a “strong finish.”

That spin was laughable. To compare it: if Biden’s debate performance were a soccer match, it was the equivalent of American Samoa getting trounced 31-0 by Australia in 2001. Trying to highlight the second half as somehow redemptive is absurd.

Predictably, Anderson Cooper pressed Harris on Biden’s cognitive state—questions Americans desperately wanted answered. Harris, rather than rising to the occasion, lashed out behind the scenes: “This m********r doesn’t treat me like the d* vice president of the United States,” she reportedly snapped.

“She had been asking the questions the nation had been wondering, but she took it personally,” the authors note.

Context is everything here. This was a debate performance so dismal that Donald Trump’s campaign cut its most scathing ad using only Biden’s own words—no Trump clips required. Biden imploded on live television, and Harris’ instinct was to go after the journalist who dared ask hard questions.

The book continues to dismantle Harris’ standing, painting her as timid, overly loyal, and ultimately incapable of distinguishing herself from the failing administration she tethered herself to. Even prominent Democrats were reluctant to back her as Biden’s natural successor after he withdrew from the race in mid-July.

If there’s one anecdote that encapsulates why Harris should be disqualified from serious 2028 consideration, it’s her private meltdown over being treated with the same scrutiny every public official should face. She failed to recognize the crisis, failed to lead, and lashed out when confronted with the truth.

The American people deserve leaders who see reality clearly and respond with strength—not ones who hide behind spin and throw tantrums when the spotlight gets too hot.