Former Vice President Kamala Harris, during an appearance at the National Urban League Conference, offered her ranking of the most effective presidents in U.S. history—and conspicuously omitted Joe Biden, the man she served under for four years.
Asked by National Urban League President Marc Morial to name the top three most effective presidents, Harris began with Franklin Delano Roosevelt, praising his investment in Americans during the Great Depression. She then cited John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson as a duo, crediting Kennedy for laying groundwork and Johnson for following through on civil rights and social programs.
“I credit Kennedy, of course, in terms of what he laid the groundwork for,” Harris said. “And then Johnson followed up on.”
She completed her list with Barack Obama, highlighting his signature healthcare reform. “If we had one issue that’s been ailing America for generations, which is a healthcare system that has failed anyone other than the rich,” she said, pointing to the Affordable Care Act as a key achievement.
The omission of Biden is notable given their close political partnership. Harris ran alongside him in 2020 and served as vice president until 2025. Tensions between the two have surfaced in recent months, particularly after Biden’s decision to seek a second term.
In her 2025 memoir, 107 Days, Harris wrote that Biden’s reelection bid was “recklessness” and described her internal conflict about advising him to step aside. “I knew it would come off to him as incredibly self-serving if I advised him not to run. He would see it as naked ambition, perhaps as poisonous disloyalty, even if my only message was: Don’t let the other guy win,” she wrote.
She also commented on Biden’s age, stating, “But at 81, Joe got tired. That’s when his age showed in physical and verbal stumbles.”
Biden eventually withdrew from the 2024 race after a widely criticized debate performance against Donald Trump, throwing his support behind Harris, who had just over three months to campaign. Harris has also been critical of Biden’s decision on The Rachel Maddow Show, saying she had “a certain responsibility” to push back.
The snub has already drawn attention in political circles, adding to the narrative of a fractured relationship between the former running mates. Harris’s list also notably excluded other Democratic presidents like Harry Truman and Jimmy Carter, focusing instead on those she views as transformative figures.
This comes as Harris remains active in Democratic politics, having recently endorsed a Senate candidate in Maine and tied her own short campaign to that race. Meanwhile, the ongoing scrutiny of Biden’s legacy continues, including debates over his pardon of Anthony Fauci and other controversies.
