Democrats close to Kamala Harris secretly planned for President Biden’s death while publicly defending his fitness for office – and we’re learning all the gory details from a new book. The shocking revelation of a “death-pool roster” prepared by Harris’s team exposes the cynical calculations behind the scenes as party officials questioned the president’s ability to serve.
At a glance:
• Harris’s former Communications Director Jamal Simmons created a secret “death pool” roster of judges who could swear her in if Biden died
• The planning began in early 2023, with Simmons developing a full communications strategy for Biden’s potential death
• Harris was reportedly never told about the death-pool roster before Simmons left in January 2023
• Democratic officials had been planning for Biden’s possible withdrawal from the 2024 race since 2023
• Biden needed fluorescent tape on carpets to guide his walking at events, according to claims in the forthcoming book
Secret Planning While Publicly Defending Biden
A bombshell new book titled “Fight: Inside the Wildest Battle for the White House” by Jonathan Allen and Amie Parnes reveals that Vice President Kamala Harris’s team secretly prepared for President Joe Biden’s potential death in office. The book details how Harris’s former White House Communications Director Jamal Simmons led efforts to create a “death-pool roster” of federal judges who could swear her in as president.
The planning reportedly began in early 2023, with Simmons developing a comprehensive communications strategy in case the oldest President in American history died while serving. According to the authors, “Simmons never told the Vice President about the death-pool roster before leaving her camp in January 2023, but he advised colleagues that he should be notified immediately if something happened to Biden.”
Yikes.
"Fight: Inside the Wildest Battle for the White House" spilled tea on the ex-president's crumbling run for reelection. https://t.co/zTJVxylVo5
— HuffPost (@HuffPost) March 29, 2025
Broader Scheme of Contingency Planning
The secret death-pool roster was just one part of a larger pattern of contingency planning within Democratic circles. Harris’s Chief of Staff Lorraine Voles had reportedly been working on a plan since November 19, 2021, while another upcoming book by Chris Whipple describes a “stealth operation” within Harris’s team preparing for a potential takeover.
Democratic National Committee officials had also been considering scenarios for Biden’s withdrawal from the presidential race as early as 2023. These plans included various timelines: before primaries, after primaries, or after securing the nomination, demonstrating widespread concern within the party about Biden’s ability to complete a full term or campaign successfully.
New Biden Book Makes Brutal Claims Of 'Death-Pool Roster' And 'Bread Crumbs' Trailhttps://t.co/qZIHK86nxX
— Yankee Doodle Voices (@espritdecorpsna) March 28, 2025
Evidence of Biden’s Declining Abilities
The book makes several concerning claims about President Biden’s physical and mental acuity that appear to justify the behind-the-scenes planning. At one White House reception, Biden reportedly needed fluorescent tape placed on the carpet to guide him on where to walk, with an aide confirming, “He knows to look for that.”
It was worse than we thought.
Simmons reportedly suggested that Biden step down voluntarily to allow Harris to become the first female President, telling colleagues, “Joe Biden’s been a phenomenal President, he’s lived up to so many of the promises he’s made. There’s one promise left that he could fulfill: Being a transitional figure.”
Biden ultimately withdrew from the 2024 race on July 21 after a disastrous debate performance against Donald Trump, leading to Harris’s nomination and subsequent loss in the general election. And the rest is history.
