Grok says:
The book Fight: Inside the Wildest Battle for the White House by Jonathan Allen and Amie Parnes, released on April 1, 2025, offers an in-depth look at the 2024 U.S. presidential election, focusing on the campaigns of Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, and Donald Trump. Based on interviews with over 150 insiders from the Biden, Harris, and Trump camps, as well as party leaders and operatives, the book uncovers several significant revelations about the behind-the-scenes dynamics of this historic and tumultuous election. Here are some of the biggest revelations highlighted in the text and early coverage:
Early Democratic Contingency Plans for Biden’s Withdrawal: As early as 2023, Democratic National Committee officials held secret “hush-hush talks” to plan for Joe Biden’s potential withdrawal from the presidential race due to concerns about his age and fitness. This was despite public assurances from Biden and his aides that he was capable of serving another term. These contingency plans reveal a level of doubt within the party that was not fully acknowledged publicly until Biden’s poor debate performance in July 2024 forced his exit.Harris Aides’ “Death Pool” Strategy: Kamala Harris’s aides reportedly strategized around the possibility that Biden might die in office, a contingency plan driven by his advanced age (he was over 80 by 2023). This preparation underscores the underlying tension and uncertainty within the Democratic camp about Biden’s longevity and its impact on Harris’s political future.
Biden’s Late Exit Hampered Harris’s Campaign: Harris’s team believed that Biden’s delayed withdrawal—only stepping aside in July 2024 after a disastrous debate—severely limited her ability to establish herself as a distinct candidate. The book details how Biden’s insistence on loyalty from Harris tied her too closely to his unpopular administration, making it difficult for her to pivot and connect with voters effectively during her unprecedented 107-day campaign.
Harris’s Failed Joe Rogan Gambit: A major revelation is the Harris campaign’s desperate attempt to secure an interview with podcaster Joe Rogan to reach young male voters, a demographic she struggled to win over. The campaign even scheduled a Houston rally in October 2024 partly to facilitate a stop at Rogan’s Austin studio. However, negotiations fell apart over topics—Harris’s team suggested social media censorship and marijuana, while Rogan wanted to focus on the economy, border, and abortion—and the requirement that Harris travel to Texas. This missed opportunity is portrayed as a pivotal moment that could have shifted her appeal among key voters.
Beyoncé Rally Disappointment: The book reveals that the Harris campaign banked on a high-profile Beyoncé performance of their theme song “Freedom” at the Houston rally to energize female voters. However, Beyoncé appeared but did not perform, diminishing the event’s impact. This misstep, combined with the failed Rogan interview, highlighted strategic errors in the campaign’s final stretch.
Obama’s Lack of Faith in Harris: According to the book, former President Barack Obama “worked against” Harris during the 2024 campaign, reportedly lacking confidence in her ability to win. This revelation points to internal Democratic Party fractures and suggests that key figures doubted Harris’s viability even as she became the nominee.
Trump’s Resilience and Voter Disconnect: The book details how Donald Trump overcame felony convictions and an assassination attempt by tapping into widespread dissatisfaction with the country’s direction. Meanwhile, Democrats struggled to resonate with voters who felt misled by Biden’s claims of economic prosperity and his unfulfilled promise to be a “bridge” president, leaving Harris to inherit a challenging political landscape.
These revelations paint a picture of a chaotic, high-stakes election marked by internal party scheming, strategic miscalculations, and raw political combat. The book frames the 2024 race as a “bloodsport” where all sides went “for the jugular,” offering a vivid, insider-driven narrative of how Trump reclaimed the White House while Democrats faltered.
