New book reveals how 'deluded' Joe Biden blew off crucial meeting for Vogue shoot as campaign floundered

Klain grew increasingly alarmed by the president’s refusal to take emergency measures.

PUBLISHED 1 DAY AGO

The photoshoot, captured by Leibovitz symbolized what critics saw as Biden’s detachment from the political crisis unfolding around him.

Washington D.C.: In the aftermath of his disastrous June 2024 debate against Donald Trump — a performance that ultimately doomed his reelection bid — President Joe Biden chose to skip a crucial White House meeting with the Congressional Progressive Caucus in favor of a family photoshoot at Camp David with famed photographer Annie Leibovitz, according to a new book by journalist Chris Whipple.

The revelation, detailed in 'Uncharted: How Trump Beat Biden, Harris, and the Odds in the Wildest Campaign in History', exposes the internal dysfunction and denial that plagued Biden’s campaign in its final weeks.

Ron Klain, Biden’s former chief of staff and debate prep leader, urgently warned the president that securing the Progressive Caucus’s endorsement was critical to salvaging his candidacy. “You need to cancel that,” Klain told Biden, pushing for an aggressive strategy to rally Democratic support. Biden initially agreed — only to change his mind and depart for Camp David, leaving allies stunned.

Biden’s family — gathered at Camp David — reportedly urged him to stay in the race.

The photoshoot, captured by Leibovitz symbolized what critics saw as Biden’s detachment from the political crisis unfolding around him. Instead of meeting progressives in person, Biden addressed them via Zoom, where he reportedly chastised them over their stance on Israel and boasted of his own progressive credentials. The call, described as a “fiasco", further alienated key allies like Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), who later confronted Klain about Biden’s dismissive tone.

Klain, who had returned to the campaign to help Biden prepare for the Trump debate, grew increasingly alarmed by the president’s refusal to take emergency measures. After the debate, he pleaded with Biden’s team to act swiftly, warning that the campaign was “hemorrhaging badly". But Jeff Zients, Biden’s chief of staff, dismissed Klain’s urgency, insisting the White House had a plan. Privately, Klain believed Biden’s aides lacked a coherent strategy to save his presidency.

The book also reveals the deep divisions within Biden’s inner circle. While Klain pushed for drastic action, other advisers, like Steve Ricchetti, downplayed the crisis. Meanwhile, Biden’s family — gathered at Camp David — reportedly urged him to stay in the race, even as Democratic leaders and donors demanded his exit. By July 21, facing irreversible pressure, Biden dropped out, handing the nomination to Vice President Kamala Harris, who ultimately lost to Trump.

Despite witnessing Biden’s decline firsthand, Klain later insisted to CNN that the president had been “clearly up to the job” and performed well in debate prep — a claim contradicted by Whipple’s reporting.

'Uncharted' is set for release next week.