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Top political aide who a donor accused of 'grifting' and family blamed for Biden's debate disaster leaves the White House to boost Kamala Harris as bloodletting begins after ailing president dropped out
Anita Dunn, who has served as a top advisor to President Biden during his presidency and his campaigns, is leaving her White House perch to advise a super PAC backing VP Kamala Harris.
Dunn was part of a core group of longtime aides advising Biden as he decided to end his presidential campaign, and was reportedly one of the few who got a head’s up a minute before the president blasted out his decision.
Now she’ll be guiding the Future Forward PAC, which says it plans to spend $300 million bolstering Harris, although campaign rules will limit coordination with the campaign itself.
Biden gushed about Dunn in a statement confirming her exit. ‘I deeply value her counsel and friendship and I will continue to rely on her partnership and insights as we finish the job over the next six months,' he said in a statement released by the White House.
Dunn, whose title is senior advisor and who is married to the president’s personal lawyer Bob Bauer, popped in and out of the White House, eventually pulling back from her SKDK firm (she was one of the ‘Ks’ along with Bill Knapp) in 2022 to counsel Biden full time.
Dunn's influence inside the West Wing isn't disputed, although she was accused following Biden's debate disaster of failing to properly prepare the president for his contest with Donald Trump or anticipate the attendant risks.
White House senior adviser Anita Dunn is leaving her post to advise a pro-Kamala Harris super PAC. Dunn, who also did stints in the Senate and advising Bill Bradley's presidential campaign, has been a fixture in the Biden White House and his campaigns
And Dunn, like other top aides and Vice President Kamala Harris, faces questions about whether she knew about the deficiencies that ultimately led Biden himself to decide to 'pass the torch' to the younger Harris, who is now improving on his poor poll performance.
The Washington Post reported her departure.
John Morgan, a top Democratic donor and ally of Biden's younger brother, Frank, accused Dunn of cashing in on Biden and failing to avert the disaster.
He identified as 'grifters' Dunn and former White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain, along with Bob Bauer, amid criticism that Biden was getting advice only from a narrow circle.
'Biden's advisers failed him,' Morgan posted, asking about how Biden's team had negotiated a debate format that ill-served him.
Tens of millions of Americans saw Biden look weak and raspy on stage at the event with Donald Trump
John Morgan (pictured), a top donor to Joe Biden has slammed three of the president's most trusted aides after the president's horror show at the first debate in Atlanta Thursday night
The PAC plans to spend millions boosting Harris
'Format was a disaster for him and a plus for Trump. He over practiced and was drained… who wouldn't be,' he added.
'Biden has for too long been fooled by the value of Anita Dunn and her husband. They need to go… TODAY. The grifting is gross. It was political malpractice,' he wrote last month.
Morgan kept up his attacks in comments to the New York Times.
'It would be like if you took a prizefighter who was going to have a title fight and put him in a sauna for 15 hours then said, 'Go fight,' he said.
'I believe that the debate is solely on Ron Klain, Bob Bauer and Anita Dunn.'
Biden family members also privately blamed Dunn and Bauer for the debate disaster.
Dunn advised Biden during his 2020 run, and also advised Barack Obama during his 2008 and his 2012 campaigns.
In a sign of her continued sway within the White House, a series of aides were quoted on the record in the Post singing her praises.
Biden said in a statement released by the White House, 'Four years ago, when I launched my campaign for the battle for the soul of our nation, I was grateful Anita Dunn was right there with me.
'I’ve known Anita throughout my career. She’s served our nation through three Administrations and countless campaigns for candidates at every level.
She’s not only a key senior member of our team that helped us win a historic election in 2020 – she’s also been an invaluable part of our White House. She’s tough and tested, and her experience and intellect have helped us deliver historic results for the American people.
I deeply value her counsel and friendship and I will continue to rely on her partnership and insights as we finish the job over the next six months.