Joe Biden and Kamala Harris Raising Funds to Cover Transition Setbacks, and Supporters Are Irked

On Friday, President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris posted new fundraising ads on social media, and commenters were appalled. The requests said that the Biden-Harris team needs help funding the presidential transition while President Donald Trump refuses to cooperate with the process. Americans all along the political spectrum thought that this was unpresidential behavior from Biden.

Trump’s refusal to concede the 2020 presidential election is now showing real-world consequences, impeding both his and Biden’s teams from responding to the coronavirus pandemic effectively. Typically, the incumbent president would facilitate a smooth transition, allowing his staffers to work with their successors to keep the government running smoothly. Without this help, Biden’s burgeoning team may not be prepared to accept its new responsibilities in January.

Typically, the funds Biden needs for the transition process would be released by the General Services Administration (GSA), but since Trump has not conceded to Biden’s victory, that money remains in limbo. Sources close to GSA head Emily Murphy told CNN that she feels like she is in “a no-win situation” when it comes to certifying the election results and releasing the funds.

However, even staunch supporters of Biden were put off by the new fund-raising push, wondering if asking for small-dollar donations was a practical or necessary solution. Some thought that the Biden team was over-estimating Americans’ panic about Trump’s refusal to concede.
Others aimed their ire at Trump, calling on him to act mature and release the funds as usual. However, Trump continues to promote unfounded conspiracy theories about widespread voter fraud on a scale that could impact the election results, with no evidence whatsoever.

All in all, Biden’s fund-raising call seemed to strike the wrong chord with Americans on both sides of the election. Here is a look at what the responders had to say.

Lobbyists

Critics suggested that Biden and Harris should ask lobbyists for help with the transition before the American people themselves. Some pointed out interest groups that had invested in the campaign whose motives they thought were dubious.

Concerned Supporters

Many of the most genuine responses came from earnest supporters of Biden and Harris, who could see from a long way off that this kind of fundraising would get backlash. They questioned why the president-elect would resort to this tactic so quickly.

Emily Murphy

Many directed their outrage not at Biden, Harris or even Trump, but at the U.S. General Services Administration head Emily Murphy, who is technically responsible for releasing the transition funds to Biden. They called on Murphy to release the funds in spite of her protest of pressure from within the Trump administration. 

Policy Dunks

Some critics reached deep into Biden and Harris’ legislative history to suggest that they get the same kind of financial aid they’ve approved for the American people in the past.

Familiar

Some also joked that the request sounded familiar, likening it to a friend of family member that frequently asks to borrow money. They joked that Biden just needs a little support until he starts his new job in January.

Stimulus

Many critics were quick to remind Biden that the American people have been waiting on a second stimulus bill since May, while other countries around the world have already sorted their coronavirus responses out. They said that they could not give him money while they were in such dire straits.

Payback

Finally, critics noted that under usual circumstances, the American people would not be asked to fund the transition out of pocket, so they wondered if Biden planned to repay donors once the appropriate GSA funds were released. If that wasn’t part of the plan, they were not eager to donate.