Joe Biden and Kamala Harris exchanged a brief handshake and later spoke cordially at Dick Cheney’s Nov. 20 funeral — their first public interaction since Harris published her memoir, 107 Days. The book offers a candid account of her 2024 campaign and includes criticism of interactions with Biden’s circle, which reportedly upset some aides. The Washington National Cathedral service brought together leaders from both parties and highlighted Liz Cheney’s presence and the notable absence of President Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance.
Biden and Harris Share Polite Handshake at Dick Cheney’s Funeral Amid Tension Over Her Memoir
Joe Biden and Kamala Harris exchanged a brief handshake and later spoke cordially at Dick Cheney’s Nov. 20 funeral — their first public interaction since Harris published her memoir, 107 Days. The book offers a candid account of her 2024 campaign and includes criticism of interactions with Biden’s circle, which reportedly upset some aides. The Washington National Cathedral service brought together leaders from both parties and highlighted Liz Cheney’s presence and the notable absence of President Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance.
02:15 AM, 11/21/2025Politics
Former President Joe Biden and former Vice President Kamala Harris made a brief, civil public appearance together at the funeral for former Vice President Dick Cheney on Nov. 20 — their first since the release of Harris’s candid memoir, 107 Days.
The Washington National Cathedral was full for the service, which brought together leaders from both parties, including former President George W. Bush and first lady Laura Bush. Cheney, who served as vice president under President Bush, died on Nov. 3 at age 84.
Harris’s memoir, released on Sept. 23, offers a frank account of her 2024 presidential campaign and includes critical observations about the dynamics between her team and Biden’s circle. The book’s candid passages reportedly angered some Biden aides, who pushed back at the characterizations.
At the cathedral, Harris was seated in the front row and spoke briefly with former vice presidents Al Gore and Dan Quayle. As Joe and Dr. Jill Biden entered, the former president greeted several dignitaries before taking his seat. Biden and Harris exchanged a short handshake and later spoke with smiles — a composed, courteous interaction observers described as reserved but cordial.
The service opened with military pallbearers carrying Cheney’s flag-draped casket into the cathedral. Lynne Cheney, the former vice president’s wife, and their daughter, former Congresswoman Liz Cheney, were among the mourners. Liz Cheney, known for voting to impeach Donald Trump after the Jan. 6 attack and later losing her primary in 2022, has been a prominent and at-times divisive figure in recent national politics.
Notably absent from the funeral were President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance; the White House said the president was "aware" of Cheney’s passing but did not otherwise publicly acknowledge the death at the time. The gathering underscored both bipartisan respect for Cheney’s long public service and ongoing political divisions.
Biden’s attendance came while he continues cancer treatment; in May he disclosed an "aggressive" prostate cancer diagnosis, and in late October his daughter shared images of him ringing the bell at Penn Medicine to mark the end of radiation treatments.
Overall, the brief exchange between Biden and Harris signaled a composed public moment amid lingering tensions introduced by the memoir and continuing partisan divides.