An upcoming book by Amie Parnes and Jonathan Allen reveals that allies of former President Joe Biden were quietly preparing for the possibility that he might not make it through his 2024 presidential campaign—either by stepping down or passing away. According to an excerpt shared with The Hill, these discussions and contingency plans had already begun in 2023. Behind closed doors, Biden’s allies engaged in early discussions about who might take his place if circumstances required. While some harbored concerns about his ability to complete the race, those closest to him reportedly believed he would persevere. One particularly striking revelation from the book details how an aide to Vice President Kamala Harris carried a list of Republican federal judges—those not appointed by Donald Trump—who could potentially swear her in should she need to assume the presidency unexpectedly. The reasoning behind this list, according to Parnes and Allen, was that being sworn in by one of these judges might lend her legitimacy in the eyes of Republicans. Allegedly Harris was unaware of this list until the staffer who compiled it left their position in January 2023. However, that same staffer reportedly instructed colleagues to notify him immediately if anything happened to Biden, as he had a pre-prepared communications strategy for such an event. Despite internal concerns, the Biden administration outwardly projected confidence in his ability to endure the race. According to the book, Biden’s advisors ensured he was well-presented, even arranging for a makeup artist before key appearances to mitigate the visible effects of aging. However, the authors note that Biden occasionally canceled scheduled briefings while keeping his makeup appointments, notes the Daily Caller News Foundation. Concerns over Biden’s age intensified in 2023, particularly after he fell during the Air Force Academy’s commencement ceremony. The White House maintained that he was fine, but the incident fueled speculation about his overall fitness for office. Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre repeatedly dismissed concerns, insisting that Biden maintained an intense schedule that even staff members struggled to keep up with. Despite the behind-the-scenes contingency planning, Biden’s closest advisors did not openly challenge his decision to run for re-election. One ally, speaking to Parnes and Allen, noted that the inner circle refrained from presenting the former president with any advice suggesting that running again might not be in the Democratic Party’s best interest. “At the end of the day, I don’t think anyone in that inner circle was presenting the president any contrary advice that this thing is not going to be easy or maybe this is not the best thing for the Democratic Party,” the ally stated.