Chilly Front Row: Jill Biden Snubs Kamala Harris at Cheney Funeral

Paul Riverbank, 11/21/2025Awkward Jill Biden-Kamala Harris moment at Cheney funeral spotlights simmering Democratic tensions.

Kamala Harris, notably without Doug Emhoff at her side, ended up flanked by Mike Pence and Jill Biden. It didn’t take a seasoned observer to sense things were, well, frosty. Before the service began, Harris and Jill Biden exchanged what might technically pass as pleasantries, but the warmth usually expected in such a moment was notably absent. Harris tried for a friendly smile and a quiet word. Jill, barely glancing up, shrugged in response—an interaction so brief and brittle it almost vanished into the hush of the cathedral.

Online commentary picked up on it almost instantly. Some called it "deliciously awkward," others less delicately suggested Jill Biden’s forced civility masked real distaste. For many, it was déjà vu—the same sidelong glances and muted body language reportedly appeared during Jimmy Carter’s memorial, when Jill Biden hardly bothered to mask her distance toward the vice president.

But this wasn’t just about a single chilly moment. Beneath the surface, there’s deeper context: Harris’s memoir, which some say took direct aim at the Bidens, marked a recent rift. This was the first time Jill and Kamala were in the same room since its release. Surrounded by former presidents, vice presidents, and first ladies, the funeral setting forced these two mainstays into visual proximity, perhaps even closer than the party’s leaders would have liked.

It wasn’t just Harris and Jill Biden, of course. The sight of Harris chatting at length with Mike Pence—a man she sparred with on a debate stage just four years ago—added to the scene’s unusual energy. Meanwhile, George W. Bush and Laura Bush, sitting nearby, contributed to the air of formality that sometimes only underscores how awkward people can feel.

Anyone who has ever attended a political funeral knows that civility is often an act of sheer willpower, not genuine warmth. If smiles appeared, they were as fleeting as rain on a summer sidewalk. Hands were shaken, but with a stiffness that lingered even after the cameras had moved on.

For those dissecting the country’s political atmosphere, these subtle gestures spoke volumes. Political funerals might not be about settling scores outright, but they do bring grievances, alliances, and resentments into the open—even if only for a moment, and even if veiled by hushed voices and tightly composed expressions. Here, the cold shoulder between Harris and Jill Biden lent credence to longer-standing whispers of intra-party strain.

Still, the basic rules of decorum held, but only just. If anything, the day served as a faint reminder that however buttoned-up Washington appears in public, its most powerful figures are as vulnerable to old wounds and lingering disagreements as anyone else—even when the meeting place is a house of worship built for unity and remembrance.

Few places carry the weight of Washington National Cathedral on a day like this—especially when the service in question is for Dick Cheney. Under its cavernous arches, echoes seem to carry more meaning, and the air feels thick with history and unspoken tensions. The city’s current and former power players filed in with expressions that ranged from solemn to unreadable, each likely aware not just of the past they represented but also the present they carry on their shoulders.Kamala Harris, notably without Doug Emhoff at her side, ended up flanked by Mike Pence and Jill Biden. It didn’t take a seasoned observer to sense things were, well, frosty. Before the service began, Harris and Jill Biden exchanged what might technically pass as pleasantries, but the warmth usually expected in such a moment was notably absent. Harris tried for a friendly smile and a quiet word. Jill, barely glancing up, shrugged in response—an interaction so brief and brittle it almost vanished into the hush of the cathedral.Online commentary picked up on it almost instantly. Some called it "deliciously awkward," others less delicately suggested Jill Biden’s forced civility masked real distaste. For many, it was déjà vu—the same sidelong glances and muted body language reportedly appeared during Jimmy Carter’s memorial, when Jill Biden hardly bothered to mask her distance toward the vice president.But this wasn’t just about a single chilly moment. Beneath the surface, there’s deeper context: Harris’s memoir, which some say took direct aim at the Bidens, marked a recent rift. This was the first time Jill and Kamala were in the same room since its release. Surrounded by former presidents, vice presidents, and first ladies, the funeral setting forced these two mainstays into visual proximity, perhaps even closer than the party’s leaders would have liked.It wasn’t just Harris and Jill Biden, of course. The sight of Harris chatting at length with Mike Pence—a man she sparred with on a debate stage just four years ago—added to the scene’s unusual energy. Meanwhile, George W. Bush and Laura Bush, sitting nearby, contributed to the air of formality that sometimes only underscores how awkward people can feel.Anyone who has ever attended a political funeral knows that civility is often an act of sheer willpower, not genuine warmth. If smiles appeared, they were as fleeting as rain on a summer sidewalk. Hands were shaken, but with a stiffness that lingered even after the cameras had moved on.For those dissecting the country’s political atmosphere, these subtle gestures spoke volumes. Political funerals might not be about settling scores outright, but they do bring grievances, alliances, and resentments into the open—even if only for a moment, and even if veiled by hushed voices and tightly composed expressions. Here, the cold shoulder between Harris and Jill Biden lent credence to longer-standing whispers of intra-party strain.Still, the basic rules of decorum held, but only just. If anything, the day served as a faint reminder that however buttoned-up Washington appears in public, its most powerful figures are as vulnerable to old wounds and lingering disagreements as anyone else—even when the meeting place is a house of worship built for unity and remembrance.