U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris is “the future of the Democratic Party,” the White House declared, as leading Democrats and their allies position themselves to replace Biden as the party’s nominee if the 81-year-old president steps aside.
White House press secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre on Wednesday, July 3, pronounced Harris as Biden’s political heir, at one point referring to her as “president,” when asked about his 2020 campaign remark that he would be a “transitional” candidate.
“One of the reasons why he picked the vice president, President Kamala Harris, is because she is indeed the future of the party,” Jean-Pierre said at her regular briefing.
If Biden decides to drop out following his disastrous debate performance last week against former President Donald Trump., Harris, 59, faces stiff potential competition for the Democratic presidential nomination, including from Governors Gavin Newsom of California, 56, and Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, 52.
But there are fears by some Democrats that Harris would boost Trump’s chances even further even though a poll released Tuesday by CNN showed Harris trailing Trump by 2 percentage points nationally, versus Biden’s six-point deficit.
The fears come as Harris comes off as uneasy and sometimes weird in public appearances.
“She would cackle her way all the way to the Oval [Office] if she could,” a Democratic detractor reportedly told The Post.
On a Wednesday call with campaign staff, Biden said that he and Harris would remain on the Democratic ticket in the Nov. 5 election.
“There is no one I’d rather be in this battle with than all of you,” Biden said in his pep call — after the New York Times editorial board called on him to drop out Friday and several House Democrats openly predicted Tuesday his loss to Trump if he stays in the race.
“Let’s link arms. Let’s get this done — you, me, the vice president, together,” Biden said.