OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
Vice President Kamala Harris has been polling in the 30s—below that of President Joe Biden—for their entire term, but suddenly, the White House is now claiming she will be sitting behind the Resolute Desk at some point.
Harris is “the future of the Democratic Party,” the White House declared Wednesday as Democrats and Democrat-aligned journalists and media outlets clamored to have Biden replaced atop the ticket following his horrendous debate performance last week.
When discussing President Biden’s 2020 campaign comment about being a “transitional” candidate, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre referred to Vice President Harris as Biden’s political heir, even calling her “president” at one point.
“One of the reasons why he picked the vice president, President [sic] Kamala Harris, is because she is indeed the future of the party,” she said during a press conference on Thursday.
If President Biden decides not to seek re-election, Vice President Harris, at 59, could face formidable challenges for the Democratic presidential nomination from figures such as California Governor Gavin Newsom, 56, and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, 52, the New York Post reported.
Concerns among prominent Democrats suggest that Vice President Harris, perceived as awkward in public settings, might inadvertently strengthen Trump’s electoral prospects. Despite these apprehensions, recent polling data from CNN indicates that Harris is only trailing Trump by a narrow margin of 2 percentage points nationally, a smaller gap compared to Biden’s six-point deficit.
“She would cackle her way all the way to the Oval [Office] if she could,” one Democratic critic told The Post.
Vice President Harris currently has slightly lower favorability ratings in polls compared to President Biden, averaging 38.7% against Biden’s 39.8%, according to RealClearPolitics’ aggregate of polls.
It remains uncertain whether Biden shares the views expressed by Jean-Pierre, who referred to Vice President Harris as Biden’s political heir. Biden confirmed on a phone call this week to supporters that he and Harris would continue as the Democratic ticket for the November 5th election.
“There is no one I’d rather be in this battle with than all of you,” Biden said in his pep call. “Let’s link arms. Let’s get this done — you, me, the vice president, together.”
Harris told campaign staffers: “We will not back down. We will follow our president’s lead. We will fight, and we will win.”
Meanwhile, during the official Fourth of July celebration at the White House on Thursday, Biden made several unusual gaffes and misstatements. These included moments of apparent confusion and an unexpected greeting to the crowd with “Ho ho ho! Happy Independence Day!”
The president and first lady Jill Biden were joined on stage by Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff. While Biden appeared more energetic than in his debate on June 27, his remarks, though louder, did not show much improvement in coherence.
“We gotta do what our founders did: show the world we’re a nation of dignity, honor, and just devotion to one another,” said Biden before telling the gathered audience to enjoy the fireworks show.
The Post noted:
As Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the USA” blared, the group made their way off the stage. Biden, bringing up the rear, suddenly paused his gait mid-step, seemingly unsure to whom he should hand the microphone. He then took a few slow steps across the stage, now by himself, before handing off the mic to a stagehand. He then slowly descended a short flight of stairs before mingling with the crowd.
Earlier in the day, during a brief speech at a White House barbecue, Biden seemed to lose his train of thought. He made an unusual claim that highway congestion no longer exists and almost referred to Donald Trump, often seen as his adversary, as his “colleague.”
“I probably shouldn’t even say that … anyway,” Biden later stammered.
