Vice President Kamala Harris has never been closer to clinching the presidency after Joe Biden’s disastrous debate performance sent Democratic elites into a tailspin over their chances in the 2024 election.
As vice president of the United States, Harris is the natural successor to the presidency if Biden steps down. But Democrats have criticized Harris’ performance for years and believe she should not take over from Biden before the election.
A well-connected Democrat told DailyMail.com after the debate that the choice was between a “clearly broken Biden” or Harris, describing the vice president as “utterly despicable” and a “terrible” politician.
“I think I have a better chance with Biden,” he said.
A Washington DC political operative described to DailyMail.com the mood among Democrats on Friday morning.
“Everybody is going to try to resurrect Joe Biden today, but after that debate performance, Jesus Christ could not be resurrected,” he said.
He described the “Kamala conundrum” as a result of Biden and the Democrats playing the “dangerous game” of identity politics to increase their numbers within the black community.
“She could be great for the base, right?” he said. “But you still need independent voters who just don’t trust her.”
Other Democrats conceded that Biden did not have a good night, but the party is not prepared to replace him with Harris.
US Vice President Kamala Harris jumped to defend President Joe Biden’s debate performance, even as Democrats question whether to replace the president before the election
“You won’t find me telling Joe Biden to recuse himself for one simple debate,” said one Democratic strategist.
Democrats privately believe Harris has fallen short, but as with the discussion about Biden’s age, criticism of the vice president’s performance is not allowed by the party.
In considering Biden’s replacement, Democrats cited the well-known political risk associated with attempting to replace Harris, the historic first Black female vice president, with another white man.
Bakari Sellers, a former South Carolina representative and CNN commentator, warned Democrats to stay away from the idea.
“If Joe Biden were to drop out and everyone at this table thinks you need a white guy to beat Kamala Harris, you’re going to have a problem in the Democratic Party. Right?” he said on CNN. “That’s not happening.”
Democrats privately believe that Harris has fallen short, but as with the conversation about Biden’s age, any criticism of the vice president’s performance is not allowed by the party
Democratic strategists and donors are closely watching the media appearances of their top potential candidates, wondering whether pushing Biden off the list is worth the political risks.
It did not go unnoticed by Democrats that Harris unexpectedly appeared on their television screens after the debate to defend Biden and his performance during the debate.
Harris appeared alongside CNN’s Anderson Cooper, MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow and ABC News’ Linsey Davis to defend Biden.
Harris did her best, but even the vice president admitted it wasn’t Biden’s best night.
“Look, he didn’t exactly start that debate strong, but he finished strong. And you know, it was a slow start and a strong finish,” she said on CNN.
Outside the debate, Harris said she was wearing a large gold chain around her neck, which was identified on social media as a $62,000 Tiffany necklace.
Harris dodged questions about whether Biden should step aside and urged Democrats to look at the bigger picture.
“The bottom line is this: Let’s not base the outcome of the United States presidential election on a 90-minute debate,” she said.
Former White House press secretary Jen Psaki has floated the theory that Harris’ appearance was a last-minute Hail Mary move by the Biden campaign to distract from Biden’s performance.
“You don’t send the vice president of the United States off the court after you win the debate, as is customary,” she said Thursday evening on MSNBC.
Around the same time, California Governor Gavin Newsom delivered his speech to nervous Democrats in the debate chamber.
But instead of conceding defeat, Newsom berated nervous Democrats for even thinking about replacing the president, calling the comments “unhelpful and unnecessary.”
US President Joe Biden is greeted in California by California Governor Gavin Newsom
US President Joe Biden campaigns with Vice President Kamala Harris
“You don’t turn around for one performance. Which party does that?’ He asked. “This president has achieved results. We have to deliver for him right now.”
Earlier that evening, he told DailyMail.com exclusively that claims he could replace Joe Biden on the presidential ballot were “ridiculous.”
Pollster Nate Silver slammed Biden’s performance in a morning-after article, ultimately urging him to resign after putting Democrats in a “terrible position.”
“If you’re a Democrat, you should be angry at these people for putting you in this predicament. The same goes for special interest groups who insisted that Kamala Harris should become vice president — against Biden’s initial instincts,” he wrote.
But Silver conceded that Harris or Newsom could be better than Trump.
“At this point, give me Harris, who is more of a blank slate anyway,” he wrote, adding that “Harris and Newsom are definitely not my preferred options — but I prefer them to Biden.”
Former Obama speechwriter Jon Lovett admitted on the Pod Save America podcast that the party was in turmoil after the debate.
Former Obama speechwriter Jon Lovett admitted on the Pod Save America podcast that the party was in turmoil after the debate
“No one knows what Joe Biden is going to do, Kamala Harris is doing a f***ing improv with Anderson Cooper, Gavin Newsom doesn’t know, everyone is already figuring it out,” Jon Lovett.
Lovett urged everyone to wait until the party had sorted out the future and said the choice of whether or not Biden would stay in the race was ultimately Biden’s.
“We are not doomed until the elections are over and a lot can change between now and then. Nobody knows what will happen and let’s take it step by step,” he concluded.
Another Democratic strategist told DailyMail.com that he was looking forward to the Fourth of July weekend, suggesting that a week of political calm could calm the party.
“Maybe two weeks,” he added.