WASHINGTON (AP) — By the time Vice President Kamala Harris stepped into her third fundraiser since President Joe Biden’s disastrous debate last week, she had her routine down.
Yes, she conceded to a few dozen donors in San Francisco, the president’s performance was “not his finest hour.” However, she said, “the outcome of this election cannot be determined by one day in June.”
It’s not the kind of rhetorical two-step that any running mate would want to be practicing just over four months before the election, but Harris has little choice. She’s trying to help Biden stave off a death spiral in their campaign for a second term after the 81-year-old president’s faltering debate appearance magnified concerns about his ability to beat Donald Trump and serve another four years.
The moment could hardly be more delicate for the 59-year-old Harris, who is the first woman, Black person and person of South Asian descent to serve as vice president. Although some Democrats have pointed to her as a logical successor if Biden steps aside, others are drawing up wish lists of potential replacements that don’t include her on the ticket at all.
Depending on how the coming days and weeks unfold, her work on Biden’s behalf could lead to a political dead end, or secure her future within the party by providing fresh opportunities to prove her doubters wrong.
Chad Griffin, a member of the campaign’s national finance committee, said the White House was fortunate to have a vice president that is “tough as nails” and “out there defending the president and talking about the stakes of this election.”
“They’re a team,” he said. “And we’re increasingly seeing the other half of that team.”
Biden and Harris had one of their occasional private lunches on Wednesday, and afterward they held a call with campaign staff to vow that they would push forward together.
“Joe Biden has devoted his life to fighting for the…
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