Kamala has big dreams of taking Biden’s seat in the Oval Office.
During a recent interview, Vice President Kamala Harris expressed her readiness to fulfill her constitutional duty of assuming the presidency if President Biden were to become unable to govern. Concerns have arisen regarding President Biden’s age, as he is currently 80 years old and approaching his 81st birthday in November. This makes him the oldest serving president in U.S. history, and if re-elected in 2024, he would be 82 when starting a potential second term and 86 at its conclusion. Harris acknowledged this scenario as “hypothetical” but affirmed her preparedness for such an eventuality.
In transcript provided by Fox, while in Jakarta, Indonesia, attending a regional summit, Harris assured reporters, “Joe Biden is going to be fine, so that is not going to come to fruition. But let us also understand that every vice president — every vice president — understands that when they take the oath they must be very clear about the responsibility they may have to take over the job of being president.”
She then said, “I’m no different.”
Addressing concerns about Biden’s age, Harris dismissed them, despite a recent AP/NORC poll indicating that 77% of Americans and 69% of Democrats consider him too old for a second term. Some Republican candidates, such as former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, have suggested that a vote for Biden equates to a vote for Harris. In response, Harris shared her daily interactions with Biden, highlighting his ability to navigate complex issues and make important decisions.
Regarding her own political journey, Harris ran for the presidency in 2020 but withdrew from the Democratic primary in December 2019, receiving fewer pledged delegates than other candidates. During the interview, Harris also drew upon her past experience as a prosecutor to argue for holding former President Trump accountable for the events of January 6, 2021, and the efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election.
As the current frontrunner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, Trump faces federal indictments, including one in Georgia related to his alleged attempts to overturn the 2020 election results. Biden and Harris have expressed concerns about the threat they believe Trump poses to American democracy during the ongoing 2024 presidential election cycle.
Harris, currently representing the United States at a summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, discussed the importance of strengthening international relationships. She acknowledged President Biden’s commitment to the region and emphasized the significance of these relationships for American security and prosperity.
Harris’ approval ratings have remained low throughout her vice presidency, with an NBC News poll showing the lowest rating for any vice president in the poll’s history. Only 32% of registered voters have a positive view of Harris, while 49% hold a negative view, and 39% have a “very negative view.”