Vice President Kamala Harris said she is ready to serve the presidency, amidst worries about President Biden’s age, The Wall Street Journal posted.
Kamala Harris says she is ready to serve and cites her ‘capacity to lead’ in a recent interview as as Biden faces age scrutiny
“I am ready to serve. There’s no question about that,” Harris said. She was explaining her campaign priorities while on a flight aboard Air Force Two early last week when she was posed with a sensitive question looming over the Democratic ticket. Everyone who sees her on the job, Harris said, “walks away fully aware of my capacity to lead.”
The statement made during an interview with The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday preceded by two days the release of a special counsel report on Biden’s management of classified documents, which heightened worries about the mental sharpness of the 81-year-old incumbent. The report noted Biden’s “diminished faculties” in interviews, labeling him an “elderly man with a poor memory.”
These findings have increased the scrutiny on Harris, who is the first woman and Black vice president. Her time in office has been characterized by critiques of her political abilities. What was previously murmured speculation about whether Harris could assume the presidency is now becoming more openly discussed, according to WSJ.
An ABC News/Ipsos poll conducted after the release of the special counsel’s report revealed that a significant 86 percent of Americans believe Biden is too old to hold office. Simultaneously, over half, or 59 percent, of respondents think that both Biden and Trump are too old.
Vice President’s strong stance amid questions about Biden’s health
The vice president has previously expressed readiness to assume the presidency “if necessary.” However, she has downplayed concerns about Biden’s fitness for the role of commander in chief, The Hill reported. Just last month, she criticized Republicans for their focus on this issue, stating that “they have nothing to run on.”
“I’ve been in the Oval Office where heads of various countries — allies — have called literally to ask Joe Biden for his advice,” she said.
In recent months, Harris has taken on increasingly prominent and public roles within the administration, WSJ’s report said. She has assumed the role of the administration’s primary advocate for abortion rights, been tasked with overseeing the newly established White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, and has played a more visible role in addressing the war in Gaza.
Harris has actively participated alongside Biden in discussions with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and delivered a passionate speech in Dubai regarding the Gaza conflict. She has advocated for the administration to demonstrate greater empathy for Palestinians and to prioritize planning for post-conflict Gaza.
