Vice President Kamala Harris shied away from giving a firm answer on whether Joe Biden would run for reelection in 2024, instead telling supporters to “listen” to him and assuring them that “if he does” run for reelection, she will be on the ticket.
Harris made the statements on CBS’s “Face the Nation” on Sunday in an interview that has only accrued around 38,000 views on YouTube. She was asked about the ongoing speculation among Washington insiders suggesting Biden may not run for reelection, which notably comes from both sides of the political aisle.
“Listen to President Biden,” Harris said in response. “He intends to run, and if he does I intend to run with him. So there you go.”
Harris also said that Republicans should propose a “pathway for citizenship” – otherwise known as amnesty – to confront the illegal immigration crisis that she is meant to be addressing.
“I would suggest that so called leaders focus on solutions instead of attacks,” said Harris. “That includes on the issue of immigration passing a pathway for citizenship.”
Kamala Harris says Republicans should offer a "path for citizenship" to solve the immigration crisis pic.twitter.com/awHRhaTeJ1
— Valiant News (@ValiantNewsLive) July 12, 2022
Democrats are increasingly at odds with Biden on the issue of his reelection. The New York Times noted in a recent headline that the 79-year-old president is “testing the boundaries of age and the presidency.” In another, the paper declared that “Democrats want 2024 options” according to a recent poll.
New York Magazine may have been more succinct in its headline: “Are Democrats stuck with Joe Biden in 2024?”
When Biden seeks allies after the 2022 midterm elections this November, he may find similar sentiment inside the ranks of his party’s elected officials, if existing evidence is any indication.
During an appearance on CNN last month, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez refused to endorse Biden in 2024, instead laughing at the prospect and suggesting that Democrats should focus on the upcoming midterm elections first.
“I think we should endorse when we get to it, but I believe that the president has been doing a very good job so far,” Ocasio-Cortez replied. “Should he run again, I think it’s — we’ll take a look at it.”
AOC on Biden’s in '24: "You know, if the president chooses to run again, I mean, first of all, I’m focused on winning this majority right now … We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it … that’s something we’re all certainly willing to entertain and examine when the time comes" pic.twitter.com/FPCDeEhwzo
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) June 12, 2022
Biden’s approval ratings remain deeply underwater across the country as voters struggle under a sagging economy characterized by extreme inflation.
A recent poll found him underwater with voters in 48 out of 50 states, with his approval rating only positive in Vermont and Hawaii. Still, Biden failed to crack 50% of support in those two states.
Meanwhile, even Republican critics of President Donald Trump admit that he still captivates the conservative base.
A recent panel on NBC’s “Meet The Press” said that longtime Republican enemies of Trump have come to terms with the fact that there is nothing short of “death” that could stop the 45th president’s political return within his own party.
“Look. We have no plan for this except sitting around and hoping [Trump] dies,” said National Review’s Rich Lowry.
