‘Biden Is Alive and Running for Reelection,’ Insists Kamala Harris as She Refuses To Say She’ll Take Over if He’s Incapacitated

William FurneyNov 1, 2023

Minute Read

Fears concerning President Biden’s age and apparent frailty are unfounded and the 80-year-old is indeed running for a second term at the White House, says his deputy.

Would Harris Step In?

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Asked in an interview on CBS‘ “60 Minutes” if she would take over should the president become incapacitated, either during a run in next year’s presidential race or while in office, Kamala Harris refused to directly answer.

‘Not Engaging’

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The 59-year-old Democrat told 60 Minutes reporter Bill Whitaker: “Well, first of all, I’m not gonna engage in that hypothetical because Joe Biden is very much alive and running for reelection. So there we are.”

‘Democracy on the Line’

The vice president suggested it was a perilous time in US politics and that she was focused on her work. “I hear from a lot of different people a lot of different things. But let me just tell you, I’m focused on the job. I truly am. Our democracy is on the line,” she said.

Getting Serious

Harris was candid, and even blunt, with the reporter, saying she had no time for games when there was serious work to do for the country. “And I frankly, in my head, do not have time for parlor games when we have a president who is running for reelection. That’s it,” she blasted.

Close 2024 Race, Say Polls

National polling suggests a potentially tight race should Biden and Republican frontrunner Donald Trump receive their parties’ nominations, with both men around equal, at just under 50 percent of voter support each.

Confident of 2024 Win

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Harris also said on “60 Minutes” that she was confident of victory for a Biden-Harris ticket.

“What I will say is this: When the American people are able to take a close look at election time on their options, I think the choice is gonna be clear. Bill, we’re gonna win. Let me just tell you that. We’re gonna win. And I’m not saying it’s gonna be easy. But we will win.”

Concerns Over Trump Age Too

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Trump, at 77, is only a few years younger than Biden but more people have been concerned about the latter in recent months due to a series of stumbles and tumbles while walking. Not to mention his speeches and press conferences, where he appeared incoherent and even confused.

Williamson Longshot

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Author Marianne Williamson is the only real challenger to Biden for the Democratic nomination but her chances are slim, according to an average of national polling that puts the 71-year-old at a mere 4.4 percent compared to Biden’s massive lead of 62.6 percent.

RFK Jr. Upset?

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The eventual presidential field has widened to include political scion Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who caused shock and outrage when he defected from the Democratic Party to run as an independent candidate in the 2024 race. He threatens to upset the contest and possibly usurp votes from Biden supporters, say analysts.

Promoting Her Interview

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Harris posted a clip of her “60 Minutes” interview on her X (formerly Twitter) account to her 19.8 million followers with the words: “We’re going to win in 2024. It’s going to take everyone participating in our democracy – but we will win.”

Angry Response

Harris’ X post drew scorn and anger, with one person, Danny C, saying: “Democrats are going to try steal not win 2024, like they did in 2020” – referencing the 2020 election Trump lost to Biden and the subsequent fallout that resulted in deadly rioting at the US Capitol and two indictments of Trump, in Georgia and at federal level.

‘Cheating’ and ‘Warring’

Another person on X merely said: “Only way they win is if they cheat.” Someone else, Pismo, suggested that the Middle East – where war is raging between Israel and Palestinian terror group Hamas – would be peaceful under Republicans but the opposite with a Democratic administration.

Biden and Trump Out?

Both Biden and Trump may end up not running at all in the 2024 presidential election. Biden is facing the possibility of impeachment, as House Republicans continue an investigation into the president over alleged bribery. Trump is battling a total of four indictments that carry 91 criminal charges. Courts in two states are hearing arguments this week that Trump should be struck off the 2024 ballot under the insurrection clause of the US Constitution, due to events following the 2020 election and rioting at the US Capitol.