President Joe Biden said Tuesday that Vice President Kamala Harris “could be president of the United States” while addressing the NAACP’s annual convention — as fellow Democrats try to convince him to step aside ahead of the Nov. 5 election.
“She’s not only a great vice president, she could be president of the United States,” the 81-year-old president said of Harris, 59, who would be best-positioned to replace him if he decides to retire.
Biden gave no indication, however, that he would do so — telling the crowd that he had a plan for the first 100 days of a second term including signing voting-rights legislation “come hell or high water.”
The incumbent repeatedly attacked Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump in his remarks — despite calling on Americans to “lower the temperature” of the campaign in a rare Oval Office address Sunday, after Trump, 78, was wounded Saturday in an assassination attempt.
“Donald Trump’s presidency was hell for black America,” Biden exclaimed at one point.
“What the hell’s the matter with this man?” Biden said at another point, recounting how the National Guard responded to protests and riots in 2020 following the murder of George Floyd.
Trump is “lying like hell” about their respective black unemployment records, the president also said.
Democrats plan to nominate Biden virtually as early as this month — ahead of the Aug. 19-22 Democratic convention — though congressional dissenters are expected to mount a fresh push to convince the oldest-ever sitting president to stand down following his disastrous June 27 debate performance.
So far, 20 House Democrats and one Democratic senator have asked Biden to do so.
This is a developing story. Please check back for more updates.
