Amid the ongoing fallout from Joe Biden’s debate performance, conversations in many key Democratic circles have already shifted to who Kamala Harris’s running mate would be.
That’s how certain a growing group of party officials, operatives and donors are that the president’s slow start to salvaging his campaign simply won’t work, with several close allies skeptical that he can live up to the reelection campaign he’s promised to run, based on CNN’s conversations with two dozen Democratic politicians and operatives.
Biden always says not to compare him to the almighty, but to the alternative. That’s exactly what a growing number of Democrats looking at Harris are doing.
For their part, the vice president and her team have deliberately ignored most of the calls and texts they have received, remaining insistently on message about their support for Biden and their pride in standing with him.
But Harris has already made some changes: Only after last week’s debate did her office update her schedule to put her with Biden for the July 4th picnic and fireworks. She skipped the picnic earlier, keeping with her own Independence Day tradition of making a stop at a local fire station. And after Democratic governors rejected the White House’s initial offer to have her speak to them instead of Biden, she was added to the meeting as well, and closed it with a speech calling for unity and standing with the president.
She’s keeping close to Biden — but Biden is also keeping her close.
Despite her efforts, Democratic politics has begun to reshape itself around her — as has former President Donald Trump’s campaign, which has already begun attacking Harris.
Several officials told CNN they have begun berating donors who complain they don’t think she can win, arguing that they need to stop and get on board with her. Other officials and advisers said plans are underway to convince Biden to immediately throw his support behind Harris, release his Democratic delegates and ask them to follow his pick. Former presidents and party leaders would follow suit, they believe, in hopes of avoiding a contentious fight to lead the Democratic ticket.
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