‘Firmly In The Realm of Fantasy’: Politico Reporting Pours Cold Water All Over Kamala Harris Replacing Biden Atop Ticket
AP Photo/Evan Vucci
Politico’s Playbook on Wednesday morning documented what it called a “vibe shift” in the direction of Vice President Kamala Harris as calls for President Joe Biden to step aside continue to mount following last Thursday’s debate. The Playbook, considered a must-read for DC insiders, wasn’t all positive however when it came to Harris running atop the Democratic ticket in November.
The newsletter led off declaring, “HARRIS RISING — When VP KAMALA HARRIS’ staff held their usual Monday staff meeting this week, chief of staff LORRAINE VOLES kicked it off with a clear message: ‘We are following our leader,’ she said, according to people present.”
The report noted that Harris has publicly supported Biden and was a key booster in the media following his botched debate with Trump. “And yet: For the first time in years, Harris seems to be having a genuine moment — fueled by speculation that she, not Biden, would be the more competitive nominee” added Politico, both highlighting the moment and Harris’s long struggle to gain positive media attention.
The Playbook went on to note that former Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH) solidly through his support behind Harris in an op-ed earlier in the week, arguing she had the right energy to bring voters back to the party and win key voting blocks. Politico added, however, that:
What’s clear is that the strange new respect developed without any nudge from Harris herself, who at every turn since Thursday’s debate has defended Biden and batted away questions about a bow-out. “Look, Joe Biden is our nominee,” she said yesterday. “We beat Trump once, and we’re gonna beat him, period.”
This much remains true: Biden at this moment appears unlikely to change course. Harris has weak approval and favorability ratings compared to other possible alternatives. Nearly everyone we spoke to believes a Harris-led ticket remains firmly in the realm of fantasy.
Hours after the Playbook landed in readers’ inboxes, the New York Times reported that Biden had told a key ally his campaign may not be salvageable — leading to increased speculation he would pass the torch to Harris or another Democrat. The Drudge Report quickly ran the headline, “It’s Her Party Now,” and began speculating who Harris might choose as her VP.
Read the full Playbook here.
