Kamala Harris has revealed she is "ready" to take over as President of the United States, should the current POTUS Joe Biden become unable to fulfill the role.
Harris, 58, made history by becoming the first female vice president, as well as the highest-ranking female official in US history, and the first African-American and first Asian-American vice president, having taken office in January 2021.
She and Biden had won the 2020 presidential election, with Biden previously having served as vice president himself under Barack Obama's leadership.
However, some critics have raised concerns about 80-year-old Biden's age potentially meaning he may need to step down from the role in the future, particularly given that he is running for a second term which would mean he would be 86 upon leaving office.
Harris has addressed the question, revealing that she believes she is ready to step into the presidency should Biden need to give it up.
Kamala Harris believes she is ready to step in for Joe Biden as President should the need arise. Credit: Win McNamee/Getty Images
During a trip to Jakarta, Indonesia, Harris first deflected a question about Biden's age by highlighting his legislative accomplishments before she was questioned on "how [she] would step in the role if necessary", and whether she felt "prepared" to take on the job after having served as vice president.
She told Associated Press reporter Chris Megerian, as reported by the New York Post: "Yes," but added: "Well, first of all, let’s - I’m answering your hypothetical, but Joe Biden is going to be fine. So that is not going to come to fruition.
"But let us also understand that every vice president - every vice president - understands that when they take the oath, that they must be very clear about the responsibility they may have to take over the job of being president. I am no different."
Joe Biden is running for a second term in office, meaning he would be 86 by the time it comes to an end. Credit: Win McNamee/Getty Images
Biden is the oldest-ever President of the United States and will turn 81 in November.
Eight of the 45 men who have served as President died while they were in office, with four being assassinated and four dying of natural causes.
Biden had selected Harris as his running mate for the 2020 election despite the pair not always having seen eye to eye in the past over societal issues.
According to certain sources, the pair's relationship behind the scenes is reportedly not always smooth sailing either, with a former White House official claiming to Reuters in May: "A point of tension in their relationship is that I don’t think that the president sees her as somebody who takes anything off of his plate [due to a] fear of messing up."
Some sources have claimed things aren't always rosy behind the scenes. Credit: Drew Angerer/Getty Images
Author Chris Whipple added in his book The Fight of His Life, which was released in January, that Biden believes Harris is a "work in progress."
He added that Biden reportedly vented to a friend that Harris's husband, Douglas Emhoff, had reportedly complained about tasks that were assigned to her, claiming: "Biden was annoyed. He hadn’t asked Harris to do anything he hadn’t done as vice president - and she’d begged him for the voting rights assignment."
while Biden is set to run for a second term, he is set to face former president Donald Trump who is also vying for the 2024 election, however, key court dates have been set after his arrest which mean his presidential campaign could get derailed.
On Sunday, July 21, Joe Biden, 81, announced he would not seek reelection. Reflecting on his time in office, Biden called his presidency the "greatest honor" of his life.
"And while it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term," Biden said.
With election day only a few months away, Biden has thrown his support behind Kamala Harris as the Democratic presidential nominee.
In a statement on X, Biden tweeted: "My fellow Democrats, I have decided not to accept the nomination and to focus all my energies on my duties as President for the remainder of my term."
He continued: "My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President. And it’s been the best decision I’ve made. Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year. Democrats — it’s time to come together and beat Trump. Let’s do this."
Biden has endorsed his Vice President. Credit: Kevin Dietsch/Getty
If Harris is nominated and wins the election, she would become the first female president in U.S. history.
In a candid interview with The New York Post on Monday, Donald Trump sharply criticized Harris.
“There are two words to describe Kamala Harris: vicious and dumb. It’s a bad combination,” the 78-year-old Republican presidential nominee remarked.
Trump's campaign has consistently targeted Harris. In their first ad after Biden chose her as his running mate in August 2020, they branded her a “phony.”
More recently, Trump has referred to her as “Laffin’ Kamala” due to her frequent laughter at public events.
Trump clearly isn't a fan of Harris. Credit: Brandon Bell/Getty
In response to Trump’s latest remarks, Biden campaign spokesman Ammar Moussa reiterated a previously released statement, saying: “Vice President Kamala Harris has held criminals accountable her entire career — and Donald Trump will be no different.
"Vice President Harris has dedicated her career to making life better for working people — while Trump only cares about himself. That’s the contrast the American people will see over the next 106 days.”
It's certainly going to be an interesting campaign for both candidates!
President Joe Biden has officially endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to become the Democrat nominee in the lead up to the 2024 Presidential Election.
Joe Biden has endorsed VP Kamala Harris. Credit: Samuel Corum / Getty
On Sunday (July 21), 81-year-old Biden officially announced that he is not seeking reelection in the upcoming election.
Stepping aside in the race for the Oval Office, Biden said that his tenure as president has being the "greatest honor" of his life.
"And while it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term," Biden said.
Now, as the nation enters uncharted territory just a few months away from election day, Biden has voiced his support in Vice President Kamala Harris to be named the presidential nominee for the Democrat party.
In a statement to X, Biden tweeted: "My fellow Democrats, I have decided not to accept the nomination and to focus all my energies on my duties as President for the remainder of my term."
He continued: "My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President. And it’s been the best decision I’ve made.
"Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year. Democrats — it’s time to come together and beat Trump. Let’s do this."
Of course, if Harris is nominated and she successfully beats Trump in the election, she would become the first woman president in the nation's history.
Biden's endorsement actually comes just one day after Harris, 59, took to social media to voice her belief in the POTUS in the lead up to the election.
"As Vice President, I see @JoeBiden when the cameras are on and when the cameras are off—in the Oval Office, in the Situation Room, and on the campaign trail," Harris tweeted. "Joe Biden is a leader who fights for the American people."
Her comments came as criticism for Biden has continued to grow ever since his performance in the presidential debate against Trump last month.
Trump, 78, has also shared his reaction to Biden standing down in the race.
Donald Trump has officially accepted the Republican presidential nomination. Credit: Leon Neal/Getty
Taking to his social media platform Truth Social to share his response, Trump wrote: "Crooked Joe Biden was not fit to run for President, and is certainly not fit to serve - And never was! He only attained the position of President by lies, Fake News, and not leaving his Basement.
"All those around him, including his Doctor and the Media, knew that he wasn’t capable of being President, and he wasn’t - And now, look what he’s done to our Country, with millions of people coming across our Border, totally unchecked and unvetted, many from prisons, mental institutions, and record numbers of terrorists.
"We will suffer greatly because of his presidency, but we will remedy the damage he has done very quickly. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!"
A video of Joe Biden from 2020 has resurfaced on social media following his announcement that he will be stepping aside in the upcoming US presidential election.
On Sunday (July 21), the 81-year-old POTUS took to his social media channels to share a statement explaining how he will not be seeking reelection for another four-year team in office.
Credit: Kevin Dietsch / Getty
Biden described his tenure in the White House as the "greatest honor" of his life, but ultimately explained: "While it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term."
Due to the historic gravity of the announcement and the repercussions it has had on the upcoming election, it is no surprise that social media was abuzz with reactions, predictions, and - everybody's favorite - conspiracy theories.
Credit: Kyle Mazza/Anadolu via Getty Images
One particular video that has been widely shared on X (formerly Twitter), comes from 2020 and shows Biden seemingly "predicting" his resignation from the Oval Office.
Per USA Today, the video comes from a December 3, 2020, interview with CNN, and shows then-president-elect Biden and Kamala Harris discussing what would happen if they had any philosophical differences when it comes to government.
Despite maintaining that he and Harris were politically aligned, Biden does quip about a potential action he could take, saying: "If I reach something where there's a fundamental disagreement we have based on a moral principle, I will develop some disease and say I have to resign."
And following Biden's announcement on Sunday, the second part of that sentence - "I will develop some disease and say I have to resign" - has certainly ruffled some feathers, with some social media users convinced that this has been "the plan all along".
Of course, Biden's withdrawal from the election comes just days after it was announced that he had tested positive for Covid.
Considering how recent events have seemingly mirrored Biden's comments from 2020, people have had a lot to say online.
One X user wrote: "Joe Biden was asked how his career would end before he was even sworn into office," before adding: "This has always been the plan".
Another added: "Biden told us what was going to happen a while ago."
A third tweeted alongside the video: "Joe Biden reveals how he will hand the Presidency over to Kamala Harris before he was sworn into office."
"Remember when Joe Biden was asked how his career would end before he was even sworn into office," a fourth writes. "This was the plan from the start."
Despite people's reactions to Biden's four-year-old remark, Kamala Harris has since thanked Biden for his endorsement and shared her intention "to earn and win this nomination."
Yesterday (Saturday, November 7), news and media outlets across the US officially projected* Joe Biden to become the next president of the United States.
With this news, Biden's running mate, Kamala Harris, became the projected vice president-elect (and she's already updated her Twitter profile).
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And when sworn in as the vice president of the US, Harris - who is of Indian and Jamaican heritage - will become the first woman, the first Black person, and the first Asian American to elected into the office.
Watch an elated Harris call Joe Biden to congratulate him on their projected victory:
Last night, Harris addressed the nation alongside Biden for the first time since their projected win, in which she told the elated crowd in Wilmington, Delaware: "We have elected a president who represents the best in us."
Harris also paid her respects to the women who struggled for the right to vote and "the Black women who are often, too often overlooked but so often proved they are the backbone of our democracy".
The full transcript of Harris' speech can be seen below:
"Good evening! Good evening. Good evening. Good evening. Thank you, thank you. Good evening. So, thank you, good evening. So, Congressman John Lewis - Congressman John Lewis before his passing wrote 'Democracy is not a state, it is an act'. And what he meant was that America's democracy is not guaranteed.
"It is only as strong as our willingness to fight for it. To guard it and never take it for granted. And protecting our democracy takes struggle. It takes sacrifice. But there is joy in it.
"And there is progress. Because we, the people, have the power to build a better future.
"And when our very democracy was on the ballot in this election with the very soul of America at stake and the world watching, you ushered in a new day for America. To our campaign staff and volunteers, this extraordinary team, thank you for bringing more people than ever before into the democratic process.
"And so making this victory possible. To the poll workers and election officials across our country who have worked tirelessly to make sure every vote is counted, our nation owes you a debt of gratitude.
"You have protected the integrity of our democracy. And to the American people who make up our beautiful country, thank you for turning out in record numbers to make your voices heard. And I know times have been challenging, especially the last several months.
"The grief, sorrow, and pain, the worries and the struggles, but we have also witnessed your courage, your resilience and the generosity of your spirit. For four years, you marched and organized for equality and justice, for our lives and for our planet and then you voted!
"And you delivered a clear message. You chose hope and unity, decency, science, and yes, truth! You chose Joe Biden as the next president of the United States of America!
"And Joe is a healer, a uniter, a tested and steady hand. A person whose own experience of loss gives him a sense of purpose that will help us as a nation reclaim our own sense of purpose. And a man with a big heart who loves with abandon. It's his love for Jill, who will be an incredible first lady.
"It's his love for Hunter and Ashley and his grandchildren and the entire Biden family. And while I first knew Joe as vice president, I really got to know him as the father who loved Beau, my dear friend who we remember here today.
"And to my husband Doug and our children Cole and Ella and my sister Maya and our whole family.
"I love y'all more than I can ever express. We are so grateful to Joe and Jill for welcoming our family into theirs on this incredible journey. And to the woman most responsible for my presence here today, my mother, Shyamala Gopalan Harris, who is always in our hearts. When she came here from India at the age of 19, she maybe didn't quite imagine this moment.
"But she believed so deeply in an America where a moment like this is possible, and so I am thinking about her and about the generations of women, Black women, Asian, white, Latina, native American women, who throughout our nation’s history, have paved the way for this moment tonight.
"Women who fought and sacrificed so much for equality and liberty and justice for all. Including the Black women who are often, too often overlooked but so often proved they are the backbone of our democracy.
"All the women who have worked to secure and protect the right to vote for over a century. One hundred years ago with the 19th Amendment. Fifty-five years ago with the Voting Rights Act and now in 2020 with a new generation of women in our country who cast their ballots and continued the fight for their fundamental right to vote and be heard.
"Tonight I reflect on their struggle, their determination and the strength of their vision to see what can be unburdened by what has been. And I stand on their shoulders. And what a testament it is to Joe's character that he had the audacity to break one of the most substantial barriers that exists in our country and select a woman as his vice president.
"But while I may be the first woman in this office, I will not be the last. Because every little girl watching tonight sees that this is a country of possibilities and to the children of our country regardless of your gender, our country has sent you a clear message: dream with ambition, lead with conviction and see yourselves in a way that others may not simply because they've never seen it before.
"But know that we will applaud you every step of the way. And to the American people, no matter who you voted for, I will strive to be a vice president like Joe was to President Obama, loyal, honest, and prepared, waking up every day thinking of you and your family, because now is when the real work begins, the hard work, the necessary work, the good work, the essential work to save lives and beat this epidemic.
"To rebuild our economy so it works for working people, to root out systemic racism in our justice system and society. To combat the climate crisis, to unite our country and heal the soul of our nation. And the road ahead will not be easy. But America is ready. And so are Joe and I.
"We have elected a president who represents the best in us, a leader the world will respect and our children will look up to. A commander in chief who will respect our troops and keep our country safe and a president for all Americans.
"And it is now my great honor to introduce the president-elect of the United States of America, Joe Biden!"
Biden, 77, will also make history when he is sworn into the White House - becoming the oldest president in the nation's history. The record was previously held by Donald Trump, who is currently 74.
[[imagecaption|| Credit: PA Images]]
*Biden has also been declared the projected winner of the election by NBC, CNN, BBC News, and many others.
It is important to note that it is common for media agencies to reveal their election projections based on voting analysis and counted ballots.
Click HERE to read why the Associated Press called Biden for Pennsylvania, and therefore, the election.
Kamala Harris will today make history as "acting president" as incumbent President Joe Biden briefly transfers power to the vice president so that he can undergo a "routine colonoscopy".
As reported by the Seattle Times, the White House has confirmed that Biden, 78, will have the procedure at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Friday, November 19, during which time Vice President Kamala Harris will act as president.
The outlet reports that Biden drove this morning to the medical center, which is situated in the Washinton suburbs, for his first routine physical exam since he took office on January 20, 2021. He will be under general anesthesia during the procedure.
Credit: ZUMA Press, Inc. / Alamy
Press secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement:
"This morning, the President will travel to Walter Reed Medical Center for a routine physical. While he is there, the President will undergo a routine colonoscopy.
"As was the case when President George W. Bush had the same procedure in 2002 and 2007, and following the process set out in the Constitution, President Biden will transfer power to the Vice President for the brief period of time when he is under anesthesia.
"The Vice President will work from her office in the West Wing during this time."
Per ABC News, Psaki went on to explain that later today, the White House will release a summary of the president's physical to the public.
Back in December 2019, Biden's campaign released a physical and medical report, declaring that he was a "healthy, vigorous, 77-year-old male, who is fit to successfully execute the duties of the presidency."
Since the time of his campaign, the ability of Biden, who is the oldest sitting president in US history, to run the country was called into question by critics.
Credit: SOPA Images Limited / Alamy
His predecessor, Donald Trump, also faced scrutiny for his age. He was 70 when he was sworn in as president on on January 20, 2017.
In the short time that Harris will be serving as acting president, she will make history as the first woman, person of color, and person of Black and South Asian descent to do so.
Once Biden is able to continue with his presidential duties after his procedure, Harris is expected to travel to Ohio.
Per The Independent, Psaki said that the White House will release an update on President Biden's health later on Friday.
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