Harris acknowledges Biden had a ‘slow start’ in debate and tries to calm Democratic fears

Jonathan J. Cooper, Associated Press

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris connected Friday dismissed nan “punditry” criticizing President Joe Biden’s halting and uneven statement performance, saying astatine a rally successful Las Vegas that “this title will not beryllium decided by 1 nighttime successful June.”

Speaking to an energetic crowd, Harris joined Biden’s push to quell Democratic worry by going connected nan onslaught against erstwhile President Donald Trump, nan presumptive Republican nominee. She framed nan predetermination arsenic a binary prime “between personification who lies and personification who leads.”
“In a existent leader, characteristic matters much than style,” Harris said. “And Donald Trump simply does not person nan characteristic to beryllium president of nan United States.”

As she acknowledged Biden’s uneven performance, Harris emphasized nan constituent of Trump’s remarks during nan 90-minute debate, including his refusal to condemn nan rioters who stormed nan Capitol connected Jan. 6, 2021, arsenic good arsenic his unwillingness to emphatically perpetrate to accepting nan results of this November’s election.

“Last nighttime clarified nan stakes of this election,” Harris said.

Her arena successful Las Vegas and her tv interviews aft Biden’s statement were evident efforts to calm Democratic panic. Hours earlier successful Raleigh, North Carolina, Biden appeared to admit nan disapproval of his performance, saying ”I don’t statement arsenic good arsenic I utilized to.”

Harris said for 11 minutes astatine a Las Vegas organization halfway astatine an arena geared toward Latino voters, a important voting bloc successful nan battleground authorities of Nevada.

A Biden run staffer followed a New York Times newsman arsenic he interviewed voters and unopen down interviews erstwhile they turned negative, nan newspaper reported. Nobody from nan run followed aliases interfered pinch an Associated Press newsman speaking to voters.

Harris said nan opposition betwixt Biden and Trump yet has to beryllium connected Biden’s capacity successful office, alternatively than successful 1 debate.

“I spot Joe Biden erstwhile nan cameras are connected and erstwhile nan cameras are off,” Harris said. “I successful nan Oval Office negotiating bipartisan deals. I spot him successful nan Situation Room keeping our state safe. On nan world stage, gathering pinch world leaders who often inquire for his advice.”

Polls from CNN and 538/Ipsos conducted soon aft nan statement recovered that astir debate-watchers thought Trump outperformed Biden. But nan 2 men’s favorability ratings remained mostly unchanged, conscionable arsenic they did successful nan aftermath of Trump’s conviction.

Harris gave interviews Thursday nighttime connected CNN and MSNBC amid contiguous Democratic panic complete Biden’s performance, which fueled longstanding questions astir whether nan 81-year-old president should measurement aside.

“It was a slow start. That’s evident to everyone. I’m not going to statement that point,” Harris said successful an question and reply connected CNN pursuing nan debate. “I’m talking astir nan prime for November. I’m talking astir 1 of nan astir important elections successful our corporate lifetime.”

Before Harris arrived successful Las Vegas, a group of women waiting to get wrong agreed that Biden’s statement capacity was lacking but believed he could recover.

“We had faux pas connected either side, but Biden-Harris is intelligibly nan measurement to go,” Tina Allen-Major, 50, a Las Vegas electrician said arsenic a Mariachi set played nearby. “We person to proceed to protect our democracy, we person to activity for what’s champion for our future.”

Biden wasn’t nan first incumbent president to stumble successful their first debate, and a “slow start” is nary logic to formed him aside, said Sharon Tillis, 71, of Henderson, Nevada, a information collector for authorities policymakers.

“When you’re pinch someone, you guidelines pinch them solidly,” Tillis said.

Former President Barack Obama and Trump some received debased marks for their first debates successful 2012 and 2020, erstwhile they were moving arsenic incumbents. Neither candidate’s capacity led to nan type of panic that Biden’s capacity triggered among immoderate Democrats.

Brandon Colbert, a 42-year-old Teamsters normal worker successful Las Vegas, said Biden’s capacity was “concerning” but he believes Biden tin do nan occupation and doesn’t deliberation it’s realistic to talk astir replacing Biden arsenic nan Democratic nominee.

“Who’s going to measurement successful astatine this point?” Colbert said. “I mean, nan train is running. We sewage who we got. This is what we’re going with. I still prime him complete Trump.”
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Associated Press writer Seung Min Kim reported from Washington.