An intense conversation occurred on the evening of Thursday, June 27, 2024, between Vice President Kamala Harris and CNN’s Anderson Cooper. The discussion centered around President Joe Biden’s debate performance, which has led to increasing apprehension within the Democratic Party.
Many Democrats were left uneasy by the debate in Atlanta, Georgia, as they questioned Biden’s ability to lead the party in the forthcoming 2024 presidential election due to his hesitant and gruff performance.
During the interview, Cooper highlighted the dissatisfaction within the Democratic Party regarding Biden’s debate performance. He noted calls for Biden to consider stepping aside. Harris conceded to Biden’s slow start but was quick to highlight his robust finish and the clear policy differences he displayed when compared to former President Donald Trump.
“What we saw tonight is the president making a very clear contrast with Donald Trump on all of the issues that matter to the American people,” Harris stated. Cooper, however, pointed out the disappointment felt by many Biden supporters and the wider Democratic base. He cited comments by Democratic lawmakers who described the debate as a “disaster” and a “trainwreck.”
While defending Biden, Harris emphasized the importance of substance over style in the debate, adding, “People can debate on style points, but ultimately, this election and who the president of the United States is has to be about substance.” She continued her criticism of Trump, accusing him of dishonesty and condemning his positions on various issues such as the events of January 6, the election results, and abortion.
Despite Harris’s defense of Biden, Cooper continued to express his doubts, questioning whether the Biden onstage was the same man Harris interacts with daily. Harris, appearing frustrated, retorted, “I’m not going to spend all night with you talking about the last 90 minutes when I’ve been watching the last three-and-a-half years of performance.” This conversation underscored the tension surrounding the upcoming election.
Doubts about Biden’s ability to energize the party and effectively challenge Trump have been growing among leading Democrats following the debate performance. David Axelrod, a veteran Democratic strategist, observed, “Biden seemed a little disoriented at the start,” although he agreed that Biden improved as the debate proceeded.
A CNN flash poll conducted after the debate showed that 67% of viewers believed Trump had won, while 33% thought Biden had prevailed. This poll added to the increasing concern within the Democratic Party about Biden’s chances as the nominee.
In the concluding moments of the interview, when Cooper asked Harris about her concerns regarding Biden’s performance, she admitted, “It was a slow start; I’m not going to debate that. I’m talking about the choice in November. I’m talking about one of the most important elections in our collective lifetime.”