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The US has an awkward Kamala Harris challenge
Biden’s advanced age means his running mate in the 2024 election needs to be made ready for the presidency
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Assigning the blame for Ms Kamala Harris’ languishing profile is an exercise in futility.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Edward Luce
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Here is a counterfactual: If Ms Gina Raimondo were United States vice-president, rather than Commerce Secretary, would Democrats be so accepting of Mr Joe Biden’s decision to run again? My guess is almost certainly not. Since it is Ms Kamala Harris, not the highly regarded Ms Raimondo, who is next in line, almost no Democrat is pressing for Mr Biden to step aside. Fairly or not, few think Ms Harris could beat Donald Trump. As a result, Democrats and much of the “mainstream” media are working off an invisible memo that tells them to avoid talking about Mr Biden’s age.
This cannot last. Forget Republicans and independents: A majority of Democratic voters think Mr Biden, who will turn 81 in November, should not run for a second term. That means the vice-president will be an unusually big factor next year. To those who say a running mate’s popularity never alters US election outcomes, there are two responses. First, history is a useless guide. It has twice told us that Trump could not be the Republican nominee. That looks on course to being twice disproved.
