Trump's team takes aim at Kamala Harris
Until now, little chances of a candidacy for the Democrats have been given to US Vice President Harris. After Biden's TV debacle, this is changing. Trump's team is already targeting the possible new rival.
In the debate about Joe Biden's suitability as the Democratic presidential candidate, the focus is increasingly shifting to his vice president Kamala Harris. While speculation about a possible switch in the Democrats was rampant on social media - on the online platform X, "Kamala" trended in the Politics category - Trump's campaign team went on the offensive against the Democrat.
"The Democrats are rallying behind Kamala Harris as it is no longer deniable that Joe Biden is unfit for the job," read an email from the Republican side. Trump's team painted a picture of a politician from the Democratic stronghold of California and listed what spoke against a Harris presidency. The debate was particularly heated on X. Numerous contributions focused on the so-called "K-Hive" (approximately: K-Beehive), a partly ironic nickname for Harris' supporters.
Besides speculation about the current situation, numerous Internet memes were also shared. On the website PredictIt, where political events like the nomination of a US presidential candidate can be bet on, Harris overtook Biden on a Wednesday evening in German time. Only a few days ago, her chances of a candidacy there were hardly recognized.
Some Democrats cautiously campaign for Harris
Since his disappointing performance in the TV duel against Trump, the most powerful Democrats have largely held back from public criticism of Biden. However, there are rumors of a withdrawal request in the ranks of the party. The first serving Democrat in Congress to speak out was Representative Lloyd Doggett on Tuesday. Previously, former Representative Tim Ryan had published an opinion piece in "Newsweek" with the title: "Kamala Harris should be the Democratic presidential candidate in 2024." Democratic Representative Jim Clyburn took a more cautious stance. He backed Biden but also said he would support Harris if Biden withdrew.
The White House continued to maintain that Biden would not withdraw from the race and dismissed media reports of withdrawal intentions by the US President decisively. Spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre answered a question about Harris' future role only with the statement that she would not comment on hypothetical scenarios.
- Trump's campaign team has identified Kamala Harris as a potential new rival in Biden's position as the Democratic presidential candidate, following her increasing focus in the debate about Biden's suitability.
- Despite Biden's TV debacle, Vice President Harris's visor became a topic of discussion on the online platform X, with "Kamala" trending in the Politics category, suggesting a possible switch in the Democrats.
- In response to the growing speculation, Trump's team criticized Harris, citing her political background from California and painting a negative picture of a Harris presidency, particularly on X, where the "K-Hive" was the subject of numerous contributions.
- Amidst these developments, some Democrats have started cautiously campaigning for Harris as the Democratic presidential candidate in 2024, with Representative Jim Clyburn expressing support for her, should Biden withdraw from the race.
