Sen. Chris Coons, a close ally of President Joe Biden, has said that Vice President Kamala Harris is “ready to be president.” Coons, a Democrat from Delaware, made the comments during an interview with CNN on Sunday.
“I think she’s ready to be president,” Coons said. “She’s been a great partner to the president, and she’s been a great vice president. She’s been a strong advocate for the American people, and she’s been a strong leader.”
“The vice president, like many vice presidents, has struggled to get positive press coverage and to get the credit she deserves for the hard work that she’s been doing,” Coons said.
“I had a great opportunity to travel with her on a recent trip to Ghana and was so struck by how easy and engaging she was, by the speeches she gave, but also the significant meetings with national leaders,” he added. “And I saw that this week again as we did a campaign kickoff event.”
Coons’ comments come as Harris faces increasing scrutiny from both Democrats and Republicans. Some Democrats have expressed concerns about Harris’ performance as vice president, while Republicans have been critical of her handling of the border crisis.
Despite the criticism, Coons said that he believes Harris is up to the job of president. “I think she’s got the experience, she’s got the temperament, she’s got the judgment, and she’s got the heart to be president,” he said.
Much of the focus on Harris is tied to concerns, even among Democrats, about Biden’s age and fitness to serve a full eight years in office. Already the oldest person to be president at 80 and prone to gaffes, Biden would be 86 at the end of a second term.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas defended his boss during an appearance Sunday on NBC’s “Meet The Press” when moderator Chuck Todd asked if Biden is up for a second term.
“Oh, Chuck, 100% — incredibly sharp, incredibly probing, incredible command of the details, probing on the details, asking tough questions. Absolutely,” Majorkas said.
