Harris tries to hold the line for Biden as Democrats panic over election

WASHINGTON (AP) — By the time Vice President Kamala Harris stepped into her third fundraiser since President Joe Biden’s disastrous debate last week, she had her routine down.

Yes, she conceded to a few dozen donors in San Francisco, the president’s performance was “not his finest hour.” However, she said, “the outcome of this election cannot be determined by one day in June.”

It’s not the kind of rhetorical two-step that any running mate would want to be practicing just over four months before the election, but Harris has little choice. She’s trying to help Biden stave off a death spiral in their campaign for a second term after the 81-year-old president’s faltering debate appearance magnified concerns about his ability to beat Donald Trump and serve another four years.

The moment could hardly be more delicate for the 59-year-old Harris, who is the first woman, Black person and person of South Asian descent to serve as vice president. Although some Democrats have pointed to her as a logical successor if Biden steps aside, others are drawing up wish lists of potential replacements that don’t include her on the ticket at all.

Depending on how the coming days and weeks unfold, her work on Biden’s behalf could lead to a political dead end, or secure her future within the party by providing fresh opportunities to prove her doubters wrong.

<bsp-list-loadmore data-module="" class=«PageListStandardB» data-gtm-region=«RELATED COVERAGE» data-gtm-topic=«No Value» data-show-loadmore=«true» data-gtm-modulestyle=«List B»> <bsp-custom-headline custom-headline=«div»> RELATED COVERAGE </bsp-custom-headline> <bsp-custom-headline custom-headline=«div»> Trump revels in legal and political wins while Biden’s campaign reels from their