WASHINGTON – Outgoing President Biden declared Friday night that Vice President Kamala Harris is “competent” to become the Democratic presidential nominee in 2028, despite her landslide loss to President-elect Donald Trump in November. said there was a “chance” to win.
“I think she has the ability to run again in four years. That will be her decision,” Biden, 82, said just 10 days before leaving the White House.
The country's oldest-ever president initially ignored questions during an evening Q&A with reporters after defending his decision to seek re-election last year, but he resigned just 107 days before the election and Harris supported him as his successor.
Asked if he regretted running again and whether that made it easier for Trump to win a second non-consecutive term, Biden appeared to tout monthly job growth statistics. replied, “I don't think so.”
“I think I could have beaten Trump, I think I could have beaten him, and I think Kamala could have beaten Trump and I think she would have won,” Biden said, looking down, without offering any explanation for Harris, 60. He spoke without hesitation. Lose all 7 swing states.
“I thought it was important to unite the party,” Biden said of his decision to resign amid a revolt from Democrats concerned about his mental strength after a disastrous June debate. .
“When the party was worried about whether I would be able to move, I thought it would be better to unify the party, even if I thought I could win again,” Biden said.
“It was the greatest honor of my life to be president of the United States, but I didn't want to be the guy who let a party that wasn't unified lose an election. That's why I stepped aside, but when she won… I was sure.”
Harris received the fewest Electoral College votes of any Democratic candidate since Michael Dukakis in 1988 and is likely to face stiff competition for the nomination in 2028.
Harris had been scheduled to depart next week on a world tour to signal her readiness to continue her political career and tout her foreign policy accomplishments, but her home state of California continues to suffer deadly wildfires. I had to cancel my hectic trip due to this.
She was scheduled to stop in Singapore to discuss the administration's focus on Asia, then in Bahrain to discuss the Middle East, and finally in Germany to speak at length about NATO's response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Biden told reporters he plans to remain in the public eye after leaving office, unlike some of his predecessors, such as George W. Bush, who rarely speak publicly about modern politics. Ta.
“I’m not going to disappear out of sight or go crazy,” he said.
