“Face the Nation” host Margaret Brennan said she has been told by people within the Democratic Party following President Biden’s decision Sunday not to seek reelection that it would be “political suicide” to challenge Vice President Kamala Harris’ nomination.
Harris emerged as the front-runner to win the nomination after Biden announced he would not run for another four-year term in the White House.
Covering breaking news Sunday, Brennan, who was in studio with “CBS Evening News” anchor Norah O’Donnell and chief election correspondent Robert Costa, said there was a virtual agreement that “there will not be any head-to-head candidates.”
“But the question is, who will stand by her? [at the Democratic convention in Chicago on Aug. 19] “Will she be seeking the vice presidential nomination?” Brennan said on Sunday’s broadcast. Mediaite reported.
“That’s the focus.”
Brennan reported that he was told that “anyone who would challenge her would be committing political suicide.”
“She made her support clear minutes after Joe Biden announced he wasn’t seeking reelection, so it wasn’t all that important for her to try and take on him head-to-head,” Brennan said.
“That’s what we’re focusing on right now.”
Polls have shown Harris trailing in a hypothetical head-to-head matchup with Republican nominee former President Donald Trump.
CNN’s Jake Tapper reported Sunday that sources close to Sen. Joe Manchin (I-WV), who left the Democratic party and officially registered as an independent, is considering re-registering as a Democrat and “running for office.”
But Manchin said on “CBS Mornings” on Monday that he would not seek the nomination against Harris and called for a “mini-primary” to choose a candidate.
An update on President Biden’s decision to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race:
“I think a lot of people would like to have a mini-primary,” Manchin said.
“That’s the process. We’re going to see if there’s a front-runner, whether that’s Kamala or someone else.”
Manchin told “CBS Mornings” he believes Harris is “absolutely” too far to the left and “I’d love to see that change.”
The retiring West Virginia senator said he “basically represents the centrist side of this country,” adding that “without a sensible, moderate centrist, neither side can win.”
