Jen Psaki Floats Kamala Harris as Best Biden ‘Alternative,’ Claims She Struggles Because ‘We Live In a Country That Is Sexist and Racist’
Screenshot via Pod Save America
Jen Psaki argued Vice President Kamala Harris is clearly the best “alternative” to replace President Joe Biden at the top of the Democratic Party ticket — should he step down — and she questioned why more Democrats are not discussing her as such.
Psaki joined former Barack Obama aide Jon Lovett on Pod Save America this week to discuss the current debate surrounding her former boss Biden as some within his own party call for him to step down after last month’s CNN debate and subsequent interviews that have earned backlash and stoked concerns about his health.
Former White House Press Secretary Psaki said Democrats should be most concerned about down ballot races in the fall and how the top of the Democratic ticket will affect those races. When breaking down names floated as Biden “alternatives,” Psaki made a passionate case for Harris.
“There is a question out there that, again, I think campaigns are talking about, about the alternative and the alternative is very clearly in my view — there’s a lot of really amazing Democrats on the bench, but because of the timeline and everything, I think it is clearly Kamala Harris,” she said.
Psaki questioned why the conversation hasn’t immediately turned to Harris, saying some Democrats are not “comfortable” with her.
“I don’t why there hasn’t been kind of an overwhelming ‘Kamala would be a great president and she would be a fierce, amazing campaigner,’ right? But that’s not typically the message. I’m observing what people are saying. It’s typically ‘don’t take it away from Kamala Harris if it’s open, that would be unfair,'” she said.
Lovett offered some praise for Harris as well, but argued her prosecutor past has created problems with some in the party and “goofy clips” have helped critics make a “caricature” of her that has “over torqued opinion about her political skills.”
Psaki called Harris a “fierce communicator” and praised her post-debate interviews. She added the vice president is “very strong” on abortion rights, an issue the MSNBC host believes could be an issue the election is won or lost on.
Psaki argued Harris may struggle to win over some of the public because “we live in a sexist and racist country.”
“It’s almost like public opinion hasn’t caught up with what she is doing out there and also we live in a country that is sexist and racist so there is that,” she said. “Not everybody at all, but there is a level of it that does impact elections.”
Watch above via Pod Save America.
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