In a Wall Street Journal interview published Monday, US Vice President Kamala Harris stated that she was prepared to act as leader, as voter concerns about President Joe Biden’s age grow in an election year.
Harris, 59, has been under increasing scrutiny for her abilities as the first in line for the presidency if Democrat Joe Biden, 81, becomes incapacitated or steps down.
“I’m ready to serve. There’s no question about that,” Harris told the newspaper when asked if voters’ reservations about Biden’s age meant she needed to persuade them of her qualifications.
Everyone who sees her on the job “walks away fully aware of my capacity to lead,” said Harris, the United States’ first Black, South Asian, and female vice president.
The interview was conducted two days before a damning special counsel report depicted Biden as aging and forgetful.
Special counsel Robert Hur’s investigation of Biden’s handling of secret documents concluded that the president should not face charges but would come across to a jury as a “well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.”
The White House has reacted strongly to the news, pointing out that Hur interviewed Biden the day after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7.
Harris also came to Biden’s defense, describing the special counsel’s findings as “politically motivated.”
Harris has played an increasingly important role in Biden’s reelection campaign, focusing on issues such as abortion ahead of the November election, when he is set to face former President Donald Trump again.
Republicans have regularly criticized Harris, and surveys suggest the former California senator has dismal approval ratings, similar to Biden’s.