In a recent statement before leaving office, President Joe Biden affirmed that Vice President Kamala Harris is “competent” to run for president in 2028. He insisted that despite her devastating loss to President Donald Trump in 2020, Harris “could have” defeated him, echoing a belief that she remains a viable candidate for the future.
At 82 years old, Biden, the oldest president in U.S. history, spoke candidly about his decision to step aside after initially running for re-election. During a Q&A session with reporters, Biden was asked whether he regretted running again, a decision many felt left the Democratic Party in disarray. His answer was clear: he didn’t regret it. Biden said, “I think I could have beaten Trump, and I think Kamala could have beaten Trump.” This sentiment came despite Harris’s disastrous performance in the 2020 election, where she lost all seven key battleground states.
Biden’s decision to back Harris as his successor was framed as an effort to “unify the party.” Facing growing concerns about his age and mental acuity from within his own party, Biden dropped out of the race just 107 days before the election. He made the difficult choice, he said, to ensure the party wouldn’t be divided, which could risk another defeat to Trump.
Harris, despite her underwhelming performance in 2020, is already looking toward 2028. She had planned a global tour to highlight the administration’s foreign policy achievements, including trips to Singapore, Bahrain, and Germany, though her plans were postponed due to devastating wildfires in California.
Despite her struggles, Harris remains a potential frontrunner for the 2028 nomination. However, with many questioning her leadership abilities, she is likely to face stiff competition from within her own party as Democrats look to reclaim the White House. Biden, for his part, intends to stay active in the public eye post-presidency, signaling that he won’t disappear from the political stage as some former leaders have.