Kamala Harris encourages crowd to applaud Biden in awkward first remarks on president’s retirement: ‘You may clap’
WASHINGTON — Vice President Kamala Harris awkwardly encouraged a crowd to clap for President Biden on Monday in her first public appearance since he ended his candidacy for a second term Sunday and endorsed Harris to replace him.
“Joe Biden’s legacy of accomplishment over the past three years is unmatched in modern history. In one term, he has already …,” Harris said in a speech on the White House South Lawn, before stopping mid-sentence to add, “Yes, you may clap.”
Harris delivered her trademark laugh — often described by detractors as a cackle — while pausing at the event honoring the men’s and women’s NCAA championship teams.
The vice president spoke to the teams in Biden’s absence as he recovers from COVID-19 at his Delaware vacation home, from which he tweeted Sunday afternoon that he would retire and back Harris for the Democratic nomination.
“Our president, Joe Biden, wanted to be here today. He is feeling much better and recovering fast, and he looks forward to getting back on the road,” Harris, 59, told the student athletes — before launching into a political eulogy for her boss.
“In one term, he has already surpassed the legacy of most presidents who have served two terms in office,” she said.
“I first came to know President Biden through his son Beau. We worked together as attorneys general in our states, and back then, Beau would often tell me stories about his dad. He would talk about the kind of father and the kind of man that Joe Biden is. The qualities that Beau revered in his father are the same qualities that I have seen every day in our president: his honesty, his integrity, his commitment to his faith and his family, his big heart and his love, deep love of our country.”
Harris added: “I am firsthand witness that every day our president, Joe Biden, fights for the American people and we are deeply, deeply grateful for his service to our nation.”
Many fellow Democrats rallied around Harris shortly after Biden endorsed her, but some party leaders did not immediately bless her as the would-be nominee against former President Donald Trump — including former President Barack Obama and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).
Harris faces an early test of support in early August when Democrats are set to electronically vote for the party’s nominee to meet an Aug. 7 Ohio ballot access deadline. Voting could be reopened at the Aug. 19-22 Democratic convention in Chicago if opposition to Harris grows.
