Amid renewed concern about President Joe Biden's age and competency, Vice President Kamala Harris said she's ready to lead if necessary.
"I am ready to serve," Harris told The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday. "There's no question about that."
In the interview — which took place two days before the release of special counsel Robert Hur's devastating report — Harris said that those who witness her on the job are "fully aware" of her "capacity to lead."
While Hur decided against charging Biden, 81, for mishandling classified documents after his vice presidency, the report on the investigation described Biden as a "well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory" who could not recall key milestones in his own life.
The report's findings revived concerns about Biden's advanced age and whether he should seek a second term. Former President Donald Trump, the GOP front-runner and Biden's likely competitor in November, is 77.
After the release of the special counsel's report, 86% of Americans say Biden is too old to run for reelection, an ABC News/Ipsos poll found.
According to the survey, nearly 6 in 10 of Americans think Biden and Trump are too old to serve as commander in chief.
In the past, Harris, 59, has said that she's prepared to take on the presidency "if necessary," but has consistently dismissed concerns about Biden's mental fitness.
During a January appearance on ABC's "The View," she went after Republicans for their criticism of Biden's age, saying they were attacking the president because "they have nothing to run on."
"Sadly, there is a push from so many people in that lane to try to divide our country and distract from the real issues," she said.
After Hur's report, GOP strategist Scott Jennings told CNN last week that Harris has become a campaign issue in the 2024 election.
"I would say — and I don't know how many people on this panel believe it — there aren't too many Americans who are going to look at this and say, This guy is up to serving for five more years as president of the United States," Jennings reportedly said.
"I think Vice President Harris became, squarely, an issue in this election today. She already was getting there, and now, it's even more important."
Nicole Wells ✉
Nicole Wells, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
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