Kamala Harris was in great spirits during a surprise appearance at the Essence Festival in New Orleans, though she made no mention of boss Joe Biden’s desperate interview earlier Friday.
Harris congratulated the music festival – which is being headlined by Usher and Janet Jackson – on its 30th anniversary after coming out to Beyonce’s ‘Freedom’.
‘I had to stop by just to congratulate Essence on 30 years of the Essence Festival of Culture. So, enjoy this evening. Let us always celebrate the diversity, the depth and the beauty of our culture. Have fun tonight,’ she said.
There was no mention of the disastrous eight days her boss had or politics in general.
Harris is scheduled to hold a conversation with Essence CEO Caroline Wanga during the Global Black Economic Forum on Saturday at the festival.
The visit comes amid calls by some for the replacement of President Joe Biden on the Democratic presidential ticket following his debate with former President Donald Trump.
Those types of in-depth dialogues, covering a wide-range of topics, can be expected throughout the event.
Harris was last scene with Biden on Thursday night as the two celebrated the Fourth of July on the South Lawn at the White House.
At one point, Harris grabbed Biden’s hand and held it high in the air, and later the two hugged.
President Biden admitted he couldn’t remember if he re-watched his car-crash debate with Donald Trump as he sat for one of the most critical interviews of his political career.
The 81-year-old again blamed being sick and exhausted for the meandering spectacle, even though he had been recuperating at Camp David for seven days and his European trip had ended 11 days before he took the debate stage.
The embattled Biden is fighting with the skin of his teeth for survival in the 2024 campaign and is facing a mountain of calls to step aside.
He told ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos that he was the only one to blame for the calamitous primetime showdown last week that sparked a full-blown panic in the Democratic party.
Biden suggested that only God would get him to exit the 2024 presidential race.
‘If the Lord almighty comes down I might do that,’ he told Stephanopoulos when asked what it might take for him to step down.
More and more Democrats have come out publicly making that ask.
But Biden remained defiant through his 22-minute sit-down with Stephanopoulos.
The ABC News anchor and former Bill Clinton aide asked Biden if he really believed that polls – that show him losing to former President Donald Trump – are inaccurate.
‘I think – all the pollsters I talk to tell me it’s a toss-up, it’s a toss-up,’ Biden replied.
He then added, ‘I don’t buy that,’ when Stephanopoulos cited surveys that showed him losing the popular vote – which he won overwhelmingly four years ago – to Trump this time around.
‘I don’t think anyone’s more qualified to be president or win this race than me,’ the president argued.
Stephanopoulos pointed to how Biden has said about Trump that the Republican is only serving his personal interest by running for president, pointing to recent criticism of Biden that he’s doing that too by staying put at the top of the Democratic ticket.
‘Oh come on, I don’t think those critics know what they’re talking about,’ Biden answered. ‘They’re just wrong.’
Asked what Biden would do if Democratic leadership in Congress asked him to step aside, the president pointed out that he had already had conversations with Rep. Jim Clyburn – who saved his 2020 bid with an endorsement in South Carolina – Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and others.
‘They all said I should stay in the race,’ Biden said.
Stephanopoulos then asked what Biden would do if those leaders changed their tune.
‘They’re not going to do that,’ Biden said.
‘Yeah, I’m sure,’ he added, when pressed.
‘Look, I mean, if the Lord almighty came down and said Joe get out of the race I’d get out of the race, the Lord almight’s not coming down,’ the president said.