Biden on the trail: Will US president help or hurt Harris’s campaign?
Al Jazeera
Experts say Joe Biden’s presence on the trail risks hurting Kamala Harris as her push for the White House gains momentum.
It was Kamala Harris’s first public speech after incumbent Joe Biden withdrew from the United States presidential race — and the vice president spent much of it hailing her boss.
“Joe Biden’s legacy of accomplishment over the past three years is unmatched in modern history,” Harris told a crowd assembled on the White House lawn on July 22, a day after Biden dropped his re-election bid.
“In one term, he has already surpassed the legacy of most presidents who have served two terms in office.”
In the weeks since she made those comments, Harris has been confirmed as the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee. She has also named a running mate in Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, and her campaign has injected enthusiasm into what had been a largely lacklustre election season.
Yet despite Harris’s praise that day at the White House, Biden has largely been absent from her campaign so far — prompting questions about whether his presence on the trail will help, or hinder, her efforts to win the presidency.
