Harris acknowledges Biden had a 'slow start' in debate and tries to calm Democratic fears

Vice President Kamala Harris is acknowledging that President Joe Biden had a “slow start” during his statement against Donald Trump

WASHINGTON -- Vice President Kamala Harris acknowledged that President Joe Biden had a “slow start” successful his statement against Donald Trump connected Thursday night, but she insisted that helium finished “strong” successful a show that triggered a caller circular of concerns wrong their ain enactment astir Biden's fittingness to beryllium their standard-bearer.

“It was a dilatory start. That’s evident to everyone. I’m not going to statement that point," Harris said successful an interrogation connected CNN pursuing the debate. “I'm talking astir the prime for November. I’m talking astir 1 of the astir important elections successful our corporate lifetime.”

Harris gave interviews connected CNN and MSNBC amid increasing Democratic panic implicit Biden's performance, which fueled longstanding questions astir whether the 81-year-old president should measurement aside.

As she acknowledged Biden's uneven performance, Harris emphasized the substance of Trump's remarks during the 90-minute debate, including his refusal to condemn the rioters who stormed the Capitol connected Jan. 6, 2021, arsenic good arsenic his unwillingness to emphatically perpetrate to accepting the results of this November's election.

She besides said the opposition betwixt Biden and Trump yet has to beryllium connected Biden's show successful office, alternatively than successful 1 debate.

“I got the constituent that you’re making astir a 1 and a fractional hr statement tonight. I’m talking astir 3 and a fractional years of show successful enactment that has been historic,” Harris said successful a tense speech with CNN anchor Anderson Cooper.

Harris continued: “The Joe Biden that I enactment with each time is idiosyncratic who, arsenic I person said, has performed successful a mode that has been astir bringing radical into the Oval Office, Republicans and Democrats, to compromise successful a mode that is bonzer these days."

She concluded her MSNBC interrogation by saying that “only 1 of the 2 radical connected that statement stage, lone 1 of them has the endorsement of his vice president. And let’s not hide that.”

Former Vice President Mike Pence has declined to endorse Trump this year. Trump pressured Pence to spell on with his program to overturn his 2020 predetermination nonaccomplishment to Biden.