During an interview that aired Thursday on the “Today” show, Vice President Kamala Harris dismissed questions from NBC reporter Craig Melvin about if she would be kicked off the Democrat presidential ticket in 2024.
“Are we going to see the same Democratic ticket in 2024?” Melvin asked Harris.
“I’m sorry, we are thinking about today,” Harris replied after a pause. “I mean, honestly, I know why you’re asking the question because this is part of the punditry and the gossip around places like Washington, DC.”
“Let me just tell you something. We’re focused on the things in front of us. We’re focused on what we need to do to address issues like affordable child care, what we need to do to ensure that —” Harris continued.
“So there have been no conversations about 2024?” Melvin interrupted.
“The American people sent us here to do a job, and right now there’s a lot of work to be done,” Harris said. “And that’s my focus, sincerely.”
Melvin then asked Harris about a recent New York Times op-ed by columnist Thomas Friedman who suggested that Congresswoman Liz Cheney (R-WY) replace Harris in 2024.
“There’s been some talk about a Biden-Cheney ticket, perhaps, in 2024. Did you read that article?” Melvin asked.
“I did not. No, I did not. And I really could care less about the high-class gossip on these issues,” Harris claimed.
The interview comes after a recent report from Axios that stated that the mass exodus of staffers from Harris’ office has been driven by “Concern about being permanently branded a ‘Harris person.’”
“There’s been an inordinate amount of disarray — and, now, turnover — throughout her tenure. Her allies say she has a terrific chance to reset and downplay the early stumbles. But top Biden officials privately roll their eyes at her team, and want to see smoother, more effective leadership,” Axios reported.
Axios explained that many of Harris’ staffers “don’t want to be aligned with Harris” if another Democrat decides to run for president in 2024.
According to Axios, a “Democratic operative close to the vice president’s office, also requesting anonymity to speak freely, said the departures add pressure to Harris’ chief of staff, Tina Flournoy, to avoid an internal collapse and external criticism.”
In November 2020, CNN released a report titled, “Exasperation and dysfunction: Inside Kamala Harris’ frustrating start as vice president.” The report cited dozens of Harris’ staffers and detailed the issues in the vice president’s office.
“But, with many sources speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the situation more frankly, they all tell roughly the same story: Harris’ staff has repeatedly failed her and left her exposed, and family members have often had an informal say within her office. Even some who have been asked for advice lament Harris’ overly cautious tendencies and staff problems, which have been a feature of every office she’s held, from San Francisco district attorney to U.S. Senate,” the report said.
As a report from Politico explained, “Harris’ office has been beset by disorder, bad press, and, at times, internal frictions. … In recent weeks, chatter has grown increasingly loud that Harris wasn’t positioned well to be Biden’s heir apparent in 2028 or, if he opts not to run again, in 2024.”
