‘Not his best performance’: Harris reacts to debate, draws contrast to Trump in Vegas event

Vice President Kamala Harris set aside a speech on Latino voter outreach in Las Vegas on Friday to join a chorus of elected Democratic officials seeking to reassure voters — and the political establishment — that despite President Joe Biden’s unsteady debate performance Thursday night, he’s still up to the job.

Biden’s raspy voice and his at times meandering or unintelligible answers during the first presidential debate of the 2024 election have left some Democrats quietly questioning the mental acuity of the 81-year-old and prompting others to call on him to step aside ahead of the Democratic National Convention in August.

But Harris all but rejected that notion, painting Biden as the only candidate who can beat Trump, 78, as he did in 2020.

“The stakes of this race could not be higher. The contrast in this election could not be more stark. And third, we believe in our president, Joe Biden,” Harris said. “Let’s not forget he beat Donald Trump once, and with your help we’re going to do it again.”

Harris spent the entirety of her 11-minute speech drawing contrasts between Biden and the former president, pointing to times during the debate when Trump repeated falsehoods or simply didn’t answer, including when asked about whether he would accept the results of the 2024 election.

She also emphasized Biden’s record, highlighting the administration’s capping of the price of insulin, its investment in infrastructure and work on gun safety legislation.

The vice president briefly brushed off concerns about the president’s performance, echoing a similar remark she made Thursday night when she told CNN’s Anderson Cooper that Biden had a “slow start.”

“Earlier today, the president said himself it was not his best performance,” Harris said to a crowd of approximately 200 attendees at the East Las Vegas Community Center.

Voters weigh in

Carol Larson, 69, said she was attending the event to see what Harris would have to say about Thursday’s debate.

“To say I was disheartened is a nice way of putting it,” said Larson, who lives in Henderson.

Larson said she felt Trump lied continuously during the debate and that Biden was unable to call him on it.

“If it was my dad, I would have taken him home and put him to bed,” Larson said.

Larson said she would vote for a Democrat in November, but said she wasn’t sure if Biden could win.

“I think Biden — I hate to say this — but he should step down,” Larson said. “He’s done a great job, and now it’s time for someone else to take over.”

Larson isn’t alone. Numerous political observers, including The New York Times Editorial Board, have called on Biden to drop out of the presidential race.

For possible Democratic presidential alternatives, Larson named Harris, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and U.S. Secretary of Transportation and former presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg.

“Everybody has skeletons in their closet, but I think they have a better chance,” she said.

Other voters at the campaign event said they thought Biden did a “very good” job answering questions during the debate, including Ashley Dodson.

Dodson, 36, said she felt Trump evaded the questions and “played the blame game.”

Dodson, who is a social worker, said she thinks Democrats need to do more door knocking and ramp up voter outreach. She said that outreach should emphasize what Biden has done rather than focusing on Trump.

As for the election, Dodson said she’s confident Democrats will win in November.

Jennifer Licata, 43, agreed the Democrats are “sitting back and watching everything.”

“We’re not wearing as many T-shirts and waving flags,” she said. “Democrats need to get as active as possible.”

Licata said she “didn’t love” Biden’s debate performance, but said she’s a policy-based voter.

Licata said she felt Trump managed not to answer questions on important issues, including those on accepting the 2024 election result and the cause of the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riot.

Kathy Corpus, 50, said she was at the event because she’s an undecided voter and wanted to see what Harris would say.

She said she felt Trump “came in strong” and “a little more calmer” during the debate, but she felt like Biden did well during the debate, too.

“Trump was a lot stronger. Gave me more confidence,” Corpus said.

Corpus said she’s “a little worried” about how people may react during the upcoming election.

“I’m worried about November. I can’t say who I’m going to vote for, if I do decide to vote,” she said.

Recent polling

Polling conducted before Thursday’s debate showed the candidates in a statistical dead heat among Nevada voters.

An AARP-commissioned poll released earlier this week showed Trump leading Biden 48 percent to 45 percent in a head-to-head matchup, within the poll’s 4 percent margin of error.

An Emerson College Poll released last week also showed Trump and Biden in a dead heat, with Trump polling at 46 percent and Biden at 43 percent, within a three-point margin of error.

Friday’s event marked the vice president’s fifth visit to Nevada since the beginning of the year.

Contact Taylor R. Avery at TAvery@reviewjournal.com. Follow @travery98 on X.