Jamal Simmons, Kamala Harris’ former communications director, has made an unlikely suggestion that the vice president may still be sworn in as president in 2024. That is if Joe Biden resigns as president.
CNN’s “State of the Union” panelists Scott Jennings, Ashley Allison and Brad Todd asked Sunday what they think is the most important thing to take note of in the 71 days leading up to President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration. In response to a question, he mentioned the release of Israelis. The hostages in Gaza and Trump’s actions during the establishment of the Trump administration.
Simmons went in a different direction. He said Biden “could resign as president within the next 30 days and make Kamala Harris president of the United States.”
“Joe Biden has been a phenomenal president,” Simmons said. “He has kept many of the promises he has made. There is one promise left that he can fulfill, and that is to be a transitional figure.”
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There is no evidence that Biden will consider leaving office before his term ends.
Simmons said the move would save Harris from having to oversee “her own defeat” once the presidential election is certified by the Senate, and that she could “make the news at a point when Democrats need to learn” to get national attention. It will become a monopoly,” he said. The vice president also serves as president of the Senate, including when Congress certifies the results of the presidential election.
Host Dana Bash said the idea “jumped from an Internet meme to a Sunday morning show.”
Some joke that Biden will pave the way for a possible Harris.
For example, Jon Lovett, co-host of “Pod Save America” and a former speechwriter for former President Barack Obama, said Harris’ death means “Jimmy Carter has four more years to live.” Said to mean that.
Mr. Carter, who has been in hospice care for more than a year, said he planned to vote for Ms. Harris.
“So there’s still a chance we’ll see a female president before Jimmy Carter dies,” Lovett said. “But that requires Joe Biden to do something great.”
Simmons went on to say on Sunday: “It’s time…to change the entire perspective on how the Democratic Party is run.”
Not everyone on the panel was convinced.
“Jamal, I thought you were writing a new season of House of Cards,” Jennings, a former special assistant to President George W. Bush, said of the dramatic political show. I joked while doing so.
This unprecedented step almost certainly will not come to fruition.
“This is something that is in Joe Biden’s control,” he continued. “It would fulfill his promise[to be interim president]. It would give Kamala Harris a chance to become the 47th president of the United States.”
“It’s going to disrupt all of Donald Trump’s paraphernalia,” he added, referring to Trump’s popular merchandise branded with “47” and “he’s going to have to rebrand everything.” he added.
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