Washington, Aug 30: Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris has said President Joe Biden called her personally on a Sunday to inform her about his decision to not seek reelection, asserting that he was “very clear” about endorsing her instead.
In the first major television interview of her presidential campaign on Thursday, the 59-year-old Vice President said she was with her family when she got the call from Biden, 81.
Harris said that she was having bacon with her baby nieces when her phone rang. “And it was Joe Biden. And — and he told me what he had decided to do. And I asked him, ‘Are you sure?’ And he said, ‘Yes.’ And that’s how I learned about it,” she told CNN in a joint interview with her running mate Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.
Last month, Biden, 81, dropped out of the presidential race, saying it was in “the best interest” of the Democratic Party and the country to withdraw from the race. Biden had a disastrous presidential debate against former president Donald Trump, who is the Republican presidential candidate.
Responding to a question about Biden endorsing her as the Democratic Party’s presidential candidate, Harris said, “He was very clear that he was gonna support me.”
She added that her first thought at that moment was about Biden and not herself.
Harris asserted that history will show several things about Biden’s presidency.
She said it would show how it was “transformative” about investing in America’s infrastructure, new economics, new industries, and bringing its allies back together, among other things.
“And I think history is going to show not only has Joe Biden led an administration that has achieved those extraordinary successes, but the character of the man is one that he has been in his life and career, including as a president, quite selfless and puts the American people first,” she said.
During the interview, she also said that serving with Biden for almost four years was “one of the greatest honours of my career”.
“He has the intelligence, the commitment and the judgment – disposition that I think the American people rightly deserve in their president,” she said.
Harris will face her Republican rival, former president Trump, 78, in the November 5 elections. (PTI)
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