Psaki Floats Biden ‘Alternative’ - Worries America Too ‘Sexist and Racist’
Former White House press secretary Jen Psaki recently expressed a common MSNBC viewpoint when she asserted that Vice President Kamala Harris is the most suitable candidate to succeed President Joe Biden on the Democratic ticket.
Psaki, now a network host, voiced concerns that America might be too “sexist and racist” to support Harris.
In a Wednesday interview on the “Pod Save America” podcast, Psaki praised Harris’s supposed strengths as a campaigner and communicator. She also defended Harris’s viability as a lead candidate for the Democratic ticket, despite criticisms about her popularity.
“There’s a lot of really amazing Democrats on the bench, but because of the timeline and everything, I think it is clearly Kamala Harris,” Psaki told podcast co-host Jon Lovett.
Psaki suggested that Harris's unpopularity might have a darker cause: “It’s almost like public opinion hasn’t caught up with what she is doing out there, and also, we live in a country that is sexist and racist, so, like, there is that.”
These remarks come amid growing pressure within the Democratic Party for Biden to step aside after his poor debate performance against former President Trump last month.
Psaki criticized Biden on the X platform after the debate: “It was a bad debate. I have no doubt they were tough, strategic and direct. (Believe me I have seen them in action) but prep does not always determine the outcome. Biden was bad. Important convos about what happens next. But if you are directing your ire at ‘prep’ you are not talking about the right things.”
When Harris ran for the 2020 Democratic nomination, she was one of the first to withdraw, and she couldn't secure a win in her home state of California. As vice president, her approval ratings have often been lower than Biden’s, which have also been low over the past year. Harris has struggled with the few responsibilities Biden has given her, including addressing the chaotic border situation.
Meanwhile, Trump continues to gain momentum against Biden following their first debate last month.
A recent Rasmussen Reports survey showed that likely voters, including Independents, believe Trump will be better for the economy, especially in dealing with “inflation.”
The survey, shared with the Washington Examiner, indicated that 60 percent of Independent voters targeted by President Joe Biden think Republicans, presumably Trump, will handle inflation and the economy better. This is significant as more than eight-in-10 respondents identified inflation as a “serious” issue heading into the 2024 election.
Rasmussen reported that 84 percent of respondents said that the current inflation under Biden would heavily influence their voting choices this fall.
While Biden has downplayed concerns about inflation and the economy, even suggesting at one point that people “have the money to spend,” polls show that the nation feels adversely affected by rising prices and blames the White House. Earlier in his presidency, Biden promoted “Bidenomics” — his set of economic policies — until the term became a liability, used by Republicans to illustrate how these policies were hurting Americans’ finances.
A recent survey indicated that grocery prices have increased by 25 percent since the pandemic began, and even more when accounting for “quick trips to the store,” according to Food & Wine.
The Intuit Credit Karma survey revealed that over a quarter of respondents admitted to skipping meals due to financial constraints.