Democratic presidential nominee Joseph R. Biden said Wednesday that Sen. Kamala Harris, his running mate, would be ready to step in on “day one” as president if he was met with an unfortunate accident like getting pushed off a roof.
Mr. Biden said Ms. Harris, a senator from California, is “so good” and “so damn bright and knowledgeable.”
“She’s ready to be president on day one if I – if somebody pushed me off a roof or something,” he said. “There are a lot of really fine women that I had to choose from, but I think she’s ready on day one.”
Mr. Biden made the remarks during an appearance on Steve Harvey’s radio show.
Mr. Biden, 77, has been fending off accusations that he’s lost his fastball and that voters are effectively supporting Ms. Harris for president if they vote for the Democratic ticket.
In May, he said he thinks of himself as a “transition” candidate.
A Rasmussen survey from last month found that 59% of likely voters, including 49% of Democrats, think there’s a good chance Ms. Harris will have to assume the presidency before his first term is over.
The former vice president told ABC 27 News in Pennsylvania this month that he works out every morning, is in “relatively good shape,” and that he wouldn’t be running for president unless he was in “very good health.”
He also touted his ability to run up ramps, a reference to President Trump’s gingerly walking down a ramp after delivering a West Point commencement address this year.
