Vice President Harris has affirmed that President Biden is fully capable of completing his current term and running for another, despite mixed reviews from his debate and interview performances. A Fox News Digital investigation identified over 80 documented public interactions between Biden and Harris throughout the past year.
Between July 18, 2023, and July 17, 2024, Harris, the likely Democratic presidential candidate after Biden’s withdrawal, participated in at least 25 meetings, shared eight lunches, and attended 46 events alongside the president, in addition to traveling together on two occasions. This positions Harris as one of the most qualified individuals to assess the president’s cognitive abilities.
These numerous meetings are only the ones documented on public schedules; various activities, like their time in the Situation Room attending briefings together, are not always recorded. For instance, they would have likely convened to address the situation following the terrorist attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023.
Following Biden’s faltering debate performance against former President Trump in Atlanta last June, Harris engaged in an interview with CNN’s Anderson Cooper to advocate for the president.
“While the start may have been slow, the ending was strong. Throughout the evening, it became evident that Joe Biden is advocating for the American people on issues of substance, policy, and performance. He is truly formidable,” Harris remarked last month. “I won’t spend the whole night discussing the last 90 minutes when I’ve been witnessing the last 3.5 years of his performance.”
KAMALA HARRIS SPENT MONTHS DISMISSING CONCERNS ABOUT BIDEN’S MENTAL COMPETENCE
President Biden and Vice President Harris (Tierney L. Cross/Bloomberg via Getty Images/File)
This year, Harris condemned Special Counsel Robert Hur’s findings, which characterized Biden as a “well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory,” calling it “gratuitous, inaccurate, and inappropriate.” Nevertheless, Biden’s debate on June 27 publicly raised questions about his mental fitness, causing concern among vulnerable Democrats and major donors regarding the aging president’s campaign viability.
After a reported COVID-19 infection that led Biden to self-isolate, he disclosed in a letter posted on X on July 21 that he would not pursue a second term and endorsed Harris as his successor.
Nonetheless, Harris dedicated months before the debate to defending Biden’s cognitive abilities, addressing several gaffes and falls in public.
At the New York Times Dealbook Summit in November, when asked about former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s comment regarding Biden’s alleged confusion and need for cue cards during debt talks, Harris responded, “I would assert that age transcends mere chronology. I spend considerable time with our president, whether in the Oval Office, the Situation Room, or elsewhere. I can assure you that he is authoritative in global discussions, as well as in the Oval Office, engaging with Congress members, industry leaders, and community organizations.”
Vice President Harris and President Biden attend a Juneteenth concert on the South Lawn of the White House on June 10, 2024. (Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)
REPUBLICANS DEMAND SCHUMER TO ADDRESS VOTER CITIZENSHIP BILL IF DEMOCRAT ‘TRULY CARES ABOUT DEMOCRACY’
“Only one person occupies the Resolute Desk,” she continued. “I’m not misleading anyone … I’m stating the truth.”
The Justice Department report by Hur, released in February, indicated that Biden “willfully” retained and disclosed classified materials to a ghostwriter without recommending criminal charges. Hur described Biden as having “limited faculties,” noting serious memory issues during interviews, including his inability to recall specifics about his son Beau’s passing.
During a discussion on gun violence at a White House event, Harris insisted that the characterization of Biden’s demeanor in the report was “completely incorrect regarding the facts and clearly politically motivated,” adding that “we should expect higher integrity from prosecutors in such circumstances than what was exhibited.”
President Biden delivers remarks on the assassination attempt on former President Trump at the White House on July 14, 2024. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
During a previous statement, Harris reflected on the “countless hours” spent alongside Biden, the defense and state secretaries, and intelligence leaders following the October 7 attack by Hamas on Israel.
“The president was proactive and informed about all aspects,” Harris commented to reporters in February, “posing questions and demanding that America’s military, intelligence, and diplomatic sectors assess casualties, verify who was American, determine hostages’ status, and evaluate the stability of the situation.”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
“He was at the forefront of it all, coordinating and directing national security leaders and our global allies for days, and it continues to this day,” she concluded.
Fox News’ Callie Cassick and Kevin Ferris contributed to this report.
