Kamala Harris has long been considered well placed to take over from the 78-year-old US President. With Joe Biden under pressure over the US’s handling of Afghanistan as well as concerns over the President’s cognitive reliability, political Strategist Erol Morkoc has discussed the chances of Ms Harris stepping into the role. He told GB News the ways in which Ms Harris could become the 48th President of the United States before the next election.
Asked if Ms Harris could become President before the next election, Mr Morkoc said: “I would say it is more possible than any time I can think of in modern history, and I have two history degrees, that the Vice President actually as a puncher’s chance at that.
“Would I say it was a probability? No.
“Their entire goal is to get through him midterms, that is something that White House staffers have been pretty open about, that is perhaps the only leak people get out of there.
“And the Kamala and Biden camps are not exactly friendly to each other.”
He continued: “So the only way that this could happen was if, god forbid, President Biden has a health issue or had to actually step away.
“But the reality of that, based on his age and what people have noticed about his cognitive…I don’t want to pass judgment but…definitely seems like he losses his train of mind quite a bit.
“So there could be a situation medically but from a political gamesmanship point of you I will be shocked if they actually try to replace him directly.”
The speculations come as US Vice President Kamala Harris delivered a fiery slapdown of China in a major speech to America’s South East Asia allies
Ms Harris’s address to foreign dignitaries in Singapore on Tuesday was aimed as a warning at the regime of Xi Jinping and also to reassure US allies of the White House’s strategic commitments in the wake of the fiasco in Afghanistan.
In particular, the US Vice President looked to promise regional partners they would not be left to choose between Washington and Beijing.
Vice-President Harris said: “We know that Beijing continues to coerce, to intimidate, and to make claims to the vast majority of the South China Sea.
“Beijing’s actions continue to undermine the rules-based order and threaten the sovereignty of nations.”
“These unlawful claims have been rejected by the 2016 arbitral tribunal decision, and Beijing’s actions continue to undermine the rules-based order and threaten the sovereignty of nations,” she continued.
“The United States stands with our allies and partners in the face of these threats.”
I must be clear: Our engagement in Southeast Asia and Indo-Pacific is not against any one country, nor is it designed to make anyone choose between countries,” added Ms Harris.
The speech comes amid concerns Chinese strongman Xi Jinping has been “encouraged” by events in Afghanistan.