Trump and GOP criticize Kamala Harris as she gains popularity

President Joe Biden has found himself under intense scrutiny following his lackluster debate performance and subsequent blunders during a highly anticipated NATO press conference. At the same time, Vice President Kamala Harris is facing criticism from former President Trump, who portrays her as a potential successor to Biden.

In the event that Biden resigns from office, Harris would step in as president. Additionally, if Biden suspends his 2024 re-election campaign, Harris would be a top contender for the Democratic nomination, as suggested by a recent national poll released by CNN. The poll indicates that Harris performs slightly better than Biden in a hypothetical matchup against Trump.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump lambasted Biden for his debate performance, claiming that the president “choked like a dog.” Trump sarcastically congratulated Harris, referring to her as “Laffin’ Kamala Harris.” This is not the first time Trump has given derogatory nicknames to his opponents, such as “Low Energy Jeb” [Bush], “Crooked Hillary” [Clinton], and “Sleepy Joe” [Biden].

Trump has continued to target Harris in his speeches and even referred to her as “so f—–g bad” in a leaked video from a golf course outing. At a recent campaign rally, Trump criticized Harris for being a far-left ally of Sen. Bernie Sanders and slammed her record as vice president. He also speculated that Democrats would prefer Biden over Harris as their candidate.

While Trump’s campaign has not released ads attacking Harris as a potential successor to Biden, the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) launched an ad called “Careful for What You Wish For,” depicting Harris as “Biden’s enabler in chief” and linking her to the migrant crisis at the southern border.

Both Biden and Harris have attempted to shift focus onto tying Trump to the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025, not only as a distraction from the mounting pressure on Biden but also as a way to appeal to moderate swing state voters who could sway the election.

Leading up to the first presidential debate of the 2024 election cycle, questions about Biden’s mental acuity emerged following a controversial Wall Street Journal report, which the White House dismissed. Despite the concerns, Biden has maintained that he will stay in the race.