The Political Insider

On Tuesday, President-elect Joe Biden turned heads when he called Vice President-elect Kamala Harris “president-elect.”

Biden made his comments while speaking about the COVID-19 pandemic in his hometown of Wilmington, Delaware.

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Joe Biden: ‘President-elect Harris’

“I hope the president will clearly and unambiguously urge all Americans to take the vaccine once it’s available,” said Biden. “I took it to instill public confidence in the vaccine.”

“President-elect Harris took hers today for the same reason,” Biden added.

Biden was referring to Harris receiving the Moderna vaccine earlier that day, an event that was televised.

Harris said, “Literally, this is about saving lives. It’s literally about saving lives.” 

“I trust the scientists,” Harris added. “And it is the scientists that created and approved this vaccine.”

Biden Has Made Repeated Comments About Harris Being Ready To Assume The Presidency

This wasn’t the first time Biden made such a comment regarding Harris. 

Biden said in August that he chose Harris as his vice presidential pick because she is “ready to lead on day one.”

“If @KamalaHarris and I are elected, we’re going to inherit multiple crises, a nation divided, and a world in disarray.”

“We won’t have a minute to waste,” Biden tweeted. “That’s exactly why I picked her: She’s ready to lead on day one.”

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In September, Harris referred to the “Harris administration.” 

During a virtual roundtable on the economy, she said, “A Harris administration, together with Joe Biden as the president of the United States.” 

Back in August, CNN’s Chris Cilizza made a curious comment about Joe Biden “stepping aside” in a column explaining why Biden picked Harris for his VP. 

“What Biden did is make the pick that maximized his chances of continuing to make the race a straight referendum on Trump while also selecting someone, in Harris, whose resume suggests will be ready to step in if and when Biden decides to step aside,” Cilizza wrote.

Commentators, including The Political Insider, noted the curious language – “if and when Biden decides to step aside.” 

The author seems to believe that is a foregone conclusion. 

The AP notes in a fact-check that Cilizza “did not confirm or suggest there is any plan for Biden to relinquish his seat if elected.”

To be clear, that’s true. There is no evidence that Biden plans to step aside and install Harris as President. 

The AP’s fact-check reached out to Cilizza for comment, presumably to explain his wording, but none was forthcoming.