Kamala Harris dismisses unpopularity among Democrats ahead of 2024: 'Political chatter'

Vice President Kamala Harris joins Andrea Mitchell for an exclusive interview at the Munich Security Conference to discuss U.S.-China relations, the one year anniversary of the war in Ukraine, and the upcoming 2024 election. Harris deflects criticism from some Democrats that she shouldn’t be on the 2024 ticket, saying “it is very important to focus on the needs of the American people and not political chatter out of Washington D.C.” and that she intends to run with Biden as Vice President in 2024.

"Dozens of Democratic leaders are saying that they not only don’t think that he’s the strongest candidate, you know, considering the larger field that could be possible given his age and other defects, but they don’t think that you’re the right person to be on the ticket. Why do you think that?" Mitchell asked. Harris said it was important to focus on the needs of the American people and not on "political chatter" coming from Washington, D.C. Mitchell also asked Harris if she still wanted to be president one day. "Joe Biden intends – has said he intends to run for re-election as president. And I intend to run with him as vice president of the United States," Harris said. Politico reported on Thursday that Democrats are afraid to express concern over Biden's age ahead of the 2024 presidential election publicly because they fear the alternative, Vice President Harris. One House member told Politico's Jonathan Martin that Democrats should renominate Biden, then instructed the reporter to turn off his phone and demanded to know who else was in the running. The member also said that Harris was not a viable option. Speaking on Harris, another House Democrat told Politico, "the Democrats who will need to speak out on her are from the Congressional Black Caucus, no White member is going to do it." Mitchell also asked Harris about why Biden has such a low popularity rating and noted that hers were even worse. "I will tell you what I see when I’m out on the road. I see people thanking the president," Harris said. "Thanking our administration. I think that what we have to do is focus on what is actually strengthening America and the American people and American families. And when I talk with American families about what they want and what they care about, things like bringing down the cost of health care, bringing down unemployment, doing the work of strengthening and growing America’s work force, including American manufacturing. That’s what the American people want," she said. Former DNC chair Donna Brazile said last week that Harris would not be replaced on the ticket if Biden decides not to run. "While her poll numbers may not reflect her true popularity, I can guarantee you Kamala Harris will not be replaced on the party's ticket. And I can also guarantee you, if Joe Biden decides not to run, Kamala Harris will become the next nominee of the Democratic Party," she said.