Vice President Kamala Harris reiterated her unwavering faith in President Joe Biden’s leadership at a campaign fundraiser in Brentwood on Saturday, June 29, just days after his weak debate performance prompted some Democrats to question whether she should replace him on the ballot.
Harris addressed the “elephant in the room” early on in her speech by acknowledging the debate wasn’t the president’s “finest hour,” but said that if you put aside the “style points” it showcased a clear contrast between the candidates.
Harris called former President Donald Trump “a threat to our democracy” who looks up to dictators and will weaponize the Department of Justice against his political enemies. She emphasized that the stakes of the election are higher than ever and said “none of that changed because of a day in June.”
In her 22-minute speech, Harris also discussed Biden’s key legislative accomplishments — such as bringing down prescription drug prices and forgiving student debt — and the importance of reelecting him to combat ongoing threats to LGBTQ+ rights, voting rights, civil rights and reproductive rights.
The fundraiser was hosted at the private residence of filmmaker and actor and Rob Reiner and his wife Michelle.
In a recent statement on X, Reiner said the presidential debate was “a disaster for President Biden,” but that the choice for president remains clear.
“We either can choose a good decent man who cares about his fellow citizens and knows how to govern, or a convicted felon who will destroy our democracy. Not a tough choice,” he stated.
The fundraiser was billed as a Pride-themed garden party honoring the anniversary of the end of Proposition 8, which banned same-sex marriage in California. It also featured a performance from the “Queen of Broadway” Idina Menzel.
Kris Perry and Sandy Stier, plaintiffs in the lawsuit that successfully overturned Prop. 8, attended the fundraiser. Harris married the couple while serving as California Attorney General in 2013. Also in attendance were Sen. Laphonza Butler, D-CA, and Rep. Brad Sherman, D-Sherman Oaks.
During her speech, Harris proudly reminisced on the day Prop. 8 was overturned and the “heart and pain that for years went into this movement.” She said it is the same movement that is propelling the Biden’s fight for the principles of America — including the promise of freedom, liberty, justice and equality.
“Because we’ve been in this fight before, I say with full confidence, we will win,” she said. “We will know what we stand for, so we know what to fight for.”
Harris has full of faith in Biden’s electability, but many Democrats are full of doubt following his fragile, mumbled and at times incoherent debate performance.
Several party members criticized his performance and some political pundits are calling on him to step aside — including the New York Times editorial board, former presidential candidate Andrew Yang and multiple MSNBC hosts.
Campaign officials have said there is no plan to replace him on the ballot. In addition to Harris, Gov. Gavin Newsom has been floated as a potential replacement.
Past political polls showed Harris facing worse odds of beating Trump than Biden. In a February New York Times-Siena College poll, she trailed Trump by six points, and in a November Fox News poll she trailed him by five points.
But Biden also faces tough odds to triumph in November. A New York Times-Siena College poll released in May showed Trump leading Biden in all five key swing states.
Both presidential candidates paid visits to Los Angeles this month to stock their campaign coffers. Trump attended a private reception in Beverly Hills, while Biden headlined a star-studded fundraiser in Downtown L.A.
