LAS VEGAS — A Democratic campaign official shut down attendee interviews Friday at a Nevada event featuring Vice President Kamala Harris as soon as those assembled expressed doubts about President Biden’s fitness for office.
The interview interventions came not 24 hours after party leaders began scrambling after Biden’s disastrous debate performance Thursday night in Atlanta.
Democrats are reportedly looking for a way to ease the 81-year-old president out of the campaign, though the Biden camp insists he’s remaining in the race.
A pool report from Harris’ press office had New York Times reporter Simon Levien’s account of the Hispanic voter-outreach event that featured Harris and several Democratic politicians: Nevada Sens. Jacky Rosen and Catherine Cortez Masto, Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly and New Mexico Gov. Michelle Grisham.
Even before the veep took the stage, spin control was in effect.
Levien wrote, “Clio Calvo-Platero, the deputy communications director for Biden campaign in Nevada, asked for interviews to conclude when the voters began criticizing the campaign.”
The Timesman said voter Amy Nelson called the debate “terrible” and was interrupted by Calvo-Platero when Nelson said, “You can’t tell me that there’s not anyone better.”
Calvo-Platero said, “We’re at a Joe Biden event, so I’m going to cut you off there, sorry,” according to Levien.
The pool report quoted undecided voter Stephen Stubbs as critical of Biden’s “mental acuity,” with the man asking, “Who’s running the country?”
Stubbs hoped Harris will be the nominee if Biden steps down: “Let Kamala in,” he said.
Again, the campaign official intervened: “I’m going to stop it here, sorry. If I can, it’s a Biden event. Is that OK?”
Speaking at the event, Harris said Trump “does not have the character to be the president. Only one candidate on that [debate] stage has the endorsement of his vice president.” Trump VP Mike Pence has not yet endorsed his former boss this year.
Harris insisted the race won’t be decided on the basis of “one night in June.”
The veep will hold a campaign event in the tony Utah community of Park City, 20 minutes from Salt Lake City, before returning to Los Angeles Friday night, her official schedule indicated.