“Face the Nation” moderator Margaret Brennan said she was told by insiders in the Democratic Party that it would be “political suicide” for anyone to challenge Vice President Kamala Harris as the nominee following President Biden’s decision not to seek re-election on Sunday.
Harris emerged as the favorite to get the nomination following Biden’s announcement that he would not vie for another four-year term in the White House.
While covering the breaking news on Sunday, Brennan, who was in studio alongside “CBS Evening News” anchor Norah O’Donnell and chief election correspondent Robert Costa, said there was virtual consensus “in terms of not seeing a head-to-head challenger.”
“But the question then becomes who is the person who stands beside her [at the Democratic convention in Chicago on Aug. 19] to seek the nomination in that vice president role?” Brennan said during the Sunday broadcast. Her comments were reported by Mediaite.
“That’s where the focus is.”
Brennan reported that she was told that “anyone … looking to challenge her would be committing political suicide.”
“To try to go head to head after Joe Biden hadn’t been so key in making it very clear, just within minutes of announcing he was not going to seek re-election, that he was endorsing her,” Brennan said.
“So that’s what we’re looking at now.”
Polls show Harris trailing the Republican nominee, former President Donald Trump, in a hypothetical head-to-head matchup.
CNN’s Jake Tapper reported on Sunday that sources close to Sen. Joe Manchin (I-WV), who left the Democratic Party and officially registered as an independent, was considering re-registering as a Democrat “and throwing his hat in the ring.”
But Manchin on Monday told “CBS Mornings” that he would not seek the nomination against Harris, though he called for a “mini primary” to pick the nominee.
The latest on President Biden’s decision to drop out of the 2024 presidential race:
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“I think a lot of people would like to see a mini primary,” Manchin said.
“That’s the process — find out if you have the strongest candidate, whether it could be Kamala or whoever else.”
Manchin told “CBS Mornings” that he “absolutely” thinks Harris is too far to the left and that he “would like to see that direction change.”
The retiring West Virginia senator said he is “speaking for basically the middle of this country,” adding, “neither side can win without the sensible, moderate middle.”