Former President Barack Obama's White House communications director, Jennifer Palmieri, expressed joy Friday that Vice President Kamala Harris didn't have to fight a tough primary election to become the Democratic Party's presumptive nominee.
President Joe Biden abruptly dropped out of the presidential race on Sunday to endorse Harris, who is running on a party line vote, has little approval from primary voters and has already received ample verbal support from delegates. Palmieri said on “Morning Joe” that this more “parliamentary” process, which would see Harris become the presumptive nominee, would work to her advantage in the presidential campaign. (Related article: “Kamala was in on it too”: Pro-Trump PAC pulls anti-Kamala Harris ad within two hours of Biden's departure)
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Former Obama official pleased Kamala Harris won't face 'brutal' US 'primaries' pic.twitter.com/pDu92pdPWD
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“But I think it's true that the Republicans were really caught off guard. They don't really know how to attack her or what her candidacy will ultimately be,” Palmieri said. “And with only 100 days… I think the shorter the campaign, the better. It's especially hard for a female candidate to win in this country, you know? We've seen this before. We've seen this in other countries when similar things have happened, where candidates haven't gone through the long, rigorous primary process that happens in the United States.”
“But in a parliamentary system, that person is presented as the leader of the party, as the winner to the party and the country, right? That's our country,” she continued. “And I think that's one of the reasons why everybody's rallying behind her. There's no question about what candidate is best. She's our candidate. She's the most experienced. She's the most prepared. She's much more prepared than Donald Trump or J.D. Vance.”
Palmieri also said Democrats are currently in the “best position.”
Progressive voters in Wisconsin expressed frustration on Thursday with how Harris has become the de facto Democratic nominee, but also said they would vote for her in November's election.
“I think they were trying to clear out the candidates so that Biden would win and prevent a real democratic primary from taking place. I'm not saying Kamala Harris would lose, but if he had realized this earlier, we would have had more time for intraparty debate and intraparty democracy and I think we would have benefited greatly,” said a male voter.
Doug Shawn, an adviser to former President Bill Clinton, also made clear Tuesday that he opposes the process.
“I have an issue with the process that was put in place to approve her nomination so quickly. There was no mini-primary, there was no open convention,” Shawn said. “Basically the deal was done in 48 hours. I have an issue with that.”
Former President Barack Obama formally endorsed Harris for president on Friday, five days after Biden gave up his reelection bid.
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