Kamala Harris Should Cut Joe Biden Loose

Jonathan Chait: “Joe Biden is literally one person. He lives in a safe state. Harris doesn’t have to worry about forfeiting his vote. Even the universe of people who are personally loyal to Biden, and might take offense at slights to his accomplishments, consists entirely of partisan Democrats who will vote for the Democrat at the end of the day (or more likely, several days before the end of the day).”

“Rather than trying to balance loyalty to Biden against catering to the desires of the electorate, Harris’s strategy should focus entirely on catering to the public with no attention whatsoever to Biden’s feelings.”

“There are certainly issues where Biden has taken a popular stance or achieved something popular that Harris can take credit for. On those issues — letting the federal government negotiate prescription-drug prices, signing a bipartisan infrastructure law, reducing health-care costs — she should proclaim her agreement and highlight her tie-breaking vote.”

“But there is no rule requiring Harris to own every action Biden has taken. She can even say that she disagreed with him. Her role as vice-president was to give the president candid advice in private and support him in public, but now that she is running for his job, she can advocate her own ideas.”