Slurring, raspy Biden calls in to Kamala Harris’ first visit to campaign headquarters: ‘I love you!’
President Biden’s speech was disturbingly slurred and raspy Monday as he called in to his former campaign’s headquarters to vouch for his chosen successor Vice President Kamala Harris.
“I know yesterday’s news was surprising and it was hard for you to hear, but it was the right thing to do,” the 81-year-old president told campaign staff in Wilmington, Del., one day after dropping out of the race.
“I know it’s hard because you’ve poured your heart and soul into me to help us win this thing, help me get this nomination, help me win the nomination and then go on to win the presidency.”
Biden told the staff — phoning in from his vacation home in Rehoboth Beach, Del. — that “I think we made the right decision.”
“The name has changed at the top of the ticket, but the mission hasn’t changed at all,” he said.
The president’s stunning enunciation came despite presidential physician Dr. Kevin O’Connor saying hours earlier in a public memo that he had all but recovered from a bout of COVID-19 and that “his symptoms have almost resolved completely.”
Biden introduced Harris, who gave in-person remarks at the headquarters, after slamming former President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee who nine days prior survived an assasssination attempt.
“And by the way, I’m not going anywhere. I’m gonna be out there on the campaign with her, with Kamala. I’m going to be working like hell, both as a sitting president, getting legislation passed, as well as in campaigning,” Biden said.
“You know what? We still need to save this democracy and Trump is still a danger to the community, he’s a danger to the nation.”
Biden added: “I’ll be doing whatever Kamala wants me or needs me to do.”
“It is so good to hear our president’s voice,” Harris said as she spoke after Biden. “You aren’t going anywhere Joe!”
“I’m watching you kid! I love you!” the commander in chief chimed in.
“I love you too!” Harris replied.
In her own speech, Harris also took aim at Trump, who was leading Biden in most swing-state and national polls as Democratic mutinied on the incumbent over concerns about his mental acuity.
“I was the elected attorney general [of] California and before that I was a courtroom prosecutor. In those roles I took on perpetrators of all kinds,” Harris said as her new staff knowingly cheered as he launched into Trump.
“Predators who abused women, fraudsters who ripped off consumers, cheaters who broke the rules for their own gain — so hear me when I say, I know Donald Trump’s type” Harris said to more cheers.
Biden has been out of sight since returning to Rehoboth last Wednesday after testing positive for COVID-19 and didn’t notify most of his White House and campaign staff before tweeting Sunday afternoon that he was ending his campaign.
