Vice President Kamala Harris wasted no time addressing the elephant in the room during a Friday event in Las Vegas.
“Earlier today, the president said himself it was not his best performance,” Harris said to a crowd of approximately 200 attendees at the East Las Vegas Community Center of President Joe Biden’s performance in Thursday’s presidential debate.
Although the event was originally set to be focused on Latinos voters’ role in the upcoming election, Harris spent the entirety of her 11-minute speech drawing contrasts between Biden and former president Donald Trump.
“The stakes of this race could not be higher. The contrast in this election could not be more stark. And third, we believe in our President Joe Biden,” Harris said. “Let’s not forget he beat Donald Trump once, and with your help we’re going to do it again.”
Harris pointed to times during the debate when Trump repeated falsehoods or simply didn’t answer, including when he was asked about whether he would accept the results of the 2024 election.
She also emphasized Biden’s record, pointing toward the capping of the price of insulin, investment in infrastructure and gun safety legislation.
“This race will not be decided by one night in June,” she said. “This race will be decided by you.”
Harris’ event in Las Vegas comes after the first presidential debate of the cycle, which was hosted by CNN and did not feature a live audience.
Biden’s performance during the debate was largely met with concern by Democrats, both publicly and privately.
Biden’s voice was raspy – the result of a cold, according to the White House – and his delivery was at times halting.
In an interview with Anderson Cooper following the debate, Harris said Biden had a “slow start” but defended the president’s policy record and performance.
“It was a slow start. That’s obvious to everyone,” she told Cooper. “I’m talking about the choice in November.”
Carol Larson, 69, said she was attending the event to see what Harris would have to say about Thursday’s debate.
“To say I was disheartened is a nice way of putting it,” said Larson, who lives in Henderson.
Larson said she felt Trump lied continuously during the debate, and felt Biden was unable to call him on it.
“If it was my dad, I would have taken him home and put him to bed,” Larson said of Biden’s behavior during the debate.
Larson said she would vote for a Democrat in November, but said she wasn’t sure if Biden could win.
“I think Biden – I hate to say this – but he should step down,” Larson said. “He’s done a great job and now it’s time for someone else to take over.”
For possible Democratic presidential alternatives, Larson named Harris, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and U.S. Secretary of Transportation and former presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg.
“Everybody has skeletons in their closet, but I think they have a better chance,” she said.
But other voters thought Biden a “very good” job answering questions during the debate, including Ashley Dodson.
Dodson, 36, said she felt Trump evaded the questions and “played the blame game.”
Dodson, who works a social worker, said she thinks Democrats need to do more door knocking and ramp up voter outreach. She said that outreach should emphasize what Biden has done rather than focusing on Trump.
As for the upcoming election, Dodson said she’s “confident’ Democrats will win in November.
Jennifer Licata, 43, also agreed the Democrats are “sitting back and watching everything.”
“We’re not wearing as many T-shirts and waving flags,” she said. “Democrats need to get as active as possible.”
Licata, who was joined by here young son, said she said she “didn’t love” Biden’s performance during the debate, but said she’s a policy-based voter.
Licata said she felt Trump managed not to answer questions on important issues, including those on accepting the election results and Jan. 6.
Kathy Corpus, 50, said she was at the event because she’s an undecided voter and wanted to see what Harris would have to say.
She said she felt Trump “came in strong” and “calmer” during the debate, but she felt Biden did well, too.
“Trump was a lot stronger. Gave me more confidence,” Corpus said.
Corpus said she’s “a little worried” about how people may react during the upcoming election.
“I’m worried about November. I can’t say who I’m going to vote for, if I do decide to vote,” she said.
Recent polling has shown the candidates in a near dead heat. An AARP-commissioned poll released earlier this week showed Trump leading Biden 48% to 45% in a head-to-head match, polling within the poll’s 4% margin of error.
An Emerson College Poll released last week also showed Trump and Biden in a dead heat, with Trump polling at 46% and Biden polling at 43%, within a three-point margin of error.
The event marked the vice president’s fifth visit to Las Vegas since the beginning of the year.
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