Vice President Kamala Harris struggled to defend President Joe Biden following his widely criticized debate performance on Thursday night against former President Donald Trump.

Appearing on CNN, host Anderson Cooper asked Harris if she thought Biden needed to step aside.

“Yes, there was a slow start, but it was a strong finish,” she claimed. “And what became very clear through the course of the night is that Joe Biden is fighting on behalf of the American people on substance, on policy, on performance.”

Cooper immediately interrupted her and said: “I’m sorry on substance and policy and performance tonight. I mean, the president’s performance tonight clearly was disappointing for his supporters. CNN is reporting Democratic lawmakers watching the debate were worried, worried about the president’s performance. One said it was a disaster. Another called it a train wreck. Those are Democrats.”

Harris refused to push back on Cooper again after the journalist noted that Biden failed to perform on the debate stage.

“I got the point that you’re making about a one-and-a-half-hour debate tonight,” she said. “I’m talking about three and a half years of performance in work that has been historic.”

When Cooper again pressured her on the debate, she lashed out: “I’m not going to spend all night with you talking about the last 90 minutes when I’ve been watching the last three and a half years of performance.”

She again admitted that Biden did not start well, which she said was “obvious to everyone”.

When asked if that is how Biden is every day, Harris refused to answer the question and instead claimed that “Joe Biden can make it happen.”

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