Vice President Kamala Harris, a top option to replace Biden on the ticket, defends the president in Philly speech

Vice President Kamala Harris fervently defended President Joe Biden while framing the 2024 election as a “last line of defense” against extremism in her first visit to Pennsylvania since some congressional Democrats began calling for Biden to step aside in favor of Harris.

While addressing a conference of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander voters in Philadelphia, Harris — who made history as the first Asian American, woman, and Black person to serve as vice president — highlighted the administration’s first-term accomplishments while acknowledging that the last few days have proven how hard it is to run for president.

“One thing we know about our president, Joe Biden, he is a fighter and he is the first to say ‘When you get knocked down, you get right back up,’’' Harris said. “So we will continue to fight. We will continue to organize. And in November, we will win.”

Speakers at the Saturday event at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, hosted by Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote, a civic engagement group, persistently spoke about the power AAPI Americans had in swing states such as Pennsylvania. Before Harris’ speech, a video played highlighting efforts in Philadelphia’s Chinatown to oppose a proposed new 76ers arena in the neighborhood.

Harris later referenced that same neighborhood, and the Biden administration’s efforts to fund a $160 million project building parks and bike paths over the Vine Street Expressway, which divided the community in 1959, as part of its broader infrastructure spending.

“It displaced families and devastated neighborhoods, and it continues to cut off residents of Chinatown from jobs and opportunities in other communities,” Harris said.

Harris has darted around the country in recent days to campaign for Biden as the Democratic ticket seeks to recover from last month’s disastrous debate. While she’s campaigning for Biden, these events also showcase her skills as a potential replacement candidate as a growing chorus of Democrats calls for Biden to withdraw in favor of Harris or another candidate.

Even as he insists that he plans to stay in the race, Biden assured reporters in a news conference Thursday that Harris was capable of being president if she needed to be. Harris has remained loyal to Biden.

Harris’ Philadelphia visit comes amid a flurry of activity in the commonwealth. First lady Jill Biden was set to appeal to Italian American voters in Pittsburgh and former President Donald Trump was scheduled to campaign in Butler County for his final campaign stop before the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, which was scheduled to begin Monday.

Biden had no public events scheduled for the weekend while his wife and running mate hit the campaign trail.

Some attendees of Harris’ Philadelphia speech remained supportive of Biden’s staying in the race and enthusiastic about the president’s record even as they spoke highly of Harris.

Minh Nguyen, who lives in Penrose in Southwest Philadelphia and is a member of the Asian Real Estate Association of America, beamed about his love for Harris. But he said he does not know whether she could beat Trump due to racism and sexism.

“Technically, it’s up to Biden whether or not he would like to step down, and then I think that’s a decision for him to make, and him and God, so I support the president in his decision, and I wish everyone the best of luck in their considerations,” he said.

Other attendees expressed frustration with Biden’s age and his support of Israel throughout its war with Hamas in Gaza.

Max Jin, who is about to turn 16 and is from the Doylestown area in Bucks County, said calls for the 81-year-old Biden to step down are “legitimate” due to his age, debate performance, and recent public gaffes. He said he is a little concerned about whether Biden could take another four years in office but believes a Trump presidency would be more of a threat to the country.

“Although I am wary of Biden’s age, I would still support him getting reelected,” said Jin, who won’t be able to vote for another two years.

Harris has led the Biden campaign’s outreach for Black and Asian voters ahead of the November election. Her work will be especially key after APIAVote released a poll earlier this week showing the president’s support among Asian American voters had declined by 8 percentage points in the last four years — though he still polled ahead of Trump by double digits with the demographic group.

Andrew Peng, the Biden campaign’s spokesman for Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders, said Harris’ attendance at the event was proof that the campaign wouldn’t take any vote for granted.

Philadelphia City Councilmember Nina Ahmad, the first South Asian woman to serve on Council, applauded the number of Asian Americans serving in prominent roles in the Biden administration.

“What does representation look like? It looks like having the first-ever Asian American and African American woman as our vice president, Kamala Harris,” she said.

She told attendees to “pay attention to who shows up,” in a thinly veiled reference to the Trump campaign’s absence from the APIAVote event despite an invitation.

After the speech, Harris visited Reading Terminal Market, where hundreds of people were gathered and some ran through the market’s corridors to take photos of the vice president. She stopped for food at Little Thai Market alongside Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro and ordered salmon curry, Thai chicken, chicken masala, and yellow chicken.

Susiliawati Tjiputra, who was working the food line at the restaurant, said Harris said hi as a crowd surrounded the food stand.

Montgomery County Commissioner Neil Makhija, the first Asian American to serve on the commission, said Harris, the daughter of a woman who immigrated from India, represents a shared history that many Asian Americans can relate to and that has inspired more engagement from the community as a whole.

Before the APIAVote event, Makhija had said he hoped Harris would stop outside the convention to engage directly with Asian Americans in Philadelphia.

“She understands the issues of the community. She has been there time and time again. I think there’s simply no other national figure who can speak the way that she can to our communities,” he said.

As many Democrats push for Biden to step aside and allow Harris, or another Democrat, to take on Trump, Makhija noted Harris’ power as a messenger on Democrats’ strongest issues.

“Kamala Harris is the most forceful and effective voice on reproductive rights of any national figure in the country right now,” said Makhija, who helped with Harris’ 2020 presidential campaign.

Harris highlighted reproductive rights toward the end of her speech, referring to abortion restrictions enacted in 21 states in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade as the “Trump abortion ban.” She then pivoted to another Supreme Court decision expanding presidential power, and a warning about the stakes of the race.

The high court includes three Trump appointees, who were decisive in both of these rulings.

“Do we want to live in a country of freedom, compassion and rule of law or a country of chaos, fear and hate?” she said.

Harris’ speech was interrupted midway through by protesters, including some who chanted “Free Palestine” and were escorted out of the room. Other attendees sought to cover up the chants with their own chants of “four more years.”

“Of course we are going to have those four more years,” Harris said to cheers.

“And of course we respect everyone’s right to voice their concerns. I am speaking right now, however,” Harris said, reprising a line she used while debating former Vice President Mike Pence in 2020.