NYT editorial board urges Dems to eschew Harris coronation in wake of Biden withdrawal

It was not long after President Joe Biden announced on Sunday that he was ending his campaign for another term in the White House that he and a significant number of other prominent Democrats began pledging their support for Kamala Harris as the party's heir apparent.

However, Harris' assumed coronation may not be without its obstacles, as no less than the New York Times editorial board has already stepped forward to call for her ouster from the ticket due to “profound concerns” about her ability to prevail over former President Donald Trump in November, as Breitbart reports.

Editorial board weighs in

Prior to delivering its damning assessment of a potential Harris ascension, the editors at the NYT took time to praise Biden for his willingness to exit the electoral stage.

“By agreeing to step down when his term ends in January, he is greatly increasing the chance that his party is able to protect the nation from the dangers of returning Donald Trump to the presidency,” the board said of Biden's decision.

From there, however, the board took a critical look at what is likely to follow from the president's departure and how Harris fits into the scenario.

Suggesting that Harris' elevation to the top position in the party may initially seem “reasonable,” the editors warned that there could be notable blowback from rank-and-file Democrats who want a voice in the candidate selection process.

Open process urged

It is important to remember, the editors cautioned, that there are “other qualified Democrats who could take on Mr. Trump and win.”

The board went on to suggest that “picking a candidate without a real contest is how the party got into a position of anointing a standard-bearer that large majorities of Democrats and independents had profound concerns about,” clearly referencing the truncated and closed primary process that kept Biden at the forefront.

“While the hour is late, there is still time to put leading candidates through a process of public scrutiny before the party's nominating convention begins on Aug. 19 to inform the choice of a nominee and to build public support,” the piece explained.

Political minefield awaits

It may not just be the folks at the New York Times who are interested in seeing Harris removed from contention as Biden's successor.

Far-left Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez warned just days ago about party “elites” who she says, despite pushing for Biden's exit, also have little interest in seeing the VP take the reins, as The Hill noted.

“If you think that there is consensus among the people who want Joe Biden to leave that they will support Vice President Harris, you would be mistaken. They're not going to be fully honest, but I'm going to be honest for them,” AOC declared.

Though Harris has already received words of endorsement from Biden himself, Bill and Hillary Clinton, and a host of power-broker lawmakers, Slate notes that there are some marquee names that have not joined the list of declared backers, including those of former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, and House Democrat Leader Hakeem Jeffries.

Whether the support of those political luminaries is set for imminent announcement, or if there is perhaps a more intriguing reason for their initial reserve that is more in line with the thinking expressed by the Times' editorial board, only time will tell.