WASHINGTON \u2014 Vice President Kamala Harris\u2019 team has been discussing ways to clean up her responses to questions this week about how she would differentiate herself from President Joe Biden, according to four people familiar with the discussions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Harris\u2019 answers \u2014 including one where she said she couldn\u2019t think of anything she\u2019d do differently than Biden \u2014 quickly became fodder for her Republican opponent, former President Donald Trump, who has played a video clip of the exchange at campaign rallies as a majority of voters still view the current president unfavorably. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The discussions within Harris\u2019 team have included how she could put more distance between her and Biden, the people familiar with the discussions said, as well as what that would entail in the final weeks of the 2024 race.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Polling has consistently found that Biden is a drag on Harris’ candidacy and that voters are eager for a new direction. But Harris has been reluctant to be critical of Biden by outright critiquing his presidency. \u201cHer level of loyalty is incredible,” one source said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She has offered some new policy ideas. She proposed creating a “Medicare at home” program, that would allow elderly people to get more in-residence care instead of relying on nursing homes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She is releasing her medical records, a move that is meant to show she is young and vivacious, in contrast to the 81-year-old Biden and 78-year-old Trump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are several additional areas in which Harris might do this, including the care economy and overall leadership style, but no final strategy has been settled on, the people familiar with the discussions said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Harris could also put more distance between herself and Biden on the issue of the Israel-Hamas war, one senior Democrat said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Harris would seek to distance herself from Biden somewhat delicately, likely giving the White House a heads up before doing so, three of the people familiar with the discussions said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Since declaring her candidacy in July, Harris has tried to walk a fine line between praising Biden\u2019s leadership and record, and defining her agenda by explaining to voters how she would represent her campaign slogan of \u201ca new way forward.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
On Tuesday, when asked on \u201cThe View\u201d whether she would have done anything differently than Biden over the last four years, Harris first said: \u201cThere is not a thing that comes to mind,\u201d arguing that she has been part of \u201cmost of the decisions that have had impact.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Trump and his campaign quickly seized on the line, playing it twice during rallies in Pennslyvania on Wednesday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSo her answer that she would do nothing different is disqualifying. Kamala Harris is grossly incompetent. She cannot be trusted,\u201d Trump said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Later in the ABC interview, Harris raised one area where she has promised to differ from the president, if elected: appointing a Republican to her Cabinet, adding that she doesn\u2019t \u201cfeel burdened by letting pride get in the way of a good idea.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On Friday, she took that a step further, vowing to establish a bipartisan council of policy advisers if she wins. The group would then recommend \u201cpractical\u201d ideas to \u201chelp improve Americans\u2019 lives\u201d in areas like small businesses, affordable housing, mental health care and veterans\u2019 care, per a Harris campaign aide. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Just hours after her interview on \u201cThe View,\u201d Harris faced the same type of question by Stephen Colbert, who asked what major changes would be clear in a potential Harris administration and what might stay the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWell, I mean, I\u2019m obviously not Joe Biden,\u201d she said. \u201cBut also, I think it\u2019s important to say with, you know, 28 days to go, I\u2019m not Donald Trump,\u201d without offering a specific example. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Harris delivered a similar answer during her debate with Trump last month, which Biden took particular note of, NBC News has reported<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Biden was particularly stung by the line, according to three people familiar with his comments. The White House called that an \u201cuninformed claim.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n But, at the same time, the president has recently remarked to his top aides that Harris will probably have to \u201cdraw more contrasts\u201d with him in the weeks ahead and there\u2019s no \u201chuge concern\u201d over that, a fourth person familiar with his comments said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cShe should do whatever she needs to do to win,\u201d the source said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n