Democrat Howard Dean has asserted that the Democratic Party is preparing to rally behind Vice President Kamala Harris as the presidential nominee.
Howard argues that Democrats will back Harris to avoid a “bloodbath” if President Joe Biden drops out of the race.
Dean, who ran for president in 2004, told CNN that Democrats are investigating alternative options to running Biden in November.
“So what I – there’s not going to be chaos at the convention,” Dean said.
“If Biden doesn’t run, and this is totally his decision, it’s going to be Harris.
“And that’s just the way it is.”
Speculation about Biden’s future is running rampant since his disastrous debate performance on CNN.
Some Democrats have warmed to Harris as a logical solution to the party’s Biden problem.
Harris is Biden’s direct successor, after all.
Nominating Harris could help Democrats avoid a bruising intraparty squabble.
Her status as the first black female vice president is also seen as a feather in her cap, given the weight Democrats place on identity politics.
Despite rumors of a brutal knife fight, Dean predicted that there won’t be a “bloodbath” to replace Biden, however.
He argues that Democrats don’t have the time for a chaotic open convention.
“But there’s not going to be a big fight at the convention,” he asserts.
“There will be a few people, like Dean Phillips, who put his name in and got what he deserves.
“But it’s going to be cooked.”
Dean said it’s “just as well” that Harris gets the nomination because she polls better than any other Democrat candidate.
He appeared to be citing a far-fetched CNN poll that found Harris polling better against President Donald Trump than any other Democrat including Biden.
Harris also has institutional advantages since she is already connected to the Biden campaign, Dean said.
She can inherit Biden’s war chest in a way other candidates just can’t.
“Harris – there’s some financial reasons for this,” he said.
“Harris is a signatory to the Biden-Harris campaign, so the money can go to her.
“It can’t willy-nilly go to whoever else might end up – but there’s just not going to be a bloodbath.
“There’s not enough time for there to be a bloodbath.”
“There isn’t a single candidate other than Harris who can muster the organizational ability to run a presidential campaign, because she’s already got that ability because she’s been running this campaign or running in this campaign for months.”
WATCH:
For now, Harris and Biden are putting on a united front.
Biden has insisted he is not dropping out.
READ MORE – Top Democrat Calls for ‘Mini Primary’ to Select Kamala Harris’ VP Running Mate
