Kamala Harris passionately defends Biden while her supporters prepare to rally behind her if he decides to step down.

 Kamala Harris passionately defends Biden while her supporters prepare to rally behind her if he decides to step down.

**WASHINGTON** — In the week following President Joe Biden’s disappointing debate performance, Vice President Kamala Harris has emerged as one of his strongest defenders, both publicly and privately. She has also garnered significant support to succeed him on the ticket if he were to step down.

NBC News spoke with seven sources who emphasized that while Harris is dedicated to bolstering confidence in Biden, her loyal allies are making it clear that she would have broad support across the party should she need to step into the lead role. These allies, including numerous Black Democrats, have stated they would strongly oppose any attempts to sideline her this year.

“I think she’s done very well on her feet,” said the Rev. Al Sharpton, who continues to support Biden as the party’s nominee but believes Harris should not be overlooked if Biden steps down. “She’s always been good. I think she’s just better. And I think that she’s better than any of the names that have been floated out there.”

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Sharpton, a civil rights activist and MSNBC host, added that any effort to cast aside Harris, the first woman, Black person, and person of South Asian descent to serve as vice president, is motivated by racism and misogyny. “If anyone tried it, they better know I’m on the tracks to block the train from going ahead,” he said. “When people voted for Biden to be the nominee, they were voting for the Biden-Harris ticket. There is no legitimate excuse to separate that ticket.”

Immediately after the debate, Harris appeared on television to deliver a strong defense of Biden. Three sources familiar with the interviews said Harris received no official talking points and had very little time to prepare. Her prompt response provided Democrats with a strategy for defending Biden, which has been repeatedly used since she said on CNN: “I’m not going to spend all night with you talking about the last 90 minutes when I’ve been watching the last 3½ years of performance.”

Democrats have also followed her lead in attacking former President Donald Trump for spreading “lies” and causing “damage across the country,” emphasizing their focus on defeating Trump in November. 

Harris’ ability to quickly counter questions about Biden’s energy and capability for a second term has helped diminish criticism that has long plagued her, including doubts about her effectiveness in the administration and her ability to win the presidency. The Biden campaign has used her interviews as talking points to defend the president, and some Democrats have quietly suggested that her performance indicates she should be the party’s candidate if Biden steps aside.

Meanwhile, Harris has been in regular communication with party leaders, civil rights activists, and donors to reassure them about the path forward with Biden as the nominee and to help unify the party. Four sources who spoke directly with Harris said she has reiterated her loyalty to Biden and reminded them that he has overcome difficult challenges before, including his uncertain path in the 2020 primaries.

A person familiar with Harris’ thinking conveyed her message: “We are ready for this fight. Let’s stay positive. Head down. And let’s execute, because we have a lot of work to do.”

On Wednesday, Biden and Harris joined an all-staff call with their campaign team, delivering similar messages. “We will not back down,” Harris said. “We will follow our president’s lead. We will fight, and we will win. Joe Biden has devoted his life to fighting for the people of our country. In this moment, I know all of us are ready to fight for him.”

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Leah D. Daughtry, a Democratic political strategist close to Harris’ office, echoed this sentiment, urging Democrats to focus on defeating Trump. “President Biden had a bad night,” Daughtry said. “To ignore his body of work over the last 3½ years and what he has delivered during his presidency is really quite unforgiving and quite stunning, in my opinion.”

Inside Harris’ office, she and her senior leadership have consistently instructed staffers to focus on supporting Biden as the top of the ticket and not to engage in discussions about replacing him, according to two sources who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Donna Brazile, a veteran Democratic strategist and former chair of the Democratic National Committee, dismissed talk of replacing Biden as “an attack on the democratic process” and “utter nonsense.” She said, “How can we say we are the party to preserve and strengthen democracy and then overturn the will of the American people? That’s why none of us who are delegates are even having this conversation.”