Biden says Kamala Harris is ‘qualified to be president’
Washington, Jul 12: US President Joe Biden on Thursday said his deputy, Vice President Kamala Harris, is "qualified" to lead the country.
At a high-stake press conference here on Thursday, Biden said, “From the very beginning, I made no bones about that. She is qualified to be the president. That's why I picked her.”
When asked about the reasons for this, he said “Firstly because of the way she's handled the issue of freedom of women's bodies, to have control of their bodies and secondly, her ability to handle almost any issue on the board.”
“This was a hell of a prosecutor. She was a first-rate person and in the Senate, she was really good. I wouldn't have picked her unless I thought she was qualified to be the president,” Biden said.
Harris, 59, is the first woman, the first Black American, and the first South Asian American to be elected as US Vice President in 2020.
Biden's remarks on Harris came amidst growing calls for the 81-year-old to step aside from the race for the White House in November since he stumbled through a TV debate with his Republican rival Donald Trump last month.
The president mistakenly referred to Kamala Harris as former president Trump during the press conference. He said, “I wouldn't have picked Trump to be the vice president, did I think she was not qualified to be president….”
“The fact is that the consideration is that I think I'm the most qualified person to run for president. I beat him once and I will beat him again,” Biden said.
“The idea that senators and congressmen are running for office worrying about the ticket is not unusual. And I might add, there were at least five presidents running or incumbent presidents who had lower numbers than I have now later in a campaign,” he said.
So, there's a long way to go in this campaign and so I'm just going to keep moving, Biden, the presumptive candidate of the Democratic Party, said.
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CEC orders immediate arrest of those involved in post-poll violence in Bengal: Official
Kolkata (PTI): Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar directed the authorities concerned to immediately arrest those involved in post-poll violence and vandalism in West Bengal, an official said on Wednesday.
The Election Commission's directive came after two persons were killed in alleged incidents of post-poll violence in the state on Tuesday, besides scores of party offices being ransacked.
The CEC issued instructions to the West Bengal chief secretary, director general of police, Kolkata police commissioner and directors general of central armed police forces, along with all district magistrates, superintendents of police and other officials, to maintain continuous patrolling in sensitive areas, he said.
"Those responsible for inciting violence and carrying out acts of vandalism must be arrested immediately," the official said, quoting the CEC's instruction.
The chief election commissioner also stressed the need for swift and firm enforcement of the law, he added.
This directive came amid concerns over law and order in parts of the state, with the Election Commission closely monitoring the situation, he added.
"We have been asked to remain on high alert and ensure that any attempt to disturb peace is dealt with firmly," a senior police officer said.
The state authorities have intensified vigil across districts, with coordinated efforts between the police and central forces to prevent any untoward incident, he added.
The assembly elections were held in West Bengal in two phases - April 23 and 29. The counting of votes took place on May 4.
The BJP sealed a landslide victory with 207 seats in the 294-member assembly, ending the TMC's uninterrupted 15-year rule in the state.
