Could Kamala become president? As calls for Biden to step aside swirl after debate calamity, Democratic insiders hint that Harris could be even WORSE

Vice President Kamala Harris has never been closer to the presidency after Joe Biden’s disastrous debate performance sent Democratic elites into a tailspin about their chances in the 2024 election.

As the vice president of the United States, Harris is the natural successor of the presidency if Biden steps down. But for years, Democrats have criticized Harris’ performance and feel she should not take over for Biden before the election.

One well-connected Democrat told DailyMail.com after the debate that the choice was between an ‘obviously broken Biden’ or Harris, describing the vice president as ‘extremely disliked’ and a ‘terrible’ politician.

‘I think I’d have a better shot with Biden,’ he said.

One Washington, DC political operative described to DailyMail.com the mood of Democrats on Friday morning.

‘Everybody’s going to try to resurrect Joe Biden today, but after that debate performance, Jesus Christ couldn’t be resurrected,’ he said.

He described the 'Kamala conundrum' as a result of Biden and Democrats playing the 'dangerous game' of identity politics to boost their numbers with the black community.

'She could be great for the base right?' he said. 'But you still need independent voters who just don't have confidence in her.'

Other Democrats conceded that Biden did not have a good night, but the party is not ready to replace him with Harris. 

‘You won’t find me telling Joe Biden to back down over one simple debate,’ one Democratic strategist said.

Democrats privately believe that Harris has been found wanting, but just like the conversation about Biden’s age, any comment criticizing the vice president’s performance is not allowed by the party. 

When reflecting on Biden's replacement, Democrats cited the well-known political risk of trying to replace Harris, the historic first black woman vice president with another white male.

Bakari Sellers, a former Representative from South Carolina and CNN commentator warned Democrats to steer away from the idea. 

'If Joe Biden were to drop out and anybody around this table thinks that you're going to take some white dude to jump Kamala Harris, then you will have a problem in the Democratic party. Right?' he said on CNN. 'That's not happening.'

Democrat strategists and donors are keenly watching the media performances of their possible top recruits as they ponder whether it’s worth the political risk to push Biden off of the ticket.

It was not lost on Democrats that Harris appeared unexpectedly on their television screens after the debate to defend Biden and his debate performance.

Harris appeared with CNN’s Anderson Cooper, MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow, and ABC News’ Linsey Davis to defend Biden.

Harris did her best, but even the vice president conceded that it was not Biden’s best night.

‘Listen, he did not get off to a strong start in that debate but he had a strong finish, and you know it was a slow start and a strong finish,' she said on CNN. 

Speaking off-site from the debate, Harris was wearing a large golden chain around her neck, which was identified on social media as a $62,000 Tiffany necklace. 

Harris dodged questions about whether Biden should step aside and urged Democrats to look at the bigger picture.  

'The bottom line is this: Let us not decide the outcome of whose going to be president of the United States based on a 90 minute debate,’ she said. 

Former White House press secretary Jen Psaki theorized that Harris' appearance was a last minute Hail Mary play by the Biden campaign to distract from Biden's performance. 

'You don't send the vice president of the United States out if you won the debate, typically,' she said on MSNBC Thursday night. 

Around the same time, California Governor Gavin Newsom was in the debate hall making his pitch to nervous Democrats.

But rather than concede defeat, Newsom scolded nervous Democrats for even thinking of replacing the president calling those comments ‘unhelpful and unnecessary.’

“You don’t turn your back because of one performance. What kind of party does that?’ He asked. ‘This president has delivered. We need to deliver for him at this moment.’

Earlier in the night, he exclusively told DailyMail.com that claims he could replace Joe Biden on the presidential ticket are 'farcical.'

Pollster Nate Silver excoriated Biden’s performance in a morning-after article, finally urging him to drop out after putting Democrats in a ‘terrible position.’

‘If you’re a Democrat, you should be angry at these people for putting you in this predicament. The same goes for special interest groups who insisted that Kamala Harris ought to be VP - against Biden’s initial instincts,’ he wrote.

But Silver admitted that Harris or Newsom could be better than Trump.

‘Give me Harris at this point, who at least is more of a blank slate,’ he wrote, adding that ‘Harris and Newsom are very much not my preferred options — but I prefer them to Biden.’

Former Obama speechwriter Jon Lovett conceded on the Pod Save America podcast that the party was in an uproar after the debate.

‘Nobody knows what Joe Biden is going to do, Kamala Harris is doing f***ing improv with Anderson Cooper, Gavin Newsom doesn’t know, everyone is figuring this out,’ Jon Lovett.

Lovett urged everyone to wait until the party sorted out the future and said the choice of whether or not Biden should stay in the race was ultimately up to Biden.

‘We’re not doomed until the election is over and a lot can change between now and then, nobody knows what’s going to happen and lets just take it one step at a time,’ he concluded.

Another Democratic strategist told DailyMail.com he was looking forward to the July Fourth holiday weekend, indicating a week-long break from politics could help calm the party. 

'Maybe two weeks,' he added.