Good morning, Broadsheet readers! New U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer appoints a record number of women to his cabinet, Marine Le Pen's party is upset in French elections, and this may just be Kamala Harris's moment. Enjoy your Monday!
- Put her in, coach? The United States’ path to a possible female president has been anything but easy. From the shattered illusion of Hillary Clinton’s thwarted 2016 White House bid—with a still-intact Javits Center glass ceiling and poignant white pantsuits—to this past week-and-a-half, when talk of replacing President Joe Biden with Vice President Kamala Harris atop the Democratic ticket suddenly turned serious.
Following Biden’s lackluster debate performance, Harris is back in the spotlight as a viable alternative amid increasing concern from voters, fellow Democrats, and donors about Biden's age (81) and mental fitness. The list of Democrats calling for Biden to step down and pass the baton to the next generation of Democrats has grown, including from an anonymous coalition of business leaders, a handful of members of Congress, Hollywood donors, and some other big-name supporters like donor Abigail Disney. While pundits endlessly debate Biden’s ability to serve a second term and to defeat Donald Trump—and Biden declares an unequivocal, “I’m running,” reiterated in a letter to Democrats this morning—Harris has remained focused on the Biden-Harris ticket against Trump. She spoke at Essence Fest on Saturday, where she did not address calls for her to replace her boss on the ticket.
Whatever you think about Biden’s future as the Democratic Party’s nominee, questions remain: What if this is how we get our first female president? And if so, what does that mean about the state of women’s leadership in this country?
In 2020, Harris was a compelling candidate in a crowded primary field—so much so that Biden picked her as his running mate, a nod to the Democratic Party’s most loyal base: Black women. Her election as vice president was historic, making her the highest-ranking female elected official in U.S. history. Since then, the 59-year-old has been saddled with some of the Biden administration’s toughest assignments, from the U.S.-Mexico border to voting rights—and often gone viral for her eccentric laugh. (Search “coconut-pilled” on social media for more if you're unacquainted with all the Harris-inspired memes.)
Certainly, Harris would probably prefer to win a primary outright on her own merits, rather than sub in at the last minute. Some pundits have called attention to other strong, younger candidates, including Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. However, Harris’s status—already on the ticket—makes her the obvious and easiest choice to move to the top. The Wall Street Journal reports that a document making the rounds with Democratic operatives argues that Harris is “the 'one realistic path out of this mess.’” Plus, bypassing the first Black female vice president in favor of another candidate wouldn’t look good this late in the game.
If Harris becomes the nominee and wins, her tenure will no doubt come with an asterisk since she may not have beaten a crowded field in a full primary. If she becomes the nominee and loses, blame may fall on Biden for dragging this out, but it could also land on Harris (and, by extension, any future female candidate) for failing to seal the deal.
It’s not the picture-perfect moment so many Clinton supporters imagined in 2016. But eight years and a political lifetime later, it’s unlikely any milestone will seem that simple again.
Emma Hinchliffe
emma.hinchliffe@fortune.com
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