Team Kamala rallies to create path for power for the vice president as Democrats call for Biden to step aside

Democrats supporting Kamala Harris for president are gathering behind the scenes to plan the vice president's ascension to power, even as she is continuing to publicly support President Joe Biden.

Publicly, Harris is not doing any of the planning, but NBC and Politico reports that her supporters are quietly organizing to make sure they are ready if Biden steps down.

Harris and her supporters want to move quickly to solidify power, should Biden abandon his reelection campaign as a growing number of congressional Democrats call for him to step aside.

As vice president, Harris is the natural successor to Biden, but her performance in the first three years in office has left many Democrat donors skeptical about her chances in the 2024 presidential elections.

Their biggest fear is that party elites and donors will try and push her aside for an open convention, allowing Democrats to select a preferred candidate, rather than a coronation of Harris as Biden's successor.

Vice President Kamala Harris samples ice cream at the opening of the SMiZE & Dream ice cream pop-up shop

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez warned followers on social media on Thursday that there was still a significant opposition to Harris among party elites.

'I'm just going to say it. If you think that there is consensus among the people who want Joe Biden to leave that Kamala, that they will support Kamala, Vice President Harris, you would be mistaken,' she said.

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has proposed an open process to pick Biden's successor, rather than automatically selecting Harris, according to reports.

Harris' most influential supporter is former President Barack Obama, who not only supported her as Biden's choice for vice president, but would likely step in to support her claim to succeed him, according to Axios. 

Even as VP, Harris does not have the natural grassroots support or enough elite donors to automatically sweep her into power. 

But Harris supporters argue she as a number of political strengths that would play well on the campaign trail.  

President Joe Biden, left, and US Vice President Kamala Harris on the Truman Balcony of the White House in Washington, DC

Vice President Kamala Harris reacts as President Joe Biden shakes hands with former President Barack Obama at the White House 

Her supporters cite her popularity with younger voters as well as among voters of color, and her performance as a fierce advocate for abortion rights.

Strategists supporting Harris are preparing the case for the vice president, arguing she could do better than Biden at mobilizing black voters in Southern states such as Georgia and North Carolina, according to NBC.

A growing number of Democrats are describing themselves as 'coconut-pilled,' after an video of Harris talking about coconut trees went viral. 

In May 2023, Harris spoke to young people, urging them to exist in the context of family members who came before them.

She quoted her mother saying, 'I don’t know what’s wrong with you young people. You think you just fell out of a coconut tree?' as she laughed. 

The video resurfaced in early July, drawing more attention to Harris.  

'F**k it, I'm coconut pilled. I just want this to stop,' said one well-known Democratic operative to CNN.  

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris campaigns at Westover High School in Fayetteville, North Carolina,

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris boards Air Force Two as she departs on campaign travel to North Carolina

The political action committee EMILY's List, which centers on supporting abortion rights, has already helped prop up Harris with more than ten million to improve her public standing.

Rep. Jim Clyburn, the political kingmaker who helped Biden in South Carolina, told supporters that Harris should be Biden's replacement, if Biden stepped down.

In the meantime, Harris is asserting herself on the stage as Biden rests at his home in Delaware with his family after contracting the coronavirus.

After campaigning in Michigan and North Carolina last week, Harris plans to appear at a Cape Cod, Massachusetts fundraiser on Saturday followed by a campaign trip to Milwaukee on Tuesday.