Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden praised his Vice President Kamala Harris as “tough” and “capable” in an address to the nation from the Oval Office on Wednesday.

US Vice President Kamala Harris is the most suitable candidate for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination, White House Press Secretary Karin Jean Pierre asserted. With four years of experience, Pierre said no one is more qualified to be the Democratic Party's presidential candidate than U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris. Jean-Pierre's statement, made Wednesday, highlighted Harris' proven track record and leadership skills. Looking ahead to the upcoming presidential election, Harris' tenure and dedication to public service make her a strong contender.

“The vice president (Kamala Harris) has been the vice president for over four years. I don't see anyone more qualified to step in at this point. She was a senator. She was the attorney general…,” she said while addressing a White House briefing. Jean-Pierre noted that Kamala Harris was the president's partner in that decision, which President Joe Biden is proud of.

“I have listed what we have been able to achieve in the last three and a half, almost four years, it is an unprecedented record. She was a partner with the president. This is a decision that this president made and I think he (US President Joe Biden) is proud to have made that decision…,” she added.

Biden praises 'tough,' 'capable' Kamala Harris

US President Joe Biden praised his Vice President Kamala Harris as “tough” and “capable” in an address to the nation from the Oval Office on Wednesday. She has been an incredible partner for me and a leader for our country. Now, the choice is up to you, the American people,” he said days after dropping out of the race and endorsing her.

Biden dropped out of the race more than any other president in US history on Sunday (July 21), facing weeks of pressure from Democrats after his disastrous debate performance against Donald Trump raised concerns about his age and mental acuity. Biden was seeking re-election to the position as the Democratic Party's nominee.

Following this, Biden formally announced that he was abandoning plans for a second term in office and endorsed his running mate Kamala Harris for the election.

Harris' support among Democrats

Meanwhile, Harris has quickly gathered support among Democrats and has already won enough delegates to become the presumptive Democratic nominee. With Democrats adopting the rules the party will use to select its presidential nominee, voting to officially nominate Harris is expected to begin Aug. 1.

Harris will need to secure the support of a majority of delegates at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago in August.

Under rules approved Wednesday by the Democratic National Convention's rules panel, presidential candidates have until Saturday evening to formally declare their candidacy and by Tuesday, July 30, to submit the signatures of at least 300 delegates, with no more than 50 ballots counted in a single state. Towards the threshold, CNN reported.

Voting will be by electronic ballots sent to convention delegates. If only one candidate completes the petition requirements, which take into account how quickly the party has rallied around Harris, voting is expected to begin on August 1, although it will be up to party leaders to set the times for voting to start and end. If more than one candidate meets the requirements, party leaders can give candidates no more than five days to present their case to delegates, CNN reported.

The party has said it aims to nominate presidential and vice presidential candidates by Aug. 7 to avoid the possibility of a lawsuit over ballot access in Ohio. While the state has given political parties a deadline of September 1 to submit their official nominations, the new law will not come into effect until the end of August.

(with input from ANI)