November 19, 2021 | Michael Perry
Kamala Harris made history by becoming the first female Vice President of the United States. Today, at least for a short while, she became the first woman to assume the powers of the Presidency. As Joe Biden was placed under anesthesia for a routine colonoscopy, Harris was given a temporary transfer of power.
CNN reports that the VP typically will take over Presidential powers when the President is unable to perform their duties. Since Biden was under anesthesia for the procedure, the torch was temporarily passed. Today marked Joe Biden’s first physical exam as President.
Harris is not only the first female to assume the powers of both offices, but she’s also the first black and South Asian VP. Her day will continue relatively normally, but in the event of a national crisis, she will have the keys. President Biden should be just fine, though.
In recent times, Vice President Dick Cheney assumed power while George W. Bush underwent his routine colonoscopies. Donald Trump hid his 2019 colonoscopy from the public so he wouldn’t have to transfer power to Vice President Mike Pence, according to former White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham.
While it’s a far leap from being elected POTUS, it’s a historic moment for sure. Kamala Harris broke plenty of barriers when she became Vice President. Today, she became the most powerful woman in the history of the United States, even if it’s just for a little bit.
Biden appears to be generally healthy, but he is the oldest first-term President in U.S. history. The most recent public update was in 2019, when then-candidate Biden released a medical history summary from his primary care physician. He was described as a healthy, vigorous person at the time.
What do you think of this historic moment? Let us know in the comments!
