In her first speech following President Joe Biden’s decision to withdraw from the November 5 presidential race and endorse her candidacy, Vice President Kamala Harris lauded Mr Biden’s achievements as surpassing those of his predecessors who served two terms in office.

Speaking on Monday during a White House event celebrating NCAA championship teams, Ms Harris described the president’s legacy as “unmatched” in U.S. modern history.

“In one term, he has already surpassed the legacy of most presidents who served two terms in office,” she asserted.

Ms Harris’s reference to two-term presidents includes former Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and others who served two terms before Mr Biden.

Her comments came approximately 24 hours after Mr Biden, facing mounting pressure, ended his re-election bid and threw his support behind Ms Harris for the upcoming November election.

Calls for Mr Biden to step down from the race were ignited by his lacklustre performance during the June presidential debate. Mr Biden’s incoherence and inability to properly articulate his thoughts during the debate sparked criticism and concerns about his mental and cognitive acuity.

As of Monday, a majority of elected Democrats have also endorsed Ms Harris for the presidency. If she wins her party’s nomination, she will face Republican Party presidential candidate Donald Trump.