Before a Friday interview with Hugh Hewitt, you could count the number of times former President Donald Trump praised Vice President Kamala Harris on one finger — or less. But the 2024 Republican frontrunner managed to find something positive to say about Biden’s sidekick.

Asked by Hewitt if a vote for Joe Biden was actually a vote for Harris, Trump gave a telling response.

The Republican concurred, noting that it is uncertain whether Biden will even get to the “starting gate.” If he is unable to continue, Democrats “have to run her.”

Trump continued, “Yes, you’re locked into her. And she might be, I can’t say worse. I think she’d be better than him, actually. I actually think that.”

Backhanded praise, to be sure, as Biden is rounding out a historically inept first term in office. His poll numbers cratered even further in recent months to new lows rarely seen by a White House occupant.

Trump claims Kamala Harris would be a better president than Biden https://t.co/4jNoOmMGOe https://t.co/4jNoOmMGOe

— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) December 24, 2023

Trump’s words were slightly different than he had with Tucker Carlson in an August interview on X, formerly Twitter. The former president acknowledged that many people would like to see Harris removed from the Democratic ticket. 

It is common knowledge that she gives embarrassing performances at many speaking engagements.

The 2024 GOP candidate said he did not believe that certain factions would “stand for” Harris being unceremoniously booted. “She has some bad moments. Her moments are almost as bad as his, I think his are worse actually.” 

Trump added a parody of Harris’ style. “She speaks in, in rhyme. It’s weird, it’s weird. The way she talks, ‘The bus will go here. And then the bus will go there. Because that’s what buses do.’ It’s weird. The whole thing is weird.”

That August interview was also noteworthy for Trump’s prediction that Democrats will convene “some kind of a primary and other people will get involved.” He mentioned California Gov. Gavin Newsom as a possible new name on the 2024 ticket.

Just last week Harris took heat for comparing Trump to Adolf Hitler. She was riled by his comments that the millions of illegal migrants pouring across the southern border are “poisoning the blood of our country.”

Harris declared, “It is language that I think people have rightly found similar to the language of Hitler.” 

After that amateurish commentary, it is surprising that Trump had anything positive to say about the Democratic vice president.