Behind the Curtain: Trump's Kamala Harris plan

Former President Trump strongly prefers running against President Biden than another Democrat, particularly after reviewing the latest polling. But he's preparing a brutal assault on Vice President Kamala Harris if she's the nominee, advisers tell us.

Why it matters: Trump's attacks on her would surprise few. He'd argue Harris is too liberal, too hostile to business and secure borders, and too inexperienced, weak and phony to be president. But some of his advisers are quite concerned that a fresh, youthful, non-Biden ticket presents a bigger threat than Trump assumes.

President Biden insisted again Thursday in an unscripted remark, after a supporter at a Fourth of July event on the White House South Lawn yelled that they needed him, and to keep up the fight: "You got me, man! I'm not going anywhere."

But among political players in both parties, coast to coast, the holiday was consumed by backstage conversations about contingencies if Biden dropped out.