PHILADELPHIA, Oct 16, 2024 (AFP) - US President Joe Biden said Tuesday that Kamala Harris would "cut her own path" if elected, as the Democratic nominee tries to convince voters she would bring change to the White House.

Vice President Harris came under fire from Republican rival Donald Trump last week after saying there was "not a thing comes to mind" when asked what she would have done differently from Biden.

"Every president has to cut their own path. That's what I did. I was loyal to Barack Obama but I cut my own path as president," Biden told a Democratic party dinner in Philadelphia.

"That's what Kamala's going to do. She's been loyal so far but she'll cut her own path."

Biden added: "Kamala's perspective on our problems will be fresh and new. Donald Trump's perspective is old and failed and quite frankly thoroughly totally dishonest."

Biden was vice president while Obama was in the White House from 2009 to 2017.

Biden's comments in the critical swing state of Pennsylvania were a clear attempt to support Harris, who replaced the 81-year-old Biden as the party's standard-bearer in July.

Harris has faced a balancing act between presenting herself as a "change candidate", but without disavowing the policies of the administration she has been part of for four years.

A New York Times/Siena poll one week ago found voters were marginally more likely to see her, rather than Trump, as a break from the status quo.

But Trump and his Republican allies pounced on Harris's comments made in an interview with a daytime TV show last week.

"There is not a thing that comes to mind... and I've been part of most of the decisions that have had impact," Harris said when asked how she would have done things differently from Biden.

The outgoing president meanwhile launched into a full-throated attack on Trump in his speech to local Democrats in Philadelphia.
Biden mocked Trump over a town hall that turned into a bizarre music session on Monday, saying: "'He stood on the stage for 30 minutes and danced. I'm serious. What's wrong with this guy?"

Biden also lashed out at Trump for "demonizing" migrants.

"Trump hides all his racism, now it's all out front. He has the same ideas on race as the 1930s. Trump's ideas on the economy are from the 20s. Trump's ideas on women are from the 50s," he said.