The presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden has named former rival, senator Kamala Harris as his vice-presidential running mate.
It is a historic choice as if elected, the California senator would be the nation’s first female, first black and first Asian American vice president.
Harris, who ran against Biden for the presidential nomination, is a daughter of immigrants from India and Jamaica. She is the first black and the first Asian American woman to be nominated by a majority party.
Kamala Harris is one of “the country’s finest public servants,” Biden said in a series of tweets on Tuesday.
Harris has extensive experience in public service – she was elected to the Senate in 2016. Besides, she also served as Californa’s Attorney General and San Francisco’s district attorney before that.
Her run in the primary began with a direct shot at Joe Biden during the presidential debates in June last year. She openly confronted him over his past opposition to federally funded integrated busing in the 1970s. Harris said it was ”hurtful” to her as she was part of the second class to integrate her public school in California.
Although their clash during the presidential debates, Harris and Biden have become strong supporters and voices of authority on racial injustice issues in the wake of the police killing of George Floyd.
As a senator and a member of the Senate Intelligence and Judiciary committees, Harris questioned Trump’s administration on police reform and immigration policy.
According to political scientists, her nomination for a vice president is of great consequence not only for the immediate Democratic party’s prospects but also for its future.
During his campaign, Biden has always labeled himself as a ”transitional candidate” and ”a bridge” to a new generation of leaders. His words fueled speculations that he would not run for a second term if elected.
Therefore, he may not only be choosing a running mate but also a potential successor in the White House, analysts said.
Asked to comment on Kamala Harris’s nomination, President Trump did not hide his surprise with Biden’s decision. Trump said that Harris had told ”many, many stories that weren’t true,” adding that she did ”very, very poorly” in the primaries despite the higher expectations. Trump also noted that she was ”very disrespectful” towards Biden during the debates.
Former President Barack Obama highlighted that Biden ”nailed this decision” in choosing Kamala Harris for his potential vice president.
”Senator Harris is more than prepared for the job,” Obama concluded.
Do you agree or disagree with him?