US: Joe Biden picks Indian-origin Kamala Harris as running mate
What's the story
White House hopeful Joe Biden picked Kamala Harris, a first-time senator from California as his running mate on Tuesday, welcoming a colleague in his battle against President Donald Trump who had opposed him in Democratic primaries before ending her own Presidential run. Harris, 55, is the first Black Woman and person of Indian descent to be fighting on a known party's presidential ticket.
Career
Harris's mother is Indian, father Jamaican
Born to Chennai's Shyamala Gopalan Harris and Donald Harris, a Jamaican man who teaches at Stanford University, Harris grew up in Oakland. She got an undergraduate degree from Howard University and went on to obtain a law degree from the University of California. In 2003, she became San Francisco's District Attorney. Years later, in 2017, she took oath as a senator from California.
Looking back
Harris fiercely opposed Biden in earlier debates
Harris's selection is unusual, if not totally surprising. Biden's camp had inhibitions about her more so after she ambushed him on stage during primaries. She reminded Biden of his alleged opposition to school busing, a practice followed in the US to transport kids together in a bus to minimize racial discrimination. Harris said Biden's actions in the 1970s hurt her.
Quote
Little girl from California was affected: Harris had told Biden
"There was a little girl in California who was a part of the second class to integrate her public schools and she was bused to school every day. And that little girl was me," Harris had told Biden in the full camera view.
Looking back
Earlier, Biden pledged to make a woman his VP nominee
Political watchers believe it was Harris's familiarity with the national campaign and her fierce attitude that helped her case. Biden, who himself has served as Vice President to former President Barack Obama for eight years, had announced in March that he would select a woman as his running mate. Notably, never has any woman served as US' President or Vice-President.
Candidates
Warren was being considered as well but Biden chose Harris
Now, Harris was chosen after much deliberation. Names of Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Florida Rep. Val Demings, California Rep. Karen Bass, Susan Rice, who was the national security adviser in the Obama regime, and Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms did the rounds. Reportedly, Biden spoke to all contenders before taking a pick. He and Harris are set to appear at Wilmington together on Wednesday.
Announcement
She is a fearless fighter: Biden on Harris
Biden informed his supporters of his decision via a text message that read "Joe Biden here. Big news: I've chosen Kamala Harris as my running mate. Together, with you, we're going to beat Trump." Separately, in a tweet, he called Harris "a fearless fighter." Thereafter, Harris wrote that Biden will "unify America." "I'm honored to join him as our party's nominee for Vice President," she added.
Twitter Post
"Will do what it takes to make him our Commander-in-Chief"
.@JoeBiden can unify the American people because he's spent his life fighting for us. And as president, he'll build an America that lives up to our ideals.
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) August 11, 2020
I'm honored to join him as our party's nominee for Vice President, and do what it takes to make him our Commander-in-Chief.
Reaction
Meanwhile, Trump called Harris "meanest, most horrible US senator"
Trump also reacted to the news and didn't have good things to say about Harris. He said he was a little taken aback that Biden picked her considering that she was "nasty" to him during debates. Remembering Harris's stand during the Brett Kavanaugh episode, Trump added, "I thought she was the meanest, the most horrible, the most disrespectful of anybody in the US Senate."