Joe Biden Not-So-Subtly Shoots Down Klobuchar Running Mate Buzz, Strongly Hints at Black VP
Former Vice President and current presumptive Democratic nominee for president Joe Biden distanced himself from renewed speculation about Sen. Amy Klobuchar as a possible running mate, and strongly hinted his eventual selection could be a black woman.
On Thursday, CBS News’ Ed O’Keefe lit a fire under Klobuchar’s buzz with the scoop that she’s been asked to undergo vetting for the VP slot, which caused quite a stir. Radio host Charlamagne tha God asked Biden about the report toward the end of a radio interview Friday morning.
“A lot of people on social media, they weren’t too happy about that, and it’s because they want your running mate to be a black woman,” Charlamagne said, and referenced a recent Washington Post op-ed “by some of the leading black women voices in this country” making the case for why Biden should pick a black woman as his running mate.
“They feel black women are such a loyal voting bloc, and black people saved your political life in the primaries this year, they have things they want from you. And one of them is a black woman running mate. What do you say to them?” he asked.
“Well what I say to them is that I’m not acknowledging anybody who is being considered, but I guarantee you there are multiple black women being considered,” Biden replied, then repeated “Multiple.”
Biden also gave an extensive interview on Friday morning’s edition of Squawk Box, during which he dropped a few more hints that a white running mate isn’t likely.
When anchor Becky Quick made mention of Senator Elizabeth Warren, “who’s been mentioned as a frequent potential running mate for you,” Biden let out a laugh at the reference,
Quick went on to ask an unrelated question about Klobuchar, and said as an aside that the Minnesota senator has “actually been asked to undergo the vetting process to be a potential running mate for you.”
Biden made a point of interrupting to say Yeah, I don’t know that, by the way.”
As Connie Schultz, whose husband is Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown, pointed out on Thursday, the scoop was rather meaningless.
This coverage of VP vetting is silly. A presumed nominee typically vets numerous candidates, & some choose to keep it to themselves. Sherrod was vetted in 2016. It was a long and intrusive process, and a secretive one. Speculation is folly.
— Connie Schultz (@ConnieSchultz) May 21, 2020
Whoever leaked it was either trying to gauge reaction, or ignite buzz around the choice. But Biden’s reactions in these two interviews are strong hints that all of the voluminous predictions that he’ll select Senator Kamala Harris as his running mate are closer to the truth.
Watch the clips above via CNBC and The Breakfast Club.
