Joe Biden Says He’d Consider Kamala Harris for VP: ‘She’s Qualified to Be President’
Former Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden dropped something of a bomb during a local interview, saying he would consider Senator Kamala Harris for “anything she was interested in” including the vice presidency, and declared, “She’s qualified to be president.”
In an interview with The Sacramento Bee that was published this week, the former vice president did much more than tease a potential Biden/Harris ticket.
“One thing that people miss in California is Kamala Harris,” Bee political reporter Bryan Anderson said, then asked Biden “What positions would you consider her for under your presidency?”
“Anything she’d be interested in,” Biden replied.
“Including vice president?” Anderson asked.
“She’s qualified to be president, and I’d consider her for anything that she would be interested in,” Biden said, without hesitation.
The former VP was also asked about the lack of diversity on the debate stage, and he said “Well, you know, I wish more people were on the debate stage.”
“The fact is that, if you notice, I get more support from black and brown constituents than anybody in this race,” Biden continued. “That’s where I come from. I come from the African-American community. That’s my base. We’re the eighth largest black population (as a percentage) in the United States in my state. That’s how I got started.”
“And so, I think there’s some really qualified people, but it’s the way, you know, the way the polls are running, the way things are moving,” Biden said, adding “I’m not sure this whole debate set-up has made any sense anyway to begin with. But it is what it is. But I tell you what: If I’m elected president, I promise you my administration is gonna look like America.”
Biden made the remarks on Friday, but the video was published Tuesday.
Since then, Biden participated in a Democratic presidential debate during which he repeatedly touted his support among black voters, and The Washington Post released a poll that not only reinforced that support, but indicated that 27 percent of black voters nationally consider it “very important” for a white candidate to select a black running mate.
Candidates normally play veepstakes questions close to the vest, and while Biden didn’t explicitly make the offer, this sort of pronouncement would be tough to walk back from.
Watch the full interview above via The Sacramento Bee.
