Cory Booker Asked by Maddow If He’ll Choose Woman VP: ‘I’ll Be Looking to Women First’
New Jersey Senator and Democratic presidential candidate Cory Booker stopped short of promising to pick a woman as his running mate, but said he “will be looking to women first” to share a ticket should he win the nomination.
On Tuesday night’s edition of MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow Show, Sen. Booker sat for a three-segment interview that showcased signature issues like criminal justice reform, his thoughts on Trump attorney general nominee William Barr, as well as Booker’s optimistic brand of politics.
Toward the end of the interview, host Rachel Maddow asked a particularly relevant question to this year’s Democratic candidates.
“Let me ask you about the big field you’re joining,” Maddow said. “A lot of women, and especially a lot of your women Senate colleagues are already running. You are blessed among women in the field right now.”
“Yes,” Booker agreed.
“If you got the nomination, would you commit to choosing a woman as your vice presidential running mate?” Maddow asked.
“I think it would be malpractice, I’m not going to make any specific commitments,” Booker said, but added that “we have such a great field of leaders, I think you’ll rarely see a Democratic ticket anymore without gender diversity, race diversity. I think it’s something we should have.”
“I’m not going to box myself in, but should I come to it, you know I’ll be looking to women first,” Booker said.
Maddow also asked if the coming primary campaign can be “competitive and tough and trying, while still being what you want from public life?”
“Look, we have great people running,” Booker replied. “This is actually an abundance of riches for the Democratic Party. I hope whoever wins, we all support.”
He added that “it’s not just about beating Trump, it’s not just about what we’re against. It has to be what we’re for, bringing this country together to solve serious problems.”
Booker has joined a field of Democrats that includes six women, including four of Booker’s Senate colleagues.
Watch the clip above, via MSNBC.
[Image via screengrab]
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