Presumptive Democratic nominee for president Joe Biden has shared some details about the deadline for choosing his running mate.
Speculation has stirred for months about who the former vice president will choose to run alongside him on Election Day. The Week reported last Friday that Biden was down to four picks: U.S. Rep. Val Demings, U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris, U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms.
On Tuesday, Biden told the media he is eyeing an “early August” deadline to share who his VP pick will be, according to CBS News political correspondent Ed O’Keefe.
“Several weeks before the convention, I believe,” he told O’Keefe in an interview.
Biden says he is eyeing an "early August" deadline to make his VP pick, but does not commit to a specific date
— Johnny Verhovek (@JTHVerhovek) June 30, 2020
"Several weeks before the convention, I believe," he tells @edokeefe
As previously reported by the AJC's Tim Darnell, Biden committed to choosing a female running mate earlier this year. He has also said he would appoint a black woman to the U.S. Supreme Court, which would be a first.
In the interview with O’Keefe, he confirmed he would not share a list of the Black women being considered for the court until he’s further in the vetting process.
.@JoeBiden also tells @edokeefe he won’t release a list of the Black women he is considering for Supreme Court until they are further along in the vetting process.
— Rebecca Kaplan (@RebeccaRKaplan) June 30, 2020
VP announcement timeline? Early August, he says.
As the November election draws near, several Black Democrats are reportedly torn between his two most well-known potential VP options: Warren and Harris. Since the death of George Floyd, the emphasis on considering diversity in the second most-powerful position in the country has increased.
In a June CBS News poll, Warren topped the list of prospects that Democrats wanted Biden to consider, followed by Harris. Warren also led among Black Democrats, with 72% saying she should be considered, with 60% backing Harris.
Biden confirmed in a May appearance with MSNBC that he would consider "more than one Black woman" as his vice presidential candidate. He also said in a CBS interview earlier this month that he wants a running mate who will challenge him philosophically.
“It’s really important that whomever you pick as a vice president agrees with you in terms of your philosophy of government and agrees with you on the systemic things that you wanna change,” Biden told anchor and managing editor for “CBS Evening News” Norah O'Donnell. “And is, in fact, going to be able to be someone who is not at all intimidated by the president, not at all intimidated walkin’ in the White House. And is going to be prepared to give their unvarnished opinion and be able to privately argue with the president if they disagree. I want someone strong. I want someone strong, and someone who can — who is ready to be president on day one.”
