Defenders of Vice President Kamala Harris say people who claim she was a “DEI hire” or was selected as President Joe Biden’s 2020 running mate because she is a Black woman are racist.
“This is a racist right-wing campaign. [and] “It’s misogynistic towards the vice president,” said Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.). Said CNN on Tuesday.
“While there was broad agreement among advisers that Biden should choose a woman of color, Biden remained attracted to both Whitmer and Warren.”
“These are just racist dog whistles,” he added. “Every time you hear the word ‘DEI,’ I want you to think about the N-word. I want you to think about the racist slur. What that actually means.”
But is it racism? Or is it true that Harris was chosen as Biden’s running mate because she is a black woman?
If you ask the late Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nevada), a former Democratic leader for decades, Harris’ skin color was crucial to the Biden team’s ultimate decision to choose her over other running mates.
“I think he came to the conclusion that he should choose a black woman,” Reed said. Said The New York Times, 2020.
In fact, Biden’s shortlist of vice presidential candidates included: only Women are at fault for Biden Promised in March 2020 He will only choose women, which will eliminate all Democratic men from the running.
that
List of women included The list includes Harris, Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), former Rep. Val Demings (D-Fla.), Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, as well as Susan Rice and Stacey Abrams.
The New York Times is important Revealed Biden himself had preferred someone other than Harris, but his “team” wanted him to choose a black woman.
The Times reported in August 2020:
By July, Biden and his team had converged on a theory for his decision, even if they hadn’t yet chosen an actual running mate: There was broad agreement among advisers that Biden should choose a woman of color.
NumberBut Biden continues to be drawn to both Whitmer and Warren.
Harris emerged as the front-runner for the post despite Biden’s reported personal preferences.
rear The killing of George Floyd in June 2020 sparked racial riots and unrest across the United States.
This national event prompted Democrats to launch a pressure campaign to force Biden to choose a black woman as his running mate.
At the time, the media reported the incident as follows:
- NPR: “Pressure grows for Joe Biden to choose a Black woman as his running mate.”
- The New York Times: “Will Biden’s running mate be black? More Democrats make their case.”
- CNN: “Black women publicly and privately campaign for Biden to choose a Black woman as his running mate”
- POLITICO: “Klobuchar denies VP speculation, urges Biden to choose woman of color”
- The Boston Globe: “Joe Biden was already under pressure to choose a black woman as his running mate, spurred on by outrage over the death of George Floyd.”
- Los Angeles Times: “Biden is under pressure to choose a black woman as his running mate. Who should he choose?”
- New York Post: “Joe Biden will select a woman of color as his running mate by August”
- The Wall Street Journal: “More Democratic Women Urge Joe Biden to Choose a Black Female Vice Presidential Runner”
- Associated Press: “‘Why not a black woman?’ Opinions grow over Vice President Biden”
- Axios: “Black Lives Matter co-founder says Biden should pick a Black woman for vice president”
In fact, Harris herself emphasized the diversity of Biden’s choices after her selection.
“Joe Biden had the audacity to pick a Black woman as his running mate. Isn’t that incredible? And what a great thing to say about Joe Biden,” she said. Said August 2020. “He was determined to break down one of the biggest barriers that existed in our country, and he did so knowing all the risks that came with it.”
Whether highlighting these facts is a good political strategy remains to be seen. Republican leaders I certainly don’t think so.
But it would be simply false to suggest that similar considerations of diversity, equity and inclusion were not at the forefront of Biden’s decision to select Harris as his running mate.
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