Kamala Harris: The Next Vice President?

The Democrats’ presidential candidate Joe Biden has finally announced who will be on his ticket for vice president. California Senator Kamala Harris is now officially the third woman to be chosen as a possible vice president by one of the two main parties. Before being elected as a senator, Harris worked as the attorney general of California, and a criminal prosecutor.

Biden tweeted to his followers:

“I have the great honor to announce that I’ve picked @KamalaHarris — a fearless fighter for the little guy, and one of the country’s finest public servants — as my running mate.

Back when Kamala was Attorney General, she worked closely with [Biden’s son] Beau. I watched as they took on the big banks, lifted up working people, and protected women and kids from abuse. I was proud then, and I’m proud now to have her as my partner in this campaign.”

Most polling over the last few months predicted that Harris would be Biden’s choice. At the beginning of his campaign, he promised to pick “a woman of color.”

Harris herself was a high-profile candidate for the role of Democrat presidential nominee, before dropping out due to lack of funds. One of the most attention-grabbing moments of her campaign was actually a debate appearance when she attacked Biden for his past willingness to work with segregationists. While she said she didn’t think Biden was racist, she criticized his past policies related to race and civil rights. It seems the rift between the two politicians has healed. Before becoming Biden’s choice for vice president, Harris endorsed his campaign in March 2020.

Many Democrats are pleased with her appointment, but some worry that in the present political climate, Harris being a former prosecutor could do more harm than good to the Biden campaign. Those who support the Black Lives Matter movement and defunding the police will not be happy that the VP pick is a career prosecutor.

The choice of running mate this time is especially important. If Joe Biden wins in November, he will be the oldest candidate to become president, meaning that his vice president may need to take over should his health fail. A recent poll by Rasmussen reported that 59% of voters believe Biden would not be able to complete a full four-year term; this included 49% of Democrat voters.

Harris is the first woman of color to run for the office of vice president in the United States. Win or lose, she will be remembered in history for this notable achievement.