Jul 20, 2020 - Politics & Policy

Biden says 4 Black women are on his list of potential running mates

Joe Biden said Monday that four Black women are on his list of potential running mates, and that his vetting team has so far briefed him on a total of four candidates — with more to come.

The big picture: Biden is expected to announce his VP pick, which he has pledged will be a woman but not necessarily a woman of color, before the Democratic National Convention on Aug. 17.

  • "It's important that my administration, I promise you, will look like America — from vice president to Supreme Court to Cabinet positions to every major position in the White House," Biden told MSNBC's Joy Reid.

The state of play: Biden said his team is finishing up its six-week "detailed analysis" of each candidate, and that he's received two-hour vetting reports on about four of them so far.

  • "When I get all the vetting done of all the candidates, I’m going to narrow the list," Biden said. "Then I’m going to have personal discussions with each of the candidates who are left and make a decision."
  • Sen. Kamala Harris, Rep. Val Demings, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, Rep. Karen Bass, former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams and former national security adviser Susan Rice are among the Black women believed to be on Biden's shortlist.
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