Page 8 - Florida Sentinel 8-14-20

Political
Joe Biden picked Califor- nia Sen. Kamala Harris to be his vice presidential run- ning mate.
It's a historic pick. But there's a lot more to it than that.
Here are five takeaways: 1. Biden picking Harris is a statement on what it means to
be American.
Joe Biden picking Kamala
Harris as his running mate is historic. No Black or South Asian American woman has ever been on a major-party ticket in U. S. history. Black voters, especially Black women, are pillars of the Dem- ocratic Party and were key to Biden's victory in the contest for the nomination.
Because of his choice, it's possible Black voters will turn out at levels needed for Biden to win in key states such as Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsyl- vania, North Carolina and else- where. But beyond his calculus of how his choice will affect the
SEN. KAMALA HARRIS
and not a "Hail Mary" — is progress in America's long reckoning with racism.
2. His choice shows Biden is willing to listen to those who disagree or have attacked him. Picking a running mate shows something about the decision- making of a potential presi- dent. Trump said he was surprised Biden picked Har- ris, in part, because she was "disrespectful" toward him during the primary.
That's perhaps not surpris- ing to hear from Trump be- cause the president values fealty. But with this pick, Biden showed that people around him shouldn't be afraid to speak out, that it won't get someone thrown under the bus or "canceled."
Biden has said he wants his VP to serve in a similar way to how he served with Obama — someone he can rely on for un- varnished advice whom he can trust and be the last person he talks to before making big de- cisions.That grace is almost a bookend to Barack Obama picking Biden as his VP. Many were surprised Obama selected Biden after he had referred to Obama as "clean" and "articulate," which were widely seen as racist remarks. But Obama and Biden not only got over it, they became close confidantes.
3. Trump is struggling to find an effective attack on Harris.
President Trump went after Harris on Tuesday as "mean," "nasty" and "disre- spectful."
"I thought she was the meanest, the most horrible, disrespectful of anyone in the U. S. Senate," Trump said from the White House on Tuesday, adding, "I would have thought Biden would have tried to stay away from that a little bit."
Trump also went after Harris for her questioning of now-Justice Brett Ka- vanaugh. But calling her names may only serve to fire up women and the Democratic base. And Democrats see her questioning of Kavanaugh during his confirmation hear- ings as a strength, not a weak- ness.
A video put out by the Trump campaign labels her "phony." But the epithet was pretty cookie cutter and didn't really lay out a case for ques- tioning Harris' authenticity. For example, she faced criti- cism during the Democratic primary for changing posi- tions. She also lacked a clear campaign message, but that won't matter much now — Biden's message will be her
message and she can deliver an argument. Trump also hit Harris with a laundry list of policy attacks, from health care and military funding to accusing her of wanting to raise taxes and being against fracking. But that's all pretty generic stuff against a Democ- rat.
Progressives were also vexed by Harris' record as a prosecutor in California, but Trump didn't seem prepared to drive that wedge, either. And it'll be tough to do so, as the historic nature of a Harris pick will likely overshadow qualms progressives have with her on policy.
4. Harris will likely hold up well in a debate with Pence.
The first rule of being a vice presidential pick is "do no harm." And the most high-pro- file thing the running mates do during an election is the VP de- bate.
The person at the top of the ticket can't afford their run- ning mate to mess it up.
"I think it's a very impor- tant factor," Biden told MSNBC in March.
Harris showed herself to be an able debater in the pri- mary, and Democrats will likely rest easy about — and maybe even look forward to — the Oct. 7 debate in Utah with Vice President Pence.
"As you all know, Joe Biden and the Democratic Party have been overtaken by the radical left," Pence said at an event in Arizona on Tues- day. "So given their promises of higher taxes, open borders, socialized medicine and abor- tion on demand, it's no sur- prise that he chose Sen. Harris. ... So my message to the Democratic nominee for vice president: Congratula- tions. I'll see you in Salt Lake City!"Pence apparently is also looking forward to it.
5. The process for picking Harris was another sign of a (surprisingly) well-run cam- paign so far.
That the VP pick did not leak is a feat unto itself for a presidential campaign. Nearly every vice presidential pick in past years has leaked.
In fact, it's become some- thing of a journalistic competi- tion and sought-after notch on a belt to see who can break the story. And no one did.
What makes it surprising in some respects is that Biden's campaign struggled with or- ganization and fundraising during the primary, but since the race transitioned to the general election Biden's team has been in control and on par with the Trump fundraising juggernaut.
5 Takeaways On The New Biden-Harris Presidential Ticket
African American vote, Biden is trying to show his vision for the future of the country, one that respects diversity in a di- versifying country.
In Historic Pick, Joe Biden Taps Kamala
Harris To Be His Running Mate
Make no mistake: Putting a qualified person of color like Harris — whose parents are Jamaican and Indian immi- grants — on the ticket is a statement against President Trump. Remember, Biden
said he was spurred to run for president because of Trump's response to the racist violence in Charlottesville, Va., and lots of Americans are upset with Trump for stoking racial divi- sion.
What's also notable is that Harris is seen as a "safe" pick. That's because she's a known quantity, has already been vet- ted during the race for the Democratic presidential nomi- nation and is disciplined. But step back. Just the fact that Harris is seen as a safe pick —
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