The wait is finally over: Joe Biden has chosen Kamala Harris as his running mate, NBC News reported Tuesday, citing his campaign.
"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," Biden tweeted Tuesday afternoon.
"Back when Kamala was Attorney General, she worked closely with (my son) Beau," Biden wrote in a subsequent tweet. "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."
Harris took to Twitter following the announcement, writing, ".@JoeBiden can unify the American people because he's spent his life fighting for us. And as president, he'll build an America that lives up to our ideals. I'm honored to join him as our party's nominee for Vice President, and do what it takes to make him our Commander-in-Chief."
.@JoeBiden can unify the American people because he's spent his life fighting for us. And as president, he'll build an America that lives up to our ideals.I'm honored to join him as our party's nominee for Vice President, and do what it takes to make him our Commander-in-Chief.
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) August 11, 2020
Biden, 77 (he turns 78 on Nov. 20), and Harris, 55, (she turns 56 on Oct. 20) will formally accept the Democratic nominations during the party's convention, which kicks off its 4-day virtual run on Monday. While some speakers will be in Milwaukee, Biden will remain in Delaware.
Harris has served as the junior senator from California since 2017. Previously, she was the state's Attorney General.
Former president Barack Obama said in a statement, "I’ve known Senator @KamalaHarris for a long time. She is more than prepared for the job. She’s spent her career defending our Constitution and fighting for folks who need a fair shake. This is a good day for our country. Now let’s go win this thing."
I’ve known Senator @KamalaHarris for a long time. She is more than prepared for the job. She’s spent her career defending our Constitution and fighting for folks who need a fair shake. This is a good day for our country. Now let’s go win this thing. pic.twitter.com/duJhFhWp6g
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) August 11, 2020
Biden had vowed to choose a female running mate. Among those reportedly in the mix were Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, Rep. Val Demings of Florida, Rep. Karen Bass of California, former National Security Adviser Susan Rice, Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham.
The Biden campaign has been busily preparing for the official arrival of the vice presidential candidate: On Tuesday, the campaign announced that nine staff members had already been assigned to the pick, including a number of longtime Biden and Barack Obama aides.
Mo Elleithee, a longtime Democratic operative who served as a spokesman on Hillary Clinton's 2008 campaign explained to the Associated Press, "It has become typical over the past few presidential campaign cycles for the presumptive nominee to put a team in place so that the running mate can hit the ground running, and so that it’s a more integrated campaign."
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