House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn gave Joe Biden political wiggle room to choose his own running mate, regardless of whether they are a black woman.
“It’s not a must, but it would be a plus,” Clyburn told the Washington Post Wednesday. “The only thing that’s a must in this process at this time is a win.”
Aside from picking a woman, Biden, the presumptive 2020 Democratic presidential nominee, has repeatedly been pressed to commit to also choosing a black woman, given both demographics importance to a winning coalition in the general election. The issue has gained traction as mass protests erupt around the country to draw attention to police brutality and other forms of racial injustice after the death of George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, in Minneapolis.
Clyburn, a South Carolina kingmaker whose endorsement of Biden marked a turning point in his once struggling campaign, urged the former vice president to take his time selecting someone with whom he shared chemistry and who could help Democrats win back the White House in November.
“What I want us to do is let everybody be considered. Do the vetting, do the polling, and then, after all that’s done, then let your heart and your head take a look,” he said. “Haste makes waste. I’m advising not to be hasty.”
The longtime lawmaker also offered a frank assessment of Biden’s appearances during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Joe Biden’s long suit is what we call retail politics, going out and interacting with people. But then [he] got accused of interacting a little too much,” Clyburn said.
“I think he’s getting his legs now, because all of a sudden he is now comfortable looking in that camera and connecting with people,” he added. “He’ll get much better at that as we go on.”
