For the past several weeks living rooms, barber shops, zoom calls and social media have been bombarded with polls, debates and even arguments, all asking the questions “Who Is The Best Choice For Vice President?” The selections may vary drastically depending on what part of the country you live in, whether you consider yourself a “liberal” or a “progressive”? But whomever you decide on that Vice Presidential Running Mate MUST BE AN AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN. Whether it be Senator Kamala Harris, Congresswoman Karen Bass, Former U.S. National Security Advisor Susan Rice, Former Georgia State Representative Stacey Abrams, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms or Florida Congresswoman Val Demings? One thing is for certain if Vice President Biden expects to secure the Black vote one of these women must be his running mate.
By all accounts Joe Biden should easily walk into the White House following the November elections. Donald Trump should be a one term president. And America could be rid of the nightmare we’ve been in for the past 3 ¾ years (going on 4).
But, if Joe Biden and the Democratic Party really want this nightmare to end, they must select one of the very qualified, very capable African American Women being considered as the Vice-Presidential nominee.
All of these women check all of the boxes that Biden needs to ensure victory come November 3, 2020.
For starters Joe Biden is 77 years old and will have turned 78 before his inauguration. This means he will be 82 by the end of his first term. He needs to have a running mate who is part of and can relate to the younger generations of voters. In contrast, all of these women are a part of the Next Generation. A generation not quite ready to retire, but worries about how they will make ends meet if they do. Furthermore, this generation has kids, kids that are now young adults and worry about how they establish themselves in a country that is struggling with unemployment, skyrocketing housing cost and college tuition loans which are burdening college students before they ever get started in life.
Obviously, putting together a team that can win in November is key for Biden, but America also has to have confidence in the question no one ever wants to ask. “If something happens to the President, is the Veep ready and able to step in?” In this coming election, American does not only have to ask themselves “Trump or Biden” but are also forced to ask themselves “Pence or __________?”. Obviously, the answer is not Pence.
African Americans are and have remained the backbone of the Democratic Party, we MUST NOT, CANNOT AND WILL NOT be discounted or taken for granted in this upcoming election. African American Women and Women of Color played large in Democratic primaries for Congress, state legislatures and city halls, across the nation in recent elections. All African Americans have been inspired and have been called to action for the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and other black Americans. Organizations from Black Lives Matter, to the NAACP, Every fraternity and sorority within the “Divine Nine” and almost every other civic institution within the country have all been called to civic action and to vote.
Let’s not forget that it was the African American voters of South Carolina that revived what was appearing to be a fledgling presidential campaign for Biden’s Presidential run. And it will be in large part the support and ability to get African Americans to show up to the polls (or fill out and mail in their absentee ballot) again in the November election that will carry a Biden to victory. The Democratic Party cannot have an unmotivating ticket which caused so many voters to stay home in 2012 and allowed Donald Trump to sneak into the Presidency.
Although there are other potential nominees for VP, none of the other candidate will do. Elizabeth Warren is certainly a qualified consideration for the #2 spot. But, she will not inspire Black voter turnout. They will see this as same old, same old. Amy Klobuchar has been another name that was bantered around for some time, but she has withdrawn her name from consideration instead choosing to deal with the issues in her home state of Minnesota home of the George Floyd murder. As part of her announcement to withdraw from consideration she did urge Biden to select a “Woman of Color” as his Vice-Presidential Nominee.
The Biden campaign has continuously talked about the fact that his Vice-Presidential pick will come from a place and a relationship similar to the place he and President Barack Obama had. A place of respect, admiration, friendship and loyalty. All of these great women have proven to be loyal both to the party and to Joe Biden. They have all tirelessly gotten on board his campaign and each of campaigned in their respective states and across the nation in support of Biden for President. All of these women are also skilled campaigners, knowledgeable of the needs and issues confronting our country and will do great under the bright lights of a presidential campaign and as most of us believe: In a Vice-Presidential debate as one Sentinel reader put it “Any of these women will Whoop Mike Pence Ass”.
Biden is the Democratic Party’s nominee, largely because of the support he has garnered across the nation from the African American Community. In late February, 2020 the African American Community became Biden’s base when South Carolina Congressional Representative James Clyburn and his endorsement catapulted Biden’s campaign to victory in the state and pulled the former Vice Presidents campaign out of a tailspin and rocketed him past Pete Butigieg, Bernie Sanders & Elizabeth Warren who had all defeated Biden in the Iowa Caucuses just a few weeks earlier.
Because of the many issues that face our country today, from police and justice system reform to financial recovery from the Corona Virus, to the simple fact that more Black and Brown people are dying from COVID-19 we need a candidate that is in touch with the needs a pulse of our community’s. A leader who comes from a generation that understands the need to bridge the gap between the haves and the have nots, a leader who is not afraid to have the uncomfortable conversations about race and racism in America. We need a Vice President unlike the one we have now (Mike Pence) who will even if it is in private challenge Biden to think bigger, think about those who are often not thought of and not try and “Make America Great Again”, But will try and “Make America What It Has Promised To Be, But Never Quite Been Able To Be”.
Come November, 2020 if Joe Biden wants his address to be 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue (The White House) the BEST road to getting there is with a Black Woman At His Side.
