Who is Kamala Harris? A look at her life and career in politics
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Kamala Harris is Joe Biden's running mate
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Here's what Trump said when asked if Harris will help or hurt Biden
From CNN's Maegan Vazquez
President Trump praised Vice President Mike Pence when he was asked if Kamala Harris will help or hurt Joe Biden’s chances at the presidency.
“Well I like Vice President Mike Pence much better (than Harris),” Trump said. “He is solid as a rock. He’s been a fantastic vice president. He’s done everything you can do. He’s respected by every religious group, whether it’s Evangelical, whether it’s any other group, they respect Mike Pence. He’s been a great vice president and I will take him over Kamala.”
Trump’s unprompted comments about Pence come a few days after the New York Times reported that Pence’s team had become concerned that South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem was going after Pence’s job.
Kamala Harris' Indian roots and why they matter
From CNN's S. Mitra Kalita
Besides being the first Black woman on the ticket, Kamala Harris is also the first Indian American. Her mother Shyamala Gopalan was born in Chennai and immigrated to the US to attend a doctoral program at UC Berkeley. Like Barack Obama, a mixed-race heritage has allowed Harris to connect across identities and reach multiple audiences and voting blocs.
To understand what today’s announcement means to this community, I turned to the best source I know on Indian Americans and politics: Aziz Haniffa. Haniffa was executive editor and chief political and diplomatic correspondent of India Abroad that shuttered just a few months ago after 50 years of publishing, under advertising and Covid-19 strains.
He sent me an Aug. 26, 2009 — more than a decade ago — interview he did with Harris and gave me permission to excerpt portions. It’s headlined, “Kamala Devi Harris: The ‘female Obama’ discusses her campaign for California's Attorney General.”
The piece highlights the role of her Indian identity, sure to surface again in the coming months. Harris’ rise as the daughter of immigrants — one from Jamaica, one from India — serves a powerful counternarrative to President Trump’s anti-immigrant rhetoric and policies.
Aziz Haniffa: What did your mom instill in you, in terms of culture and heritage?
Harris: My mother was very proud of her Indian heritage and taught us, me and my sister Maya, to share in the pride about our culture. We used to go back to India every couple of years. One of the most influential people in my life, in addition to my mother, was my grandfather T V Gopalan, who actually held a post in India that was like the Secretary of State position in this country. My grandfather was one of the original Independence fighters in India, and some of my fondest memories from childhood were walking along the beach with him after he retired and lived in Besant Nagar, in what was then called Madras.
He would take walks every morning along the beach with his buddies who were all retired government officials and they would talk about politics, about how corruption must be fought and about justice. They would laugh and voice opinions and argue, and those conversations, even more than their actions, had such a strong influence on me in terms in terms of learning to be responsible, to be honest, and to have integrity. When we think about it, India is the oldest democracy in the world – so that is part of my background, and without question has had a great deal of influence on what I do today and who I am.
AH: Would it be true to say then that the roots of your civil rights activism began with those walks on the beach with your grandfather, as much as in your parents’ involvement in the civil rights movement in the US during their student days at the University of California?
Harris: It is important to not say one thing to the exclusion of the other, because I don’t feel the need to do that. They are of equal weight in terms of who I am and the impact that they had on me growing up. My grandparents used to visit us in Berkeley all the time. My grandfather and grandmother enjoyed the time they spent with people of all walks of life who were involved in the civil rights movement. I believe that one of the benefits of having travelled the world and having known different cultures is that you really understand and see very clearly that people, whoever they are, whatever language they speak, have so much more in common than they do differences.
AH: Some Indian-American politicians like Bobby Jindal have, after winning election campaigns in which they sought and received the support of the community, sought to distance themselves from their Indian-American heritage. What is your view on how the ethnicity factor plays out?
Harris: I am proud to be who I am, I am proud of the influences that my family have had on my life, that my community had on my life, and similarly the influence of my mentors and colleagues and friends. One is not to the exclusion of the other – I believe that point is at the heart of this matter. We have to stop seeing issues and people through a plate-glass window as though we were one-dimensional. Instead, we have to see that most people exist through a prism and they are a sum of many factors — everyone is that way, and that is just the reality of it.
Will Kamala Harris's criminal justice experience help or hurt Biden?
From CNN's Abby Phillip
Kamala Harris experienced the ultimate vetting during the presidential primary on her experience as a prosecutor in California. Democratic activists criticized her for being too tough as a prosecutor and not doing enough to reform California’s system.
Harris’s record is mixed. She did pursue reforms as attorney general, notably the “Back on Track” program that allowed first time offenders to avoid prison. But those reforms are not enough for some activists.
How does the Trump campaign view it? Well, take a look at the statement put out by Trump campaign adviser Katrina Pierson, that seems to suggest that *they* believe her record shows she was tough on crime. “Clearly, Phony Kamala will abandon her own morals, as well as try to bury her record as a prosecutor, in order to appease the anti-police extremists controlling the Democrat Party,” Pierson wrote.
Trump aides have long viewed Harris’s record as tough paint as extremist on crime. This statement suggests that they are going to rely on accusing Harris of having a change of heart, in order to paint her and Biden with the anti-law enforcement brush.
This is Sarah Palin's advice for Harris
Former Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin took to Instagram to share some tips for Kamala Harris.
Harris is now the third woman to serve as a vice presidential candidate for a major political party, following Geraldine Ferraro as the Democratic vice presidential pick in 1984 and Palin in 2008. Harris is the first Black woman to run on a major political party’s presidential ticket.
Read Palin's advice:
Harris gets her moment
From CNN's Jasmine Wright
Sen. Kamala Harris’ time has finally come. Covering her campaign so closely day in and day out, despite the missteps and miscalculations that often times come with running a first national campaign, the question always felt more “when,” and not “if” Harris would reach this level.
Despite her often low polling numbers and inability to garner massive Black support during the primary, people always wanted to hear from Harris. She could always command attention.
But the moment it was announced she would be leaving the race, it felt like a cosmic shift in attitude. Folks from all different strides of life who criticized her platform, they then voiced regret that she, the only Black woman to run for the 2020 Democratic nomination, would not be on the December 2019 debate stage.
When issues of race would come up, people on social media called out to say they wished Harris was still around to give her take. Many women described it to me as a rug being pulled from underneath them. And every contest that Harris was not in, many said her contributions were missed.
As a Black woman who covered her campaign, the joy I see on Twitter and an innumerable number of sources calling my phone to express their views on the news, does not surprise me.
Regardless of the probability that Harris had to win the ticket, many Black women saw Harris as one of them. Someone who naturally understood their concerns and took great strides to describe them in detail on public stage. A whip smart sister who dedicated her life to achieving greatness, and striving against what felt like the impossible. Harris would often wax poetically about the challenges that she faced in her career, how when you break ceilings, sometimes you get cut.
But it’s what you do after that, that matters. And now as the first Black and Indian woman on a Democratic ticket, Harris has broken one of the ultimate ceilings in this country.
Obama served as "a sounding board" to Biden, but didn't "put his thumb on the scale"
From CNN��s Jeff Zeleny
Joe Biden talked extensively about his running mate search with many friends, including former President Barack Obama, who served as “a sounding board” over the last three months.
A person close to the vice presidential search tells CNN that Biden and Obama spoke regularly about the choices before him and the political moment facing the country.
The former president “did not put his thumb on the scale for any particular candidate,” the person close to the process said, “but mostly provided high-level counsel and was a sounding board as the vice president made his decision.”
One of the reasons Obama selected Biden 12 years ago was that Biden had been tested on the national stage after twice running for president and being on the debate stage multiple times. It was that same quality that also contributed to Biden choosing Harris, given her experience as a presidential candidate in the 2020 primary.
A Biden friend said the former vice president took a deep look at nearly a dozen women in his search and Harris “always made sense to him.” It was a deliberate search, looking for a governing partner and a loyal teammate.
Throughout the process, Biden talked often about the bruising nature of a presidential race, particularly the general election campaign ahead with President Trump, and he believed experience was critical.
That contributed to Biden beginning – and ending – his search with Harris.
Fact Check: Did Harris call Biden a racist? She did not.
From CNN's Holmes Lybrand
Just after reports poured in that former Vice President Joe Biden had chosen Sen. Kamala Harris as his running mate, the Trump campaign issued a statement attacking the pair.
“Not long ago, Kamala Harris called Joe Biden a racist and asked for an apology she never received,” the statement begins.
Facts First: Harris explicitly did not call Biden racist but she did criticize him during a debate last year for talking about working with two segregationist senators.
Harris confronted Biden during a June 2019 debate on his recent remarks when he brought up working with two segregationist senators as an example of how he could work with people he disagreed with.
"I do not believe you are a racist and I agree with you when you commit yourself to the importance of finding common ground,” Harris said during the debate, “but I also believe, and it's personal, and it was hurtful to hear you talk about the reputations of two United States senators who (have) built their reputations and career on the segregation of race in this country."
Biden responded, saying it was “a mischaracterization of my position across the board. I do not praise racists. That is not true.”
Here's what sets Harris apart from the other contenders
From CNN's Abby Phillip
Sources close to Joe Biden have long said that he was looking for a governing partner.
And while Kamala Harris is only a few years into her first term as US senator, one selling point on the experience front is her leadership as California’s attorney general.
Harris often said on the campaign trail that she led the second largest Department of Justice in the country, second only to the US Department of Justice. And as Biden looked at the range of experiences that would make a vice president ready to serve, that was one of them.
Watch more of CNN's Abby Phillip's analysis on Biden's historic pick:
Biden personally informed these 3 possible picks they had not been chosen
From CNN's Dan Merica, Ryan Nobles and Caroline Kenny
Former Vice President Joe Biden personally informed Illinois Sen. Tammy Duckworth, New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and Florida Rep. Val Demings that they had not been chosen, according to sources with knowledge of the calls.
Duckworth had interviewed with Biden last weekend.
How Black women are reacting to Joe Biden's historic choice
From CNN's Jasmine Write
Many Black women across the country breathed a collective sigh of relief, at the notion that Democratic presumptive nominee Joe Biden made history today by picking the first Black woman and Indian woman to join a democratic ticket.
Sen. Kamala Harris name has been discussed as a top contender for vice president since before she even declared her own candidacy to run for the democratic nomination in January of 2019.
“I think what Joe Biden did today, is he said ‘you are enough. You’ve got enough qualifications, you’ve got enough experience to help me restore this country to greatness,” said Minyon Moore, a Democratic operative who has been part of a public campaign to persuade Biden to pick a Black woman has his running mate.
Multiple black women have told CNN that Harris’ selection is not just about herself, but providing a base for something for all women of color across the country to aspire to.
“For every black woman, for every black child that has been hidden in America, or who has worked behind the same scenes. For every woman that is changing the bedpan, for every woman that is standing in a grocery store, Harris becomes the embodiment of that. She becomes the embodiment of Asian America, she becomes the embodiment of Indian Americans, she becomes the embodiment of a black woman,” Moore added.
And they say, it is a slap down to any notion that ambitious women shouldn’t be accepted with open arms and encouraged to ascend to leadership roles in the country.
Obama says Harris is "more than prepared for the job"
Former president Barack Obama reacted on Twitter following the announcement that Kamala Harris win be Joe Biden's running mate.
Obama said Harris "is more than prepared for the job," adding it is, "a good day for our country."
Read his full 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. pic.twitter.com/duJhFhWp6g— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) August 11, 2020
Here's a look at Biden calling Harris to inform her of his VP pick
From CNN's Sarah Mucha and Jeff Simon
A Biden campaign photographer has shared a photo on Instagram of former Vice President Joe Biden calling California Sen. Kamala Harris via video earlier today to inform her that she was his pick for his running mate.
Here's a look at the moment:
Kamala Harris tweets she's "honored" to be picked by Biden
Sen. Kamala Harris has tweeted her first reaction since it was announced that she will be Joe Biden's running mate.
The California Democrat said she'll "do what it takes" to make Biden "our Commander-in-Chief."
Read the tweet:
.@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.— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) August 11, 2020
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.
Harris will face "double scrutiny" as a Black woman, says CNN's Nia-Malika Henderson
From CNN's Josiah Ryan
History shows that Kamala Harris is likely to face a double layer of scrutiny as the first Black woman to run on a major political party’s presidential ticket, said CNN senior political reporter Nia-Malika Henderson, just moments after Joe Biden announced his choice.
Henderson said there had already been leaks out of the selection process in which Biden allies had hit Harris with the kind of criticism often reserved powerful women, suggesting she "rubbed people the wrong way" or was "too ambitious."
"It's something I think that particularly women who were trying to be in positions of power, those are the kinds of comments and criticisms they often get," said Henderson, referencing the previous two female running mates on major party tickets, Geraldine Ferarro and Sarah Palin.
"Then there's a double layer when you add on a person of color and of race and of ethnic backgrounds [as] we will see with Kamala Harris," added Henderson. "I think she is a singular person and she has been vocal about the unfair ways in which women are treated and in this instance obviously a woman of color has to deal with that double scrutiny of both race and gender."
Harris made history, then controversy as AG:
NAACP reacts to Harris appointment: "This moment is long overdue"
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) said the appointment of Kamala Harris as Joe Biden's running mate is a "defining moment in U.S. history."
"This moment is long overdue. For far too long, we have undervalued Black women's political power and their role in shaping our culture, communities, and country," Derrick Johnson, the president and CEO of the NAACP, said in the statement Tuesday.
He added that "Black women have been at the forefront of moving us toward a more representative and unified society" but their representation within high levels of government never matched "their unwavering participation in our democracy."
Johnson said this decision "breaks down one of these barriers in historic proportions. That it comes at a time in which Black Americans face dueling threats from a global health crisis and ingrained racism is all the more powerful."
"While we do not support a political party, we recognize the overwhelming significance of this moment and what it means for this nation. We must not allow coverage of Sen. Harris' historic candidacy to decline into ugly racist and sexist stereotypes and attacks," the statement said.
"Regardless of party affiliation, every American should be proud that this milestone was finally reached," Johnson added.
Jill Biden to Harris' husband: "Are you ready?"
Jill Biden, Joe Biden's wife, welcomed Kamala Harris' husband to the team.
She just tweeted this to Douglas Emhoff:
Hey @DouglasEmhoff. Are you ready?— Dr. Jill Biden (@DrBiden) August 11, 2020
About Emhoff: The Brooklyn-born Emhoff had been a quietly supportive presence during Harris' own 2020 run. He was often spotted backstage or at the edge of Harris' crowds at both her campaign events and book tour events last year, although he once rushed onstage to grab an animal rights protester who leapt on stage Saturday to confront Harris.
The Brooklyn native, who moved to Southern California in his teens and attended the USC Gould School of Law, launched his own firm in 2000 before Venable acquired it in 2006. At DLA Piper, Emhoff has continued to focus on business, entertainment and intellectual property law in both California and Washington, DC.
The couple was set up on a blind date in 2013 when Harris was California's attorney general by her best friend, Chrisette Hudlin.
Trump previously said Harris would "be a fine choice" for Biden's running mate
From CNN's Jeremy Diamond
A reminder that President Trump less than two weeks ago said that Sen. Kamala Harris would be a "fine choice."
Trump made the comment in response to a question about veepstakes as he was leaving the White House on July 29.
Asked how he'd rate Harris as a vice president, Trump said, "I think she'd be a fine choice, Kamala Harris. She'd be a fine choice."
Democrats tweet their support for Kamala Harris as the VP pick
Prominent Democrats including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and former president Bill Clinton are tweeting their approval of Kamala Harris as Joe Biden's running mate.
Here are the tweets:
Pelosi said Harris "will continue her legacy of trailblazing leadership to move our nation forward."
.@JoeBiden’s naming of Sen. @KamalaHarris Harris as the Democratic nominee for Vice President marks an historic and proud milestone for our country. As Vice President, Senator Harris will continue her legacy of trailblazing leadership to move our nation forward.— Nancy Pelosi (@TeamPelosi) August 11, 2020
My statement 👇🏻 pic.twitter.com/XdOZK9be6a
Former President Bill Clinton called Harris a "terrific choice."
This is a terrific choice! @KamalaHarris will be a great partner and she and @JoeBiden make a strong team.— Bill Clinton (@BillClinton) August 11, 2020
Former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton said Harris will be a "strong partner" for Biden.
I'm thrilled to welcome @KamalaHarris to a historic Democratic ticket. She's already proven herself to be an incredible public servant and leader. And I know she’ll be a strong partner to @JoeBiden. Please join me in having her back and getting her elected. pic.twitter.com/cmtOO8Gqqv— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) August 11, 2020
California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Harris was the "perfect choice" for Biden.
Principled. Brilliant. Compassionate. Empathetic. Honest. The perfect choice for @JoeBiden. That’s @KamalaHarris.— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) August 11, 2020
Let’s go win this.
Former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang said Harris is "set to make history."
Congratulations Kamala! You are set to make history - let’s win!! 😀👏🎉🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/qyI3kcqOHE— Andrew Yang🧢🇺🇸 (@AndrewYang) August 11, 2020
Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms congratulated Harris and Biden on a "historic ticket."
Congratulations to @kamalaharris and @JoeBiden on a fantasic and historic ticket. Now, let’s go win! https://t.co/gspoW29xUb— Keisha Lance Bottoms (@KeishaBottoms) August 11, 2020
Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will deliver remarks in Delaware tomorrow
From CNN's Brian Rokus
The Biden campaign has announced that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will give remarks tomorrow in Wilmington, Delaware. The time of the event has not been announced.
Two contenders tweet support for Harris
From CNN’s Dan Merica
Stacey Abrams and Gretchen Whitmer, two other vice president contenders, praised Joe Biden's decision to choose Kamala Harris as his running mate.
Abrams tweeted that she is thrilled to support Harris as the next vice president and that Biden's focus is "on reaching out to every corner of our country."
Whitmer also said that she is proud to support Harris and called them a "fierce team to Build America Back Better"
Read the tweets:
Thrilled to support @KamalaHarris as next VP. I was honored to speak with @JoeBiden at length over the weekend and again today. His focus on reaching out to every corner of our country speaks to how he will lead us. I look forward to doing all I can for Team #BidenHarris!— Stacey Abrams (@staceyabrams) August 11, 2020
I am extraordinarily proud to support @KamalaHarris and @JoeBiden! They will be a fierce team to Build America Back Better. #WeHaveHerBack pic.twitter.com/pxNnv5bGD2— Gretchen Whitmer (@gretchenwhitmer) August 11, 2020
Biden personally called Warren to tell her she was not chosen
From CNN's MJ Lee
Joe Biden called Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a Democrat from Massachusetts, himself earlier today to inform her that she would not be chosen as his running mate, according to a source familiar.
Biden updates campaign website
Following Joe Biden's announcement that Kamala Harris will be his 2020 election running mate, the candidate's campaign website was updated to show a photo of both candidates together.
Susan Rice: "Harris is a tenacious and trailblazing leader"
From CNN's Jim Acosta
Former Obama national security adviser Susan Rice, who was among those seen as serious contenders as Joe Biden's running mate pick, congratulated Sen. Kamala Harris.
"I warmly congratulate Senator Kamala Harris on her selection as Joe Biden’s Vice Presidential running mate," Rice said in a statement. "Senator Harris is a tenacious and trailblazing leader who will make a great partner on the campaign trail. I am confident that Biden-Harris will prove to be a winning ticket."
Rice said she would do her "utmost to assist Joe Biden to become the next president of the United States and to help him govern successfully."
Her statement continued:
"Joe Biden’s principled and responsible leadership is what America urgently needs to: provide working families desperately needed support and opportunity; defeat the coronavirus and revive our economy; renew America’s standing in the world and protect our national security; redress our longstanding racial and socio-economic disparities; and restore the rule of law, respect for our Constitution and faith in our democracy. Corrupt and self-serving, Donald Trump has sold America out for his personal gain. It’s essential that we bring integrity, empathy, decency, and competence back to the White House with the election of Joe Biden. I look forward to supporting the Biden-Harris ticket with all my energy and commitment."
Harris is the first Black woman on a major party ticket
From CNN's Maeve Reston
Joe Biden announced Tuesday that Kamala Harris will be his running mate for the 2020 election ballot, making the California senator the first Black woman to run on a major political party’s presidential ticket.
In selecting Harris, Biden adds a former primary rival who centered her own presidential bid on her readiness to take on Trump and show Americans she would fight for them.
She rose to national prominence within the Democratic Party by interrogating Trump nominees during Senate hearings, from former Attorney General Jeff Sessions to Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
Harris’ selection comes months after Biden committed to picking a woman to join him on the Democratic ticket. Harris, 55, is now the third woman to serve as a vice presidential candidate for a major political party, following Geraldine Ferraro as the Democratic vice presidential pick in 1984 and Sarah Palin as the Republican vice presidential pick in 2008.
Aware that his age could be a concern to some voters, Biden, 77, has said that he is “a bridge” to a new slate of Democratic leaders, and by selecting Harris, more than 20 years his junior, he has elevated a leading figure from a younger generation within the party.
Within the pantheon of female candidates that the former vice president considered, Harris was long viewed as the most-likely choice because of the breadth of her experience as a US senator, former California attorney general and former district attorney of San Francisco.
While potential candidates like Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, California US Rep. Karen Bass and Florida Rep. Val Demings were viewed as fresh-faced additions to the ticket, none of them had been vetted by Democratic voters like Harris, nor did they have her experience in all levels of politics. With her multi-racial background as the child of two immigrants to the United States, her allies believed she could complement Biden as a symbol of a changing America.
She also proved to be a hardworking surrogate for Biden in recent months, taking part in everything from virtual policy events with voters in swing districts to a live DJ dance party fundraiser with Diplo and D-Nice online.
Still, some members of Biden’s team resisted choosing Harris. A recent Politico story noted that former Sen. Chris Dodd of Connecticut, who was helping vet candidates, was still galled by her attack on Biden during a June 2019 debate in Miami when she criticized his work with segregationist senators and highlighted his fight against busing to desegregate schools decades ago.
The pushback against Harris apparently became so strong that Biden felt the need to defend her during his July 28 press conference, where an Associated Press photo captured the talking points about her on his notecard that included “do not hold grudges” and “great help to campaign.”
Harris also benefited from being a running mate who could match this turbulent moment in American history.
Many of the issues at the center of her life’s work — including criminal justice reform, improving healthcare for Black Americans and tackling income inequality — have come to the forefront in the three-pronged crisis America is now facing: the coronavirus pandemic (which has disproportionately affected communities of color), the fight against systemic racism and an economic recession.
Harris took a rock to the head for supporting her friend:
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