CNN Host Asks Kathy Hochul Point-Blank If She Is Bothered By All VP Contenders Being ‘White Men’

CNN anchor Kate Bolduan asked Democratic New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Wednesday if she is bothered by all of her party’s vice presidential contenders being “white men.”

Vice President Kamala Harris is expected to pick her running mate no later than Tuesday, with the top contenders including Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro. Bolduan pondered whether Hochul is unhappy with the gender of all the known contenders.

“One thing that is noteworthy that cannot be missed in when we put up the screen of the shortlist, if you will, all of them, most of them, all of them are white men, most of them are Democratic governors. You are a very prominent, very well known and respected Democratic governor yourself. Does it bother you that they’re all white men?” Bolduan asked.

“No, no, not at all,” Hochul replied. “Because, I don’t want to look at gender here. I really don’t think it’s fair because we have a lot of talented women governors, I text them all the time. The men are very talented, so that’s the beauty of what we have here is that we have a lot of talent. So I’m not gonna take offense that she doesn’t pick a woman or person from some particular state at all. Whoever she picks, it’s gonna be a dynamic duo, no doubt about it.”

Democratic Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s name circulated as a possible choice to run alongside Harris, though many Democrats and strategists worried a ticket with two women would hurt the party, according to Politico. Whitmer vowed on Monday to remain in Michigan as governor rather than become a vice presidential contender.