Clyburn Urges Biden to Select a Running Mate With ‘a Lot of Passion’
House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) is offering presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden advice on who he should select to be his running mate ahead of the 2020 presidential election.
Host of NBC’s “Meet the Press” Chuck Todd asked Clyburn what he hopes the running mate will bring to the ticket.
“It’s very clear. Joe Biden is a guy full of compassion. He has much more compassion than he exhibits passion. So he needs a running mate with a lot of passion to connect to voters,” Clyburn said.
He added, “Biden has the greatest heart that I’ve ever encountered in politics. He is not a ‘rah-rah’ guy that will motivate people. But he is the kind of guy you want to help put the policy together.”
Watch his comments below:
WATCH: As Joe Biden prepares to announce his VP pic, Rep. @ClyburnSC06 (D-S.C.) says: “[Biden] has much more compassion than he exhibits passion. So he needs a running mate with a lot of passion.” pic.twitter.com/HkQ7SjCuMo
— Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) July 31, 2020
Clyburn’s comments come just days after Biden revealed during his Build Back Better event in Wilmington, Delaware, he will have made a decision on who his running mate will be by the end of next week, as IJR previously reported.
Several women are reportedly seriously being considered for the position including Sens. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.), Rep. Val Demings (D-Fl.), former National Security Adviser Susan Rice, New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D), and Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms (D).
Todd asked Clyburn if it is more important for Biden to select a “governing partner” or a “campaign partner.”
Clyburn argued the first thing Biden needs to do is get elected.
“So at this point in time, I’m thinking the former vice president needs to go about the business of doing the polling that’s necessary to see who would complement the ticket, do the kind of vetting that’s necessary to make sure you don’t have any distractions, and then let his head and heart take a look at this issue so that he can get to where he says is ‘simpatico,'” Clyburn said.
He added, “That, to me, is what’s important.”
Clyburn also told Todd he likes all of the potential vice presidential picks.
So…picking someone based on skin color and gender is NOT racist or sexist?
Clyburn should be pushing Gropin’ Joe to select someone who believes ximself to be a black woman. That checks three of the ID politics boxes.
Which means Rachel Dolezal and Shaun King are out of the running with only one each. Shucks!
“Passion”, just like race and sex should not be qualifiers in a truly equal society, right James Clyburn?