Joe Biden selects Indian-Origin Kamala Harris as VP & running mate for US polls

Making history by selecting the first black woman to compete on a major party's presidential ticket, Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden has named Indian-origin senator Kamala Harris as his Vice-Presidential running mate. In a major development in the lead upto the United States elections in November, Biden said in a text message on Tuesday that he has chosen Kamala Harris as my running mate. This comes just days ahead of his virtual Democratic National Convention that would formally nominate him as the party’s candidate for the November 3 presidential elections.

“Joe Biden here. I've chosen Kamala Harris as my running mate. Together, with you, we're going to beat Trump. Add your name to welcome her to the team,” Biden said in a text message. Biden also added Harris will be the best partner for him to finally get the country back on track.

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“Joe Biden is running to restore the soul of the nation and unite the country to move us forward. Joe knows more about the importance of the Vice Presidency than just about anyone, and he is confident that Kamala Harris will be the best partner for him to finally get the country back on track,” the Biden campaign said.

Earlier, the Biden campaign had sent a special chartered plane to bring Harris and her family from California. If elected she would be the first-ever woman to be the vice president of the United States and the first-ever Indian-American and African vice president of the country. 

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Who is Kamala Harris?

Harris, 55, whose father is an African from Jamaica and mother an Indian, is currently the US Senator from California and often has been described as a trailblazer by former president Barack Obama.  She was born in Oakland and grew up in Berkeley. After her parents divorced, she spent her high school years living in French-speaking Canada — her mother was teaching at McGill University in Montreal. In 2010, Harris became the first black woman to be elected as California's Attorney General, overseeing the country’s second-largest Justice Department, only behind the US Department of Justice.

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Harris is known for many firsts. She has been a county district attorney; the district attorney for San Francisco — the first woman and first African-American and Indian-origin to be elected to the position. She was also the first female African-American and Indian-origin to become California’s attorney general. Harris became the first Indian-origin and second African-American woman to join the Senate, winning the California seat vacated by Senator Barbara Boxer, who retired after 24 years. Harris held the first event of her 2020 presidential campaign in Washington on the landmark campus of Howard University, from which Harris earned an undergraduate degree in 1986.

Harris had launched her presidential campaign in January 2019. After initial few months, her campaign could not take off and by the end of the year, she withdrew from the race. Early this year, she endorsed Biden for presidency and during the primaries and pre-primary season, she did not have a good relationship with Biden, however, things improved gradually. Criminal justice and legal rights were central to her campaign themes.

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(Ap image)