The Most Interesting Aspects of Biden’s Selection Process for Vice-President

Photo: Getty Images

Though the front-runner for Joe Biden’s running mate ultimately won the nomination, the post-mortem reports on the selection process show an extensive vetting system, in which the nomination of California Senator Kamala Harris was not a guarantee. As the campaign enters an intensified schedule with the Democratic National Convention just days away and the election less than three months out, a look back at the VP search could help observers understand how the Biden-Harris ticket operates between now and November. Below is everything we know about the process, as reported by the Washington Post, the Associated Press, and Politico.

11 women made it to the final round

While it was previously understood that around half-a-dozen candidates were considered finalists in the final week of the search, a total of 11 politicians made it to the final round of the selection process, with whom Biden conducted one-on-one interviews over the last week or so. The Biden campaign reportedly prepped announcement strategies for each candidate, including logos. The initial list was even longer, featuring over 20 names.

The vetting was extensive

In addition to questions regarding their agenda and potential nicknames President Trump would hurl their way, the candidates had to submit extensive records to a panel of as many as 15 lawyers to determine if there were any past events that could mar the campaign. According to the Washington Post, the attorneys “scraped every part of their pasts” in an accounting that “typically involves questions about everything from personal finances to drug use and romantic affairs.”

Biden’s family was heavily involved

Throughout the process, the former vice-president consistently relied on those closest to him. After the attorney team had scoured the information on the candidates, Biden consulted with his wife, Jill Biden, and sister, Valerie Biden Owens. One of the deciding factors for the California Senator was her connection with the family through the former veep’s son, Beau Biden, with whom Harris worked when they were both state attorneys general.

Gretchen Whitmer attempted to withdraw from the process

While Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar publicly announced in June that she would drop out of the running for the VP slot, the near-loss of Gretchen Whitmer from the candidate pool was only reported on Wednesday, by the Associated Press:

The Michigan governor had caught the interest of Joe Biden and his vice presidential vetting committee, who were drawn to her prominence in a crucial battleground state and her aggressive response to the coronavirus outbreak there. But by late spring, the nation was in the midst of a reckoning over race and inequality following the death of George Floyd, a Black man who died after a white police officer pressed his knee into his neck for several minutes.

Whitmer sent word to Biden’s team that while she was flattered, she no longer wanted to be considered for the running mate slot, according to a high-ranking Democrat familiar with the process. She recommended Biden pick a Black woman.

But Biden still wanted Whitmer in the mix, and he personally called her in mid-June to ask if she would continue on to the second, more intensive round of vetting, according to the official. Whitmer agreed.

The campaign saw potential for a new round of birtherism in Tammy Duckworth

After his election, Biden’s former boss was faced with allegations from a racist conspiracy movement that he was not from the United States; the campaign worried over a revival of that idea during the vetting of Senator Tammy Duckworth, who was born in Bangkok to a father who was a Defense employee and a U.S. citizen. “They worried that Republicans would try to use that to stoke doubts about the legitimacy of the VP pick,” Politico reported, though they did not mention whether or not it was a deciding factor in the search.

Kamala’s criticism of Biden in the primary was both an appeal and a drawback

It had previously been reported that the California senator’s questioning of Biden’s record on busing in the 1970s during the first primary debate was a concern for former Senator Chris Dodd, a key member of Biden’s vetting team, who reportedly said that she had since shown “no remorse” for the act. But a friend of Biden who spoke with Politico said that the comments — which briefly dented Biden’s polling — were also considered a draw for the contentious election ahead. “Joe wants someone who has been on the big stage under the bright lights who can gut someone like a fish, and Kamala more than proved she could do that,” they said. “Now it’s Pence’s turn and she’s gonna cut him up.”

Daily news about the politics, business, and technology shaping our world.

Terms & Privacy Notice By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice and to receive email correspondence from us.