Desi flavour to US election, Kamala picked as Joe Biden’s running mate

Washington, August 12

In a major breakthrough for Indian-Americans in US politics, Joe Biden has picked Senator Kamala Harris as his running mate to woo black voters and the influential Indian diaspora which could play a key role in his bid to defeat Donald Trump in the presidential election.

By naming the 55-year-old lawyer and moderate Democratic politician from California as his vice-presidential candidate in the November 3 election, Biden made history by selecting the first black woman to compete on a major party’s presidential ticket.

Born to Indian mother and Jamaican father

• Father Donald Harris, prof emeritus, Stanford University, from Jamaica & mother Shyamala Gopalan was cancer researcher from Chennai.

Many firsts as Indian-origin woman

• Became district attorney for San Francisco, California
• Elected California’s Attorney General; joined the Senate

Kamala, whose father is from Jamaica and mother an Indian, is a Senator from California. Biden, 77, made the announcement in a text message to his supporters on Tuesday, ending days of suspense.

“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 his message.

Biden said Kamala would be the best partner for him to finally get the country back on track.

Surprised, she was disrespectful to Biden: TRUMP

A little surprised that he picked her. She was very disrespectful to Joe Biden and it’s hard to pick somebody who’s that disrespectful. Donald Trump, US President

Harris later tweeted that Biden “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. I’m honoured to join him as our party’s nominee for Vice President, and do what it takes to make him our Commander-in-Chief.” — PTI