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Joe Biden has kept the nation in suspense over who he will pick as his VP running mate. Sean “Diddy” Combs, Charlamagne tha God and other influential Black men want the guessing game to end with the selection of a Black woman.
Read More: Joe Biden has taken all the fun out of the VP announcement
Diddy, Van Jones, Charlamagne, and other prominent Black male figures released a letter on Monday demanding Biden pick a Black woman as his running mate, The Hill reports. These high profile men warn that Biden will lose the November presidential election to President Donald Trump if he fails to do so.
Famed civil rights attorney Ben Crump, CNN analyst Bakari Sellers, Nick Cannon, and Bishop William J. Barber are also among the hundreds of names who signed onto the letter which includes more than 100 activists, entertainers, and other thought leaders.
“As someone who has said throughout the campaign that VP Joe Biden needs to choose a Black woman VP, the urgency for that pick has gone from something that SHOULD happen to something that HAS to happen,” the open letter states.
The letter further declares, “It disgusts us that Black women are not just being vetted in this VP process but unfairly criticized and scrutinized.”
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The letter alludes to claims that Sen. Kamala Harris, seen as a leading contender for the coveted spot, has been deemed as too ambitious.
“Was Joe Biden ever labeled ‘too ambitious’ because he ran for president three times? Should President Obama not have made him VP because he had to worry about his ‘loyalty’ when he clearly had AMBITIONS to be president himself?” the letter asks.
The letter also pushes back against the grievances that some in Biden’s camp feel towards Harris. During the Democratic debates, the California senator had a breakout performance taking Biden to task on race and other issues.
Former Sen. Chris Dodd, who is a part of Biden’s vice presidential search committee, allegedly chastised her for not showing remorse for the encounter.
“Why does Senator Kamala Harris have to show remorse for questioning Biden’s previous stance on integrated busing during a democratic primary debate?” the letter says.”So, Black women are the only ones required to stay in their place and to show remorse for even questioning their own oppression?”
Biden was also reminded of the support he enjoys with the Black community and not to take it for granted.
“For too long Black women have been asked to do everything from rally the troops to risk their lives for the Democratic Party with no acknowledgment, no respect, no visibility, and certainly not enough support,” the letter continues.
In March, Biden pledged to pick a woman as his running mate during a debate with Sen. Bernie Sanders. Former United States Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, California Rep. Karen Bass, and Harris are among the top names in contention.
“Failing to select a Black woman in 2020 means you will lose the election,” the letter continues.
Read More: Willie Brown says this is why Kamala Harris should decline VP role
“We don’t want to choose between the lesser of two evils and we don’t want to vote for the devil we know versus the devil we don’t because we are tired of voting for devils – period.”
Biden is expected to announce his running mate this week.
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