Joe Biden pledges to choose a woman as his running mate
Joe Bidenhas vowed to choose a woman as his running mate if he wins the Democratic presidential nomination.
“There are a number of women who are qualified to be president tomorrow,” Biden said during the first one-onone Democratic presidential debate on Sunday night, where the former vicepresident faced off against the progressive candidate Bernie Sanders.
“I would pick a woman to be my vice-president,” Biden said.
It has been more than 35 years since the last time a woman was the running mate on a Democratic presidential ticket. It was 1984 when New York congresswoman Geraldine Ferraro ran alongside Minnesota senator Walter Mondale, who lost to incumbent Ronald Reagan in a landslide.
Biden also reiterated his promise to make his first nominee to the supreme court an African American woman, which would be a first for the country.
Sandersdeclined to explicitly commit to choosing a woman as his running mate after Bidensaid he would.
“In all likelihood, I will,” Sanders said when asked. “My very strong tendency is to move in that direction.”
Sanders said it was important to him to choose a progressive running mate, and said there were progressive women to choose from.
He and Sanders have been under pressure to consider a woman or person of color as a running mate as the once historically diverse field of Democratic presidential candidates has dwindled to two white men.
Though Hawaii congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard officially remains in the race, she has won just two delegates, and is not considered a serious challenger.