Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., said Tuesday that he did not know who Joe Biden would pick for his running mate, but made a lofty claim that the decision “will literally make history.”
Coons called Biden’s VP decision “one of the most consequential decisions” the former vice president will ever make.
“It will literally make history. And it will change, I believe, not just the arc of this campaign, but the trajectory of American history,” Coons said in an interview with MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell.
Mitchell pressed Coons on his claim. “You said it will make history,” she said. “There have been women running mates before. Sarah Palin, Geraldine Ferraro. The only way it would really make history is if it is a black woman.”
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“Well, Andrea, let me just say, I’m optimistic that he will make the right choice and he will choose from among a pool of very capable and talented potential running mates, someone who will really contribute to making history by making great decisions and by being a very strong and capable leader,” the senator from Delaware continued.
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Coons said whoever Biden picks as a running mate will help shape how his administration responds to the pandemic, the economic downturn and the “very real concerns about racial injustice and inequality.”
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With the Democratic National Convention less than a week away, the Biden campaign is expected to announce a vice presidential decision at any moment. The campaign announced Tuesday a team of nine Democratic strategists and operatives who will help the eventual running mate handle the responsibilities.
Biden announced early on that he was planning on choosing a woman as his running mate, but in the wake of racial tension after George Floyd’s death in Minnesota, some Democrats believe he should choose a woman of color.
“He better pick a black woman,” Democratic National Committee Black Caucus chair Virgie Rollins told Politico.
Minority candidates on Biden’s reported shortlist have included Sen. Kamala Harris, Reps. Karen Bass and Val Demings, former National Security Adviser Susan Rice and Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms.
Fox News’ Ronn Blitzer contributed to this report.