Presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden’s search for a running-mate will continue despite his vow to announce his pick by early August.
"I'm going to have a choice in the first week in August," Biden announced last week.
But the week was marred by Biden advisers’ attacks on reported frontrunner Sen. Kamala Harris, who drew scorn from former Sen. Chris Dodd, who is leading Biden’s search, and other advisers over her attack on Biden during the primary debates and her presidential ambition.
But ABC News reports that "it's looking like" the announcement won't happen as scheduled after all.
Biden has “extended” his search by as much as two weeks, The Washington Post reported on Sunday.
“It’s been relentless. It’s been unfortunate. But I must say it’s been predictable,” former acting DNC Chief Donna Brazile told the Post. “It’s extremely disappointing, because many of these attacks . . . are being made by Democratic men who should know better.”
Biden to interview 5-6 candidates:
Biden is expected to interview five to six finalists for the position, according to the Post, rather than the typical “shortlist” of three candidates.
But the delay has “intensified currents, many of them sexist, that have been swirling for weeks,” sources told the Post.
Some of the Harris detractors have pushed Florida Rep. Val Demings or California Rep. Karen Bass as alternatives.
“It bugs me that people want to pit these two Black women against the other,” South Carolina Rep. James Clyburn told the Post. “Nobody is trying to pit Sen. Elizabeth Warren against [Michigan Gov. Gretchen] Whitmer. And both of their names are being mentioned every day as being in the search.”
Harris still the favorite:
Former Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell, one of the Biden advisers who has been critical of Harris, said he still expects her to be the pick.
“If I had to bet my life on who would be the candidate, I’d still bet Harris,” he told the Post. “She has the least negatives, she’s the most polished. She’s the person who can take on [Vice President] Pence in a campaign debate.”
But he added that former National Security Adviser Susan Rice is still very much in contention.
“The buzz the in the last three weeks — not this week — but the last few weeks, the buzz was Susan Rice,” Rendell said.
“She was smiling on TV, something that she doesn’t do all that readily,” he added. “She was actually somewhat charming on TV, something that she has not seemed to care about in the past.”
