Trump Slams Biden's 'Radical' VP Pick

Joe Biden has chosen Sen. Kamala Harris as his running mate, making her the first Black woman to appear on a major-party presidential ticket. The former California attorney general was seen by the Democratic establishment as "one of the safest choices" for Biden's running mate and was long considered the leading candidate, the New York Times reports. But the Times notes that she wasn't always "a shoo-in" for the role: Some of his advisers were wary of her after she "ambushed" him during the first Democratic primary debate over his stance on issues including anti--segregation busing, though Biden evidently decided she would be better as an ally than a rival. More:

• Trump slams "radical" Harris. President Trump tweeted a video Tuesday that portrayed Harris as part of the "radical left." At a White House briefing Tuesday, the president said he was "a little surprised" that Biden had picked somebody who was so "disrespectful" to him in the primaries, the AP reports. "She was my No. 1 draft pick and we’ll see how she works out," Trump said.
• Obama: She's "more than prepared." Former President Obama tweeted in support of Biden's choice, saying he has known Harris for a long time and she is "more than prepared for the job." "She’s spent her career defending our Constitution and fighting for folks who need a fair shake," Obama said. "This is a good day for our country. Now let’s go win this thing."

• "She worked closely with Beau." In a tweet Tuesday, Biden noted that Harris had worked closely with his late son Beau Biden, who served as Delaware's attorney general. "I watched as they took on the big banks, lifted up working people, and protected women and kids from abuse," he said. "I was proud then, and I'm proud now to have her as my partner in this campaign."
• Liberals have their doubts. The Washington Post notes that liberal Democrats concerned by Harris' record as a prosecutor "have criticized her past stances as too harsh and contend that her record does not meet a moment when police misconduct has rocketed into the national conversation." But she has also "been a forceful advocate for Black families" during the pandemic, "and she helped draft a bill ending qualified immunity for police," leading some skeptics to soften their stances.
• Where she stands. Politico rounds up Harris' stances on key issues including policing, immigration, and health care. She supported "Medicare for All" during the Democratic primaries, but later backtracked.
• Her background. The Washington Post looks at the early life of Harris, the daughter of a Jamaican father and an Indian mother. She grew up in a "mostly white world"—until she attended a historically Black university in Washington, DC.
• Pence: "See you in Salt Lake City!" Mike Pence, who will debate Harris in Utah on Oct. 7, attacked her Tuesday for being part of the "radical left" that is calling for "higher taxes, open borders, socialized medicine, and abortion on demand." He added: "So my message to the Democratic nominee for vice president: Congratulations. I’ll see you in Salt Lake City!"
• Advice from Sarah Palin. Sarah Palin, John McCain's running mate in 2008, offered Harris some advice, the Hill reports. She urged Harris to connect with voters in "her own unique way" and not to "get muzzled." "So stay connected with America as you smile and ignore deceptive ‘handlers’ trying to change you." Geraldine Ferraro, the only other woman to have been on a major-party presidential ticket, died in 2011.

(More Kamala Harris stories.)