Obama hails Biden’s choice of V-P, says he has ‘nailed this decision’

Former US President Barack Obama hailed Democrat candidate Joe Biden’s choice of selecting Indian-American Senator Kamala Harris as the vice-presidential candidate, saying he has “nailed this decision.”

Biden on Tuesday named 55-year-old Harris as his running mate, making her the first woman of colour, the first woman of Asian descent and third woman ever to be selected as the vice-presidential candidate on a major party ticket.

Harris, whose father is from Jamaica and mother an Indian, is currently the US Senator from California. Prior to being a Senator, she served as California’s attorney general and was the district attorney in San Francisco.

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“Choosing a vice president is the first important decision a president makes. When you’re in the Oval Office, weighing the toughest issues, and the choice you make will affect the lives and livelihoods of the entire country — you need someone with you who’s got the judgment and the character to make the right call,” Obama said in a statement.

The two-time US president Obama said Biden by choosing Harris has “underscored his own judgment and character” — attributes that are “requirements of the job” of the president.

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Obama said that he has known Harris for a long time. “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,” he said.

Harris was herself a presidential aspirant until last year before she dropped out of the race.