This week, Former US Vice-President Joe Biden formally announced his running mate for the upcoming November elections. Typically a secretive affair, Biden made a few points implicitly and explicitly clear regarding what he was looking for in an ideal Vice-President candidate. First, he was looking for a female candidate. Second, he wanted someone who would, according to him, have a level equation with him, a meeting of minds at part with his equation with former President Obama. Finally, he more or less implied that he was going with ethnic diversity as a factor given the current sociopolitical climate in the US. It surprised very few, therefore, that Biden finally settled on his erstwhile Presidental candidacy rival Kamala Harris as his running mate. Much like Biden, Harris represents the more moderate faction of the Democratic Party. While she was vocal on Biden's race policy record during the Democratic debates, she has since then rallied behind Biden and enjoys a friendly equation with him. Biden picking Kamala Harris is significant for a few reasons. First, she is only the third woman to ever be picked as a running mate for the big race. Second, her mixed Jamaican-Indian heritage will make her the first potential Vice-President to hail from such a background. Third, and most significantly, Biden's pick may well go on to ensure that Kamala will be his political heir. Biden is old, older than the norm for his office and it has been indicated that he will, most likely, be a one-term President. This will mean that he will likely groom Harris as his successor to the top office.
Obviously, this pick brings many benefits to Biden's election campaign. Kamala is known to be quite popular with the black female voter group which sees her as a champion to the cause of equality. Kamala's mixed roots also mean she will likely enjoy a wider appeal, particularly with the important the Indian- American community. She is also seen as an aggressive choice for a running mate, a role that typically does see the running mate in question act as a political attack dog to make the sort of moves that the Presidental candidate cannot be directly involved in. Her background in law enforcement, on the other hand, is a mixed bag. Kamala has proven to have the necessary discipline and experience to weather the intense pressure of public scrutiny in such times, both as San Francisco's District Attorney and as California's Attorney General. Her aggressive stance on civil duties and rights may even win her appreciation in some circles. But the fact remains that given America's current scenario, the 'cop' association can be politically detrimental. Trump has and will continue to capitalise on this point. And Kamala's track record has not helped in this regard. Her track record as a law official is marked with a noticeable drive to secure convictions, in some cases wrongful ones and a tendency to side with law- enforcement in most matters. This may allow Kamala to pull in some of the more centrist or right-leaning crowd to the Biden banner but may also alienate the left-leaning sections which are seeing increasing prominence. Harris's ambiguity on certain mainstay issues like universal healthcare and the environment have also been criticised.
Regardless of who else may or may not be pleased by Biden's pick, Indian communities worldwide have expressed delight over Harris being picked. Harris is perceived to have an intimate connection to her Indian roots with her political activism and civic leadership qualities being attributed to her maternal Indian family. She has credited her experiences with Indian democracy at her grandfather's home and social circles as being instrumental to her political career. What this could actually mean in terms of her attitude towards India and her stances is too early to tell. What is certain is that Kamala Harris will bring a powerful contrast with her presence to Trump's anti-immigrant, anti-minority stance.