(CNN) — Sen. Amy Klobuchar on Thursday night removed herself from consideration to be Joe Biden’s running mate, citing the ongoing national discussion about racial injustice and police brutality to suggest the former vice president should choose a woman of color.
“This is a historic moment, and America must seize on this moment. And I truly believe as, I actually told the vice president last night when I called him, that I think this is a moment to put a woman of color on that ticket,” Klobuchar, a Minnesota Democrat, told MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell.
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“And there are so many incredibly qualified women, but if you want to heal this nation right now, my party … this is sure a hell of a way to do it.”
Klobuchar was touted for months as a promising vice presidential candidate for Biden with centrist appeal and name recognition following her own White House bid. But her prospects had waned in recent weeks as Biden faces increasing pressure to choose a woman of color as his running mate in the aftermath of George Floyd’s death at the hands of police officers.
Floyd’s death in Minneapolis reignited long festering Democratic concerns about Klobuchar’s criminal justice record and the seven years she spent as the top prosecutor in Minnesota’s most populous county, a position she secured by promising to be tough on crime.
The resurgence of questions about her criminal justice record — along with her inability to address long-running accusations of racism inside the Minneapolis police force and her failure to bring charges against multiple officers involved in shootings during her time as a top prosecutor — had led many Democrats to outright say they would question Biden’s judgment and commitment to Black voters if he picks Klobuchar as his running mate.
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