Joe Biden and Kamala Harris appeared together for the first time as running mates Wednesday afternoon in Delaware.
‘I have no doubt that I picked the right person to join me as the next vice president of the United States,’ Biden said. ‘She’s smart, she’s tough, she’s experienced, she’s a proven fighter.’
Biden thanked all the women who he vetted to be his running mate saying all of them were qualified for the job.
The presumptive nominee then quickly started hammering President Donald Trump – for calling Harris ‘nasty,’ for golfing instead of meeting with Congressional leadership, for denying climate change.
He said that Harris and her family were now ‘honorary Bidens,’ and welcomed her husband Douglas Emhoff to the campaign trail, saying he would be making history too as the country’s first ‘second gentleman.’
The joint appearance came about 24 hours after Biden’s campaign tweeted to supporters that his pick would be Harris, a former 2020 rival and California senator, who was friends with his late son Beau.
When Harris took the podium – with the campaign quickly putting a box below her heeled feet to make up for the height difference – she talked at length about her friendship with Beau and how she came to know Joe Biden.
‘We are cut from the same cloth,’ she said of her new running mate, who was seated in the chair behind her.
The event took place at a high school on the outskirts of Biden’s adopted hometown of Wilmington, Delaware and only a small group of reporters were allowed in, with supporters, instead, gathering outside due to COVID-19 concerns.
Biden said he regretted not being able to greet the group as he entered the high school. He and Harris entered the auditorium wearing masks.
Kamala Harris (left) and Joe Biden (right) appear together as running mates for the first time on Wednesday in Wilmington, Delaware
Kamala Harris spoke after Joe Biden and talked about her deep friendship with Beau Biden, the vice president’s late son
Joe Biden and Kamala Harris arrived at the Wilmington high school wearing masks
Joe Biden introduces Kamala Harris as his VP pick
Vice President Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, his VP pick, arrive at a high school in Delaware
A crowd of 200 or so supporters stood outside the high school where Joe Biden and Kamala Harris would appear together for the first time. Only a small number of reporters were allowed inside the high school and no supporters due to COVID-19 concerns
Sen. Kamala Harris’ husband Douglas Emhoff is spied through the window of an SUV the carried them away from their D.C. residence Wednesday morning
An SUV carrying newly minted vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris and her husband Douglas Emhoff is spotted leaving their D.C. home Wednesday morning
Kamala Harris headlined one of Joe Biden’s final events on the campaign trail in March before he moved most of his campaigning to his Wilmington basement to ride out the coronavirus crisis
The pick marked the first time a black woman has ever appeared on a presidential ticket.
Harris will also be the third woman to ever be nominated as vice president.
After attacking Biden for his record on racial relations during the Democrats’ first primary debate, in June 2019, she announced her support of the ex-veep on March 8, 2020 and appeared alongside him in Michigan the next day.
It marked one of the last in-person campaign events Biden attended before moving his campaign almost completely into his Delaware basement to ride out the coronavirus crisis.
Harris had dropped her own bid for the White House in December 2019 citing fundraising issues.
Fundraising jumped through the roof on the heels of the announcement with ActBlue, the main donation platform for the Democratic Party, reporting that $10.8 million in donations came through between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. Tuesday.
On Wednesday, the Biden campaign rolled out its first full-length ad introducing Harris as the vice presidential nominee.
The opening and closing of the spot included footage of Biden making the ask.
‘You ready to go to work?’ asks the Califiornia senator.
‘Oh my God. I am so ready to go to work,’ Harris said, the brief sound of surprise in her voice.
Harris was spotted in an SUV with her husband Douglas Emhoff Wednesday morning in Washington, D.C., leaving their home.
Besides their joint appearance at the Delaware high school, Biden and Harris are scheduled to address supporters on a fundraising Zoom Wednesday night.
Later this week, Harris is slated to speak at an event marking the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, on the same day as the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle.
The Democratic National Convention kicks off Monday but has been converted into a virtual format when the party deemed it was too dangerous to have the party’s stars travel to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the planned host city.
Harris will address the convention Wednesday night and formally accept the party’s nomination.
Biden will speak Thursday night.
Harris is slated to debate Vice President Mike Pence on October 7 in Salt Lake City, Utah.