Picking Michigan's governor as his ticket mate would be a risky misstep for Joe Biden, in the view of Detroit News columnist Bankole Thompson:
Biden should be ready for a political mutiny inside the party if he thinks white liberal women like [Gretchen] Whitmer are the Black saviors. ...
Black women are tired of being exploited by the party. Biden will be making a politically fatal decision if he walks all over the list of impressive and credentialed Black women in favor of a rising white female liberal star.
Joe Biden and Gretchen Whitmer
The opinion section writer, a former Michigan Chronicle editor (2006-15), mentions a hot-button comment last week by Biden that he says reflects "a demeaning and condescending trait among white liberal politicians." The Democratic candidate said: "Unlike the African American community, with notable exceptions, the Latino community is an incredibly diverse community with incredibly diverse attitudes about different things."
Thompson writes in Sunday's paper:
Maybe Biden is convinced he doesn’t need to work hard anymore for Black support. Maybe he’s decided a competent and qualified Black woman isn’t needed on the ticket, because Blacks are expected to roll over for the man who bragged about authoring the infamous 1994 crime bill.
Related:
Here's Why Michigan Gov. Whitmer Still Looks Like A Biden VP Contender, Aug. 8
