(AllHipHop News) The Veepstakes to determine who will join presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential ticket is expected to end in the very near future. Many political junkies have narrowed the possible selections down to a handful of people.
California Representative Karen Bass, Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, former National Security Advisor Susan Rice, Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, and California Senator Kamala Harris are said to be on the final shortlist. A last-minute surprise pick is also possible.
While Biden has publicly committed to choosing a woman as his running mate, his campaign has not confirmed the person will be African-American. A collective of over 100 prominent Black men is now calling on the 77-year-old politician from Delaware to tap a Black woman for the position.
Sean “Diddy” Combs, Charlamagne Tha God, Michael Bennett, Ben Crump, Chris Paul, Michael Eric Dyson, Mysonne, Timbaland, Ty Dolla $ign, Nick Cannon, Doug E. Fresh, Van Jones, and others signed the #WinWithBlackWomen letter. Their statement was released in solidarity with the more than 700 Black women who signed a letter calling for a Black woman Vice President.
Read the signed #WinWithBlackWomen statement below:
As someone who has said throughout the campaign that VP Joe Biden needs to choose a Black woman VP, the urgency for that pick has gone from something that SHOULD happen to something that HAS to happen. It disgusts us that Black women are not just being vetted in this VP process but unfairly criticized and scrutinized.
Was Joe Biden ever labeled “too ambitious” because he ran for president three times? Should President Obama not have made him the VP because he had to worry about his “loyalty” when he clearly had AMBITION to be president himself? Why does Senator Kamala Harris have to show remorse for questioning Biden’s previous stance on integrated busing during a democratic primary debate?
Have Democratic Party leaders, allies, or donors ever required Joe Biden to show remorse for the 1986 or 1988 Anti Drug Abuse bills, which established mandatory minimum sentencing and subsequently crack-cocaine sentencing disparities, and by his own admission, led to mass incarceration? What about the 1994 Crime Bill? Let’s be clear about the kind of remorse and reckoning that matters in 2020 when the Black community is still suffering the consequences for these oppressive measures. So, Black women are the only ones required to stay in their place and to show remorse for even questioning their own oppression?
For too long Black women have been asked to do everything from rally the troops to risk their lives for the Democratic Party with no acknowledgment, no respect, no visibility, and certainly not enough support. More than 700 Black women signed on to a letter demanding a Black woman VP. And we, black men, stand in solidarity with them.
Failing to select a Black woman in 2020 means you will lose the election. We don’t want to choose between the lesser of two evils and we don’t want to vote for the devil we know versus the devil we don’t because we are tired of voting for devils—period.’
In solidarity,
Sean “Diddy” Combs
Lenard “Charlamagne Tha God” Mckelvey
Michael Bennett
Bishop William J. Barber
Ben Crump, Esq.
Chris Paul
James Gee
Jeff Johnson
Dr. Wes Bellamy
Dr. Michael Eric Dyson
Rev. Jamal Bryant
Mysonne Linen
Shelley Davis
Will Packer
Karim Webb
Deon Taylor
Randall Pinkett
Brandon J. Johnson
Timothy “Timbaland” Mosley
Nigel Talley
Van Lathan
Corey Jacobs
Marcus L. Martin MD
Quinton Harrell
Evans Ross
Jason Martin
Robert Wright
Corey Gamble
Wayne Barrow
Felix Stallings Jr.
Karriem Mack
Malcolm Davis
Rodriquez “Jacquees” Broadnax
Al Harrington
Roy Davis Jr.
Chad Elliott Jr.
Richard Morris
Tarik Brooks
Omari V. Bouknight
Tyrone “Ty Dolla $ign” William Griffin Jr.
James Vaughns
Emmanuel Omolabi
Terrence J.
Detavio Samuels
Maurice Barrow
Nick Cannon
Cedric The Entertainer Kyles
Deondre Whitfield
Kirk Lightburn
Dr. Rickey White
Cartier Brown
Freddy Jackson
Omar Epps
Matthew J. Middleton
Jay Lundy
Doug E. Fresh
Mark Wesley
Myron Adoteye
Earl Stevens
Brandon Marshall
Doug Baldwin
Kam Chancellor
Tuma Basa
Ples Jones
Jonathan Randle
Chris Robinson
Rep. Derwin Montgomery
Horace Levon Linnen
Ronald Bacon
Derek ” Chuck Bone” Osorio
NeAndre Broussard
Aliaume Damala Badara “Akon” Thiam
Anthony Williams
Ray Muhammad
Dennis Rogers, PhD
Brandon Scott
Brian Rowland
Johnathan Randall
Jermaine Reed
Rep. Jewel Jones
Gregory Jones
Eric Gerald
Leon Keel
Ron Samuels
Conrad Neblett
Kwame McLeod
Stephen Green
Bakari Kitwana
Cliff Albright
Phil Hughley
Anthony Anderson
Javin Joyce
Eddie Francis
Jerry “JB Smoove” Angelo Brooks
Baye Adofo-Wilson
Collins Pettaway, III
Genaro Stewart
Rev. Mark Thompson
Rashaad Lambert
Omar Beasley
Mark Anthony Neal
Joe Dillard Jr.
Al B. Sure!
Van Jones
Thomas Wilson
Alvin Waters
Calvin Waters
Montez Cornelius
Rev. Herbert Daughtry
Bakari Sellers
Pastor Michael McBride
Rev. Tony Lee
Zuo Reeves
Rahim Jenkins
Bill Bellamy
Richard Gant
Rev. Lukata Mjumbe
Bobby L. Fuse
Eric Gantt
Koko Archibong
Terrence Charles
Jeff Rush
Channing Johnson
Ron Finley
Datwon Thomas
Edward Lewis
Blair Underwood
Nate Parker
TJ Martin
Stephen Hill
Tony Okungbowa
Paul Hill
Marlon Nichols
Arthur Lewis
Gordon Bobbb
Leelai Demoz
Rickey Minor
Marquise Burns
Roger Givens
Brian Rowland
