Washington: US President Joe Biden has thanked Kamala Harris for her work as Vice President, saying he couldn’t have asked for a better partner and friend than her. Biden, a Democrat, recalled that he had picked Harris as his running mate on August 11 one year ago.
Biden named Harris as his running mate on August 11, 2020, making history by selecting the first Black woman to compete on a major American political party’s presidential ticket.
One year ago today, I made one of the most important decisions I’ve ever made: selecting my vice president. I couldn’t have asked for a better partner and friend on this journey. Thanks @VP for all you do, Biden tweeted on Wednesday.
Biden tasked Harris to control a surge in the country’s southern border in June. As part of her effort, she travelled to Guatemala and Mexico and met the top leadership of the two countries. During her trip, Harris urged would-be migrants not to try to enter the US illegally.
Harris is also expected to travel to Vietnam and Singapore this month, amidst growing tensions between the US and China.
At the time of her nomination, the California Senator was just the third woman to be selected as the vice presidential candidate on a major party ticket. Then-Alaska Governor Sarah Palin in 2008 and New York House of Representative Geraldine Ferraro in 1984 were the other two.
However, Harris, 56, is the only candidate to win the election. Thus, she is the first woman, the first Black American, and the first South Asian American to be elected US Vice President.
Harris was born to two immigrant parents: a Black father and an Indian mother. Her father, Donald Harris, was from Jamaica, and her mother, Shyamala Gopalan, a cancer researcher and civil rights activist from Chennai.