Senator Amy Klobuchar has pulled out from the race of to become the running mate to former Vice President Joe Biden after her popularity 'dipped' in the wake of the Black Lives Matter protests raging across the US. The Senator from Minnesota, who previously fell short in her own presidential bid, announced her withdrawal on Thursday night.
Klobuchar Urges Biden to Choose a Woman of Colour
Calling the Black Live Matter protests demanding an end to racial discrimination a historic moment, Klobuchar urged Biden to pick a woman of color as his running mate. "After what I've seen in my state and what I've seen across the country, this is a historic moment and America must seize on this moment. I truly believe, as I told the vice president last night, that I believe that this is a moment to put a woman of color on that ticket," she said during an MSNBC interview on Thursday night.
"And there are so many incredibly qualified women. But if you want to heal this nation, right now — my party, yes, but our nation — this is sure a hell of a way to do it," Klobuchar went on to add.
According to CBS News, Klobuchar arrived at the final decision to withdraw on Wednesday after having elaborate discussions with aides and family. However, the final decision was entirely her own with absolutely no pressure from Biden, his campaign aides, or those leading the search, the outlet reported.
Klobuchar's Popularity Dipped After George Floyd's Death
The New York Times reported that the senator, who shared a strong rapport with Biden besides being a favorite of a significant number of his donors and supporters, lost popularity after the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers.
Earlier this week, Klobuchar had told her friends that she believes her own history made it difficult for Biden to select her, in the wake of the BLM protests, the publication reported.
The Senator, who was a prosecutor a few years back in the county that includes Minneapolis, was recently under fire for the deaths of more than two dozen people, mostly minorities, in police encounters.
According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, Klobuchar was blamed for not charging any of the officers involved in the deaths. Officer Derek Chauvin, who was charged with Floyd's murder, had been involved in one of those cases, the fatal 2006 shooting of a man accused of stabbing people and aiming a shotgun at police, the outlet stated.
