Biden: Panel vetting ‘more than a dozen women’ as potential running mates

Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden says his vice presidential selection committee is vetting “more than a dozen women” as potential running mates.

Biden, who has previously pledged to name a woman as vice president, told Al Sharpton on MSNBC’s “PoliticsNation” on Saturday that he is aware of the desire in some quarters for him to select a black woman.

“I really do understand that, Al, for real. And that’s why I assure you that of the more than a dozen women that they’re taking an initial look at, there are significantly more than one black woman that’s going to be considered by this group, first and foremost, number one,” Biden said. Contenders reported to be on Biden’s shortlist include Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) and former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams.

Other reported potential running mates include Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) as well as Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D).

The former vice president has also pledged to name the first black woman to the Supreme Court, and in a meeting with donors Wednesday said his administration and judicial nominees will “look like the country,” according to CNN. During the Wednesday fundraiser, he reportedly told donors he hopes the vetting process for a running mate will be complete by July.

Biden has named a selection committee for the slot that includes former Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.), Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti (D), and former White House and Senate counsel Cynthia Hogan.

In the same Sharpton interview, Biden repeated his denial of sexual assault allegations by former aide Tara Reade, who has said Biden assaulted her when he was a senator in 1993.

Biden addressed the allegations for the first time Friday morning on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”

“It’s not true,” Biden told Sharpton. “I’m saying unequivocally, it never happened, period.”