Trump criticizes Joe Biden's VP process, saying he disagreed with pledge to consider only women
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump said Tuesday that rival Joe Biden had "roped himself" into picking a woman as his running mate and suggested "some people" would say men might be insulted by the Democrat's insistence on doing so.
The remarks were only Trump's latest rhetorical foray into Biden's selection, which is expected any day. Biden announced in May that he would select a woman as his No. 2 – marking the third time a woman would be a vice presidential nominee for a major party – and his list of candidates also includes several women of color.
"I would be inclined to go a different route than what he's done," Trump told Clay Travis, a sports commentator who hosts a national radio show based in Nashville, Tennessee. "First of all he roped himself into a certain group of people."
Trump went on to say that "some people would say that men are insulted by that. And some people would say it's fine. I don't know."
Biden could announce his decision, one of the most-discussed in any presidential election, as soon as this week. Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., and Susan Rice, former national security adviser to President Barack Obama, have emerged as top contenders. Either would be the first Black woman chosen as a running mate.
More: Black leaders say Biden will lose if he doesn't choose Black woman as VP
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Also under consideration: Rep. Karen Bass of California, Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Rep. Val Demings of Florida, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois.
Most of Trump's interview dealt with sports: Trump urged college football to play this season despite the coronavirus pandemic, attacked players who kneel for the national anthem, and criticized the National Basketball Association for its relationship with China.
Trump has weighed in on Biden's running mate candidates before. Asked about Harris as a possible candidate on July 29, Trump said he thought she'd "be a fine choice."
More than 100 Black male leaders, including activists, preachers, rappers and celebrities, wrote an open letter Monday calling on Biden to choose a Black woman as his running mate and predicted he would lose the election if he does not.
"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," the letter read.
Trump ended the interview by proclaiming that Michael Jordan was a better basketball player than LeBron James, who is also frequent Trump critic.
In addition to Jordan's ability, Trump added: "he wasn't political, so people like him better."
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Contributing: Rebecca Morin
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: President Trump: Some say men insulted by Joe Biden choosing woman VP
