We have it. We know who it is. Trumppence and its bidenharris. Well be back with more meet the press tomorrow. The beat with ari melber starts right now. We didnt get a chance to gulp some air. I home you have your water with you. We have the water and a big story. Thank you, chuck. Been watching your coverage. Welcome to the beat where we begin with news echoing across america right now. Joe biden just selecting Kamala Harris as his running mate. It recruits his one time rival into a teammate against President Trump and marshall an historic decision. Because tonight Kamala Harris is now the first black woman on a major Party President ial ticket. As this barrier falls, the bidenharris ticket offers americans a chance to make history. A victory would put a woman in the highest position ever in the United States executive branch. The heartbeat fraway from the presidency. Quoting the past criticism of joe biden himself and arguing that this pick somehow suggests that joe biden is a radical liberal. Now, this choice i can tell you, youve probably been following this, this choice was closely guard. It did not leak in advance. Biden made the call on his terms, his timing. Announcing it just hours ago tonight by telling americans these are not normal times and he sees harris as a smart, tough person who is ready to lead. Now, 2020 has shredded many expectations in all of our regular lives as well as our politics. Unlike past vp debuts, she wont face an inperson crowd. We will see her typically welcomed by the party faithful. She is joining biden in his home state of delaware tomorrow. Picking a running mate is always the first bibling decision any potential president makes. The winning candidate legally bound to that decision. Tonight the Biden Campaign is arguing, this decision joe biden just made which recasts this race, theyre arguing it reinforces the reason america should want a, quote, president biden. They say he kept his public pledge to name a woman. To consider diversity. To pick a qualified person for governing and to use his campaign as a bridge to a new generation of leaders. Harris weighing in just moments ago. Posting that she is honoring to join joe biden on the ticket. We have special coverage tonight. I want to welcome our Kickoff Panel here. Editor at large for the 19th. A newsroom dedicated to reporting on gender politics and policy. Our friend for super majority which focuses on growing opportunities for women and the roots, danielle. Health tow each of you. Good evening. A big night. Well, lets get into it. Im joined momentarily from the field. I want to get first reaction. A line round in a word or sentence. Joe biden picking Kamala Harris. Erin . You said it in your enter, historic. Danielle . I personally feel seen. Black women are the democrats most loyal so thank you for seeing me. Juanita . She has arrived. Finally there you go. Each of those points ill ask to you build on. This is our big Political Panel to kick off the show. But hang with me while we bring in nbcs Kristin Welker who has been busily reporting on this story, being the intrepid journal oyster literally more than one beat. Walk us through how the came about today and your thoughts tonight. Reporter this cannot be overstated. This is an historic moment. Senator Kamala Harris becoming the first africanamerican woman to be on a president ial ticket. Only the third woman ever to be chosen for a running mate. This carries huge significance from an historical perspective. How did we get here . There was always a sense inside biden world. That senator Kamala Harris was someone who checked all the boxes. Shes someone who served as a former prosecutor, attorney general of california. Then wont to become a senator. Someone who became a president ial candidate herself during the primary. She, of course, dropped out and then went on to almost immediately throw her support behind biden. Now, in terms of the deliberations, there was some concern about that first debate. We all remember when she forcefully attacked joe biden. Some of bidens closest allies, raise the question, would she be someone who could be trusted . Not only on the campaign trail but if in fact they do win the white house, and i am told in talking to those close to this process, that harris made it very clear, once she dropped out, that she was supporting biden and that he could trust her. And she knew how important it was to convey that message moving forward. Now we know that biden really underwent a very deliberative process. He considered a range of different options which also included the former obama nat National Security adviser, susan rice, someone im told he has a very close relationship, as well as gingrichen whitmer, the governor of michigan, someone with whom he has a Good Relationship and would clearly help him carry a critical battleground state. Ultimately he went with senator harris. He feels she will be strong not only the campaign trail but the debate stage, facing off against mike pence. If the two are in fact to win the white house. There was huge momentum and pressure on biden to pick someone who was africanamerican. Not only because of the protests nationwide but also because so many in this country see this moment as an inflection point. They see her as someone who is representative of that. President obama weighing in saying biden nailed this decision. This is really the first important decision that a president makes. For his part, President Trump is speaking right now and i can tell you, hes taking aim at this decision to pick harris, trying to cast her, as someone who is part of the radical left agendas. A preview of what you can anticipate. President trump has really struggled on put Kamala Harris in a box. Will he have more success now that shes officially in race . Thank you always always. Your thoughts on what this mean for the ticket . I think this means a lot of energy and excitement for the ticket. In fact, a super majority asked women in key states and a lot of them were hinging on whether or not to vote in this election cycle on bidens vp election. They wanted a vp who was a woman of color. Someone who would hold biden accountab accountable, call out his blind spots and push him and thats what Kamala Harris has done on the campaign trail, as a senator, and what shell do behind closed doors as bidens teammate. So this will bring a lot of voter enthusiasm. As a of voter enthusiasm as a woman, im high, as an operative, im hyped. Hyped. Danielle . I have to say, 94 of black women voted for hillary clinton. 94 . Black women are putting joe biden over the top in his race to get the nomination in the first place. So he picked Kamala Harris is the smartest decision comake if he wants the support of. Base. She is a senator with a sharp vp mind. She will destroy pence if he can get permission from his wife to participate so im super excited about all of this. Your reference to pence being, he has certain rules about who he appears with . A little bit from what ive been told. Erin . Yeah. I think this is again the historic name of this cannot be overstated. There is never been a woman Vice President and never been a black woman nominated for Vice President. So the black women ive been talking to over the last year and a half have been excited about, they were excited about the prospect of senator harris when she entered the race last year. A lot of them were making a head or heart decision last year when they were considering her. It forced her out of the race. Throughout. But in the end, racing agendaer did prove to be among her greatest assets. We know the role of the Vice President has taken on an outsized significance in this election psych nhl what many of us find the most consequential mexico we will ever cover of our time. With that said, this was more than symbolic. They saw it as signal that joe biden values them and not just for their output but their input. It will take their family and friends in november. You just hit on something so important and something that our other experts on the panel have spoken about both tonight and before. You talked about output and input. Long term politics tends to need both. Otherwise people say, they dont feel like theyre part of the coalition. They feel like theyre being used or misled. Only around election time. So im curious, what you think about the process that got Kamala Harris this far. Because there was a public and private pressure in a way that we havent always seen occur in the Democratic Party even before these civil rights protests took fire this summer. Absolutely. And i think that from the moment that joe biden declared this spring that he was going on select a woman, as it became clear that those women were not going to be in the conversation, you know, joe biden we can hear you. Youre good. What happened . We may have some tech. Tell you. What well let her reset. I have the panel stays but i want to bring in someone who is also in this president ial primary with harris and biden. Knows the issues well. U. S. Senator from new jersey, corey booker. Good evening to you, sir. Not a good evening. A great, great, great evening for me and for america. Well, there we go. So senator, im going to start with the small stuff which is the biden why start small . Why would you start small, man . Going to get it out of the way. The Biden Campaign and your office let us know that you would be available before this news broke. Maybe a little birdie clue that you knew earlier. When did you learn about this . What did joe biden say to you that youre willing to share . What did it make you think about your other colleague, senator Kamala Harris . Well, first of all, i know kamala. She and i have been in the trenches together. Shes more than a friend. Shes my sister. And even when we were running against each other, i would joke with the press that you know, there could be sibling rivalry but dont get it wrong. Were family. Im of two minds on this. On a very deep personal level, i know her and i know there is a lot of conversations about the historic nature and im excited about that. I want you to note that she is a monumentally qualified human being to do this job. And from a personal level, i will affirm that. The other minds is the historic mind. This is a woman that every step of her career, how many howard graduates do you know that this country ever saw their value . And saw their greatness in the way that this moment is a real break through . Those of us who know howard, and a lot of other emerging, theyre just as impressive as stanford, oxford, yale, harvard, et cetera. So she had to brook a path where people like her were not allowed to the table. Every step of the way, she made her way. Im so proud. My an assecestors are rejoicing tonight. I wish could i read you the Text Messages that ive got from folk from all different backgrounds. I live here in newark. Read one of them senator booker, this is the the beat west do it different. Open the phone. Give us one of them. I would love to hear it. First of all, the. A emojis i have. You cant read emojis. Im going to tell you now, people are hyped. Are you hearing from people who arent traditionally involved in the day to day political news the way snf us might be . Thats got me sitting up and noticing, folks i havent gotten texts from in a long time. Ive had people face time me in tears being so happy about this. Folks who never thought they would see on a ticket someone who looked like them. That they feel seen, valued. I live in a neighborhood where i live in a neighborhood where women have been carrying the neighborhood on their shoulders and. So of the country. When im saying my prayers tonight, i might cry some happy tears. I want to fully communicate to your audience how penetratingly powerful. It is like this movie waiting to exhale. People are saying, whew finally its about time and then for me, a guy that just has worked with her. Not just on, she and i were partners of the george floyd policing act. She and i were partners on the antilynching legislation, on criminal justice. But i know the nerdiness of xals. Youre talking about mass transit bills infrastructure bills. She has this gift in politics. It is so valuable. Ive seen it at all levels of politics. You can stand up and get a crowd on their feet. Tens of thousands of people. You have the poetry and the poise and the charisma. But then she also has the ability to get into the room when no cameras are there. The sausage making is getting it done, to dot the is, cross the ts, and get something across the finish line that actually makes a difference for folks in our communities. Thats a powerful balance. For joe biden to have that as his wing woman. Im telling you right now, this duo in the white house is not just, forget beating donald trump. Thats critical. It is essential. For me, it is necessary but not sufficient. Because i want us to go, it does not get us to the mountain top bust decideharris . They could help us get to the mountain top. You were snapping during his remarks. It hits home for me, right . This is a massive opportunity. Considering that were nearing the centennial of tsuffrage movt and black women were omitted from that. Weve been waiting for this. I think my colleagues have said, black women have been the crux and the delivering base since earning the right to vote. So i really appreciate senator booker for raising that. I also appreciate senator booker for a man singing the praises of a woman in a high powered leadership position. We know women voters will decide this election and have the outside voice, it is rare that we have men singing womens praises so publicly. So thank you form. And call your friends, man we need more men out front for women. And women of color. Well, danielle, the senator was quoting some of the texts hes getting from people who might not be in this day in and day out. Were just getting this news. It is just spreading across the country. It means something to people and it sounded like the senator quoted something similar to what you said at the top of the show. Feeling seen. Exactly. When i was a little girl growing number st. Louis, missouri, i used to color all the people in my coloring books white. I thought thats what i was supposed to do. Everybody was white as well. This goes i dont understand just representation. This is where you feel validated. This is where you feel like your views are being honored, finally respected in the case of this pick. It is historic. Shes the first black woman, the first south asian woman, the first aka. The first grad from howard university, from hcbu. Something for jamaicans to be proud of, californians, she covers all the bases. So many people are being seen in this valuable pick. I would home that because of this, you wont have another little girl like me thinking white is the default, the standard, thats what youre supposed to aspire to be. Now you can see harris that we can aspire to. Two things. One is, that is power of Kamala Harris. Whatever your path is, she is approachable by people of all backgrounds, all experiences, the array of things wee just said speak to so many different American Experiences and she has this power and gravity to her that make even the son of a delta, im sorry to say that to you dont feel bad. Im telling you right now, that is a great thing. And i keep wanting to drive home with this. I think it was a great poem called mother to son by Langston Hughes. The refrain is life aint been no crystal stair. This woman has ascended to the highest political ticket possible and she did not come here on an easy pathway. She has had to climb up the rough side of the mountain in ways no one has been able to climb. So you want to talk about tough. You warm to talk about someone who knows how to get it done. Noble laid down any pavement for her. She had to cross some tough terrain to get to the United States senate. People will underestimate her grit and her toughness. I know what biden has in an ally and a wing woman and im very excited. Senator, i see you out here with these Langston Hughes bars. You know it was far before rammers delight. The poetry runs in and out of history. As we think about this, because the senator has brought, you brought public enemy, other things to this forum before. As you think about the road ahead, and the point you made about the grit it takes and what this election will look like. And i dont think anyone is naive about that. Im more reminded from brianna, aint none of this promised. Im going to drop my final, ill do what ive done before. Lay a rap on you. By one of the greatest hereticsists of all time. Another great black woman. Maya angelou. And in only had of kamala who is already being attacked by donald trump. You may write me down in history with your bitter twisted lies. Donald trump, you may try on trod her down in the very dirt but still like dust, i rise. And she will rise and she will lift us up. We will rise together. Taking back the white house and then the real work starts of getting this to the mountain top. And eventually willingly to the promise land. I know you have to go and i appreciate you making the time. Thank you to my guests. Erin, stay with me. We have a lot to get to on the aspects of this. This is a history making night. Americans are about to learn a ton more about this first term senator that a 77yearold joe biden says is ready to be president if or when that should come about if hes elected. The Vice President has that special role. Harris distinguished herself largely before joining the senate. She won a tough race against an incumbent. She was the first black woman. In post in the entire state. She built a record tough on crime criticism. Her allies say in that role, she combined prosecutorial tactics with a reform agenda. She then broke another barrier winning the race to be California Attorney general. So as our first guests were discussing the history in this new ticket, we are joined now by th