The video discusses the significant political choice made by Joe Biden, selecting Kamala Harris as his running mate. Kamala Harris has a background as a tough prosecutor and has previously clashed with Biden during debates, yet Biden sees her as his partner in governance. The choice aims to fulfill multiple objectives: complementing Biden's political strengths, providing a governance partner, and proving readiness to lead if necessary, given Biden's age.

The selection of Kamala Harris is deemed historic and strategic by political analysts. It energizes critical voter segments like African American women and is thought to bolster the Democratic ticket in key battleground states. Harris's candidacy as a Vice President nominee is expected to galvanize voters and counter previous election losses in areas with slight margins.

Main takeaways from the video:

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Key Vocabularies and Common Phrases:

1. frontrunner [ˈfrʌntrʌnər] - (noun) - A person who is leading in a competition or election. - Synonyms: (leader, favorite, top contender)

Well, she is perhaps the frontrunner, the obvious choice.

2. segregationist [ˌsɛɡrɪˈɡeɪʃənɪst] - (noun / adjective) - A person who supports or practices the separation of people by race. - Synonyms: (racist, separatist, discriminator)

In the first debate, she accused Mister Biden of siding with segregationist Democrats way back when to defeat the integration of schools.

3. demerit [dɪˈmɛrɪt] - (noun) - A mark or feature that is seen as a fault or negative aspect. - Synonyms: (flaw, fault, disadvantage)

Back then, the fact that she had served as the head of Californias department of justice was seen as a demerit point in the minds of many left wing Democrats.

4. coy [kɔɪ] - (adjective) - Reluctant to give information or discuss something secretive. - Synonyms: (evasive, secretive, reticent)

His third objective, let's not be too coy about it.

5. excercised [ˈɛksərˌsaɪzd] - (verb) - To use or apply (a right or power). - Synonyms: (implemented, applied, used)

Joe Biden, from his own experience, was able to exercise the right judgment this time.

6. reassuring [ˌriːəˈʃʊrɪŋ] - (adjective) - Serving to comfort or relieve anxiety. - Synonyms: (comforting, soothing, calming)

But perhaps now voters in the middle of the political spectrum who may decide this election may find that more reassuring than threatening.

7. electorate [ɪˈlɛktərət] - (noun) - The body of people allowed to vote in an election. - Synonyms: (voters, constituents, body politic)

And then once we win, she'll be a great governing partner as well in terms of the sections of the electorate that he's hoping to energise and perhaps not yet reaching

8. energize [ˈɛnərˌdʒaɪz] - (verb) - To give energy or enthusiasm to someone or something. - Synonyms: (stimulate, invigorate, excite)

What Kamala Harris will bring is the african american vote, which is now newly energized

9. seasoned [ˈsiːzənd] - (adjective) - Experienced and skilled in a particular profession or activity. - Synonyms: (experienced, skilled, practiced)

You know, they're both seasoned political operatives and they know how this game works.

10. tension [ˈtɛnʃən] - (noun) - A state of mental or emotional strain resulting from challenging conditions. - Synonyms: (stress, strain, pressure)

He has made race and division a point of tension and strife in our country.

Biden VP pick - Kamala Harris chosen as running mate in 2020 US election - BBC Newsnight

Well, she is perhaps the frontrunner, the obvious choice. What we know about her is that she's 55 years old. She was born in Oakland, California, the daughter of a jamaican father and indian mother. She made her name as quite a tough prosecutor in California, serving two terms as the state's attorney general.

And as you say, Mark, she ran for president against Joe Biden this time around and famously clashed with him on the subject of race. In the first debate, she accused Mister Biden of siding with segregationist Democrats way back when to defeat the integration of schools. Now, it clearly hurt Mister Biden in terms of his campaign and personally, but he, it seems, has now forgiven her.

Back then, the fact that she had served as the head of Californias department of justice was seen as a demerit point in the minds of many left wing Democrats. Back then, supporters of Bernie Sanders used to shout and chanted her, Kamala is a cop. But perhaps now voters in the middle of the political spectrum who may decide this election may find that more reassuring than threatening.

Will it make a difference to them, do you think? Well, I mean, politics professors will point to a race way back 60 years ago, in 1960, when LBJ helped JFK win Texas and with it, the presidency. But, and that's pretty debatable, I don't think Joe Biden was looking for someone to add votes to his tally. He's doing pretty well in the polls, if we believe the polls.

I think his first objective was, first rule of it was do no harm. I think his second rule, his second job was to find someone who was a partner for government. He knows what it is to be a vp, having worked with Barack Obama for eight years. His third objective, let's not be too coy about it. He is an old man. If he becomes president, he'll be 78. He needs to demonstrate to the american people he has someone who's ready to take over on day one.

And in Kamala Harris, he thinks he's found that so far it's been virtual. Everything done over Twitter and other medium. Tomorrow, we expect the two to appear together in person in an event in Wilmington, Delaware.

Thank you, David. We'll be looking out for that. We'll join now by Leah Daughtry, who was CEO of the 2008 and 2016 democratic conventions and was also chief of staff to Howard Deane, the former chairman of the Democratic National Committee. Welcome to Newsnight, Leah.

What's your reaction to Joe Biden's pick? Well, it is an historic choice, a wise choice, and I am absolutely ecstatic as an african american woman to see our party nominate another african american woman at the head of the ticket, it's thrilling.

Is there a danger, do you think, that she might outshine Joe Biden somewhat? No. You know, I think Joe has been doing quite a good job himself. After all, he didn't. He won the nomination on his own. So I think Kamala Harris is going to be the perfect compliment to him as they now begin this long stretch of 80 plus days into election day.

I think she knows her role. He knows his role. He is the leader of this team, and she's going to be a great partner and support to him during this campaign. And then once we win, she'll be a great governing partner as well in terms of the sections of the electorate that he's hoping to energise and perhaps not yet reaching. What does she bring to this?

Well, I think what she brings, well, first of all, we know that Vice President Biden himself has been able to make great gains among white working class citizens, white suburban women and that particular electorate where we had difficulty in 2016. What Kamala Harris will bring is the african american vote, which is now newly energized.

You have 16 million african american women who vote every cycle, and now you have an army of them who are not willing to just vote themselves, but also to go and knock the doors of others to make sure that they vote as well. So it's tremendous energy now that is available to the campaign. That was nothing before. I don't think. I think before it was a matter of whether we're going to show up or whether we're going to show out. So I think you can expect african american voters this time to show out to make sure that this historic choice does, in fact, become Madam vice president and perhaps Madam president.

I mean, where does it put her in terms of the possible path to a run for president herself? Well, if history is any indication, at least in our party, the vice president is the presumptive candidate and presumptive nominee for the following cycles. So I would expect if Joe Biden chooses not to run in 2024, and I think he said that he's not planning to, that the vice president would step up and run in 2024 and if successful, 2028, just as Al Gore did with Bill Clinton and as Mondale did after Carter. That's been the history in our party. And I expect it would be that same way with Senator Harris.

And some of those things she said when she was still a contender for the nomination about Joe Biden's record on busing or that women weren't comfortable around him sometimes. Is that all water under the bridge, or is that something that will be gleefully seized upon by Joe Biden's opponents in this? You know, they're both seasoned political operatives and they know how this game works. And when you're in a debate, in a competition, then a lot of things get said.

I think we can hearken back to Joe Biden's turn at the podium when he was running against Barack Obama. But like Barack Obama, Joe Biden has exhibited in this choice great judgment and the ability and the knowledge that he understands. That was a debate. You're trying to break out from the field. You're trying to make your points, but that doesn't mean that the person that you're running against is not qualified and is not the best one to do the job. So I think Joe Biden, from his own experience, was able to exercise the right judgment this time and just say that was a debate question, a debate response, and we're moving on. And she's the right person for this ticket. She's the right person for our country.

You've mentioned her ability to energize the black vote. Let's look at the key battleground states, or certainly the ones that really swung it for Trump last time. We all remember Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin. I mean, those sorts of states that the Democratic Party really didn't want to lose then and wants to recapture. Can Xi help him in those battlegrounds? Absolutely.

One, we won. We lost those states by very thin margins, 77,000 votes across the three states. And in many cases, there was, the african american vote was slightly depressed. But also, what the polling, the recent polling has shown is that white women, white working class folks, as well as various constituencies within the Democratic Party, the african american community, the Asian Pacific community, these strong segments of our party are fully behind Senator Harris and have expressed their support for this choice.

So I'm confident that she will be able to help with the ticket but also energize the electorate in states where we aren't, where we may not be making huge investments, such as Georgia, where there's a Senate race on the line, South Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee. And that will help energize those voters as well.

Leah? Lastly, I'm afraid just and briefly, if we can, does Trump make race an issue here? I mean, obviously, the US has had President Barack Obama. Has the country moved on, or does he still go for that as an issue, do you think? Well, he's been going for it from the day he was sworn in. He has made race and division a point of tension and strife in our country, and we are seeing it lately in black lives Matter.

But it started from the moment he came down the escalator and said that Latinos were rapists and thieves. And so it's been a consistent theme for him, and I don't see any reason that he would change his tune right now. All right, Liam, thank you very much for joining us.

Politics, Leadership, Inspiration, Kamala Harris, Us Elections, Democratic Party, Bbc Newsnight