Picking a running mate: Inside the 16 days between Kamala Harris’ launch and her choice of Tim Walz

Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Kamala Harris’ whirlwind process to select Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate can be summed up in a word: weird. Vetting, interviews and the final decision are usually spread over months, not days. But the vice president didn’t have months. She was thrust into the role of party standard-bearer on July 21 when President Joe Biden stepped aside as Democrats’ presumptive nominee. What followed was a 16-day compressed process. There was the fast-track private vetting work. And a conspicuous public audition by multiple contenders. In the end, she chose a governor who did not start out as a perceived front-runner. Aides said Walz won out ultimately as the best potential governing partner in a Harris administration.