Black Lives Matter (BLM) has called out the Democratic Party for selecting Vice President Kamala Harris as their presumptive nominee for president after President Joe Biden withdrew his candidacy from the race.
After facing calls for his exit from the race since his concerning debate performance with former President Donald Trump late last month, the president withdrew his candidacy for reelection on Sunday afternoon. Shortly after, Biden endorsed Harris for president.
Late Monday night, Harris crossed the delegate threshold to secure the Democratic nomination and is currently expected to be officially nominated during next month's Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago.
BLM detailed and panned the Democratic Party's quick selection of Harris as the presumptive nominee in an early Tuesday X post.
"A 24-hour process of talking to party bosses is not democratic, nor is it a process Democrats should be proud of," BLM wrote. "We do not live in a dictatorship. Delegates are not oligarchs."
"Installing Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee and an unknown vice president without any public voting process would make the modern Democratic Party a party of hypocrites," the organization added. Timeline of Events
Sunday
•Joe Biden drops out.
•Kamala Harris announces campaign with Biden endorsement.
•Kamala Harris says she is going to work hard to earn the nomination.
•Kamala Harris makes calls to party delegates.
Monday
•Kamala Harris continues making calls to… pic.twitter.com/ZxzyxegZin
— Black Lives Matter (@Blklivesmatter) July 23, 2024
BLM then called on the DNC and Democratic Party to create a process to allow for public participation in the party's nomination process to remedy Harris' selection by party delegates.
The organization also shared Harris' statement, which was issued upon crossing the delegate threshold.
"When I announced my campaign for President, I said I intended to go out and earn this nomination," Harris' statement began. "Tonight, I am proud to have secured the broad support needed to become our party's nominee, and as a daughter of California, I am proud that my home state's delegation helped put our campaign over the top. I look forward to formally accepting the nomination soon." Tonight, I am proud to have earned the support needed to become our party’s nominee.
Over the next few months, I'll be traveling across the country talking to Americans about everything on the line. I fully intend to unite our party and our nation, and defeat Donald Trump. pic.twitter.com/Bsq3N6pMAi
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) July 23, 2024
"I am grateful to President Biden and everyone in the Democratic Party who has already put their faith in me, and I look forward to taking our case directly to the American people," Harris continued. "This election will present a clear choice between two different visions. Donald Trump wants to take our country back to a time before many of us had freedoms and equal rights. I believe in a future that strengthens our democracy, protects reproductive freedom and ensures every person has the opportunity to not just get by, but to get ahead."
"Over the next few months, I will be traveling across the country talking to Americans about everything that is on the line. I fully intend to unite our party, unite our nation, and defeat Donald Trump in November," Harris' statement concluded.
