But what was perhaps most luminous about the conversation was what it could have revealed: that Biden does not intend to trust purely on his running mate, California sen. Kamala Harris, for striving for the vote for voters.
He may well be an active participant in that work.
The former vice president’s team seems to be aware that having Harris on the ticket is not only because of its representative value, but also because of the role she is willing to play in promoting the turnout of voters, specifically when it comes to Black voters.
These obstacles have inevitably affected Black voters.
But if the Elle interview signaled anything, it was that we should not expect to see Biden on the sidelines in the weeks and months ahead.
“Voting matters. That’s why you talk to people about the need to vote. Your generation can own what happens in the next election. They can change things dramatically when they come up and vote,” Biden said. “Tell me what your fans are most about.”
Tell me what your fans are most about. Cardi B’s dumbing fanbase, who sketches young and diverse (and is less likely to vote), Biden is unlikely to leave the election. But Biden’s attention to the rapper and her followers still stands out, as it proves his ambition to improve the turnout among the fiercest voters he will need – and who will often overlook.
It is unclear what, exactly, Biden’s campaign strategy will look like in the homestretch of the general election. But it is not a leap to assume that Black voters will take center stage.
“I want black people to stop killing and no justice for that. I’m tired of it. I’m sick of it,” Cardi B told Biden when asked about her key interests in the 2020 game.
“I have a whole list of things I want our next president to do for us. But first, I just want Trump out,” Cardi B said, hesitating a sentiment shared by the majority of Black Americans. “His mouth is getting us so much in trouble. I do not want to be lied to – we are currently dealing with a pandemic, and I just want answers.”
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