Joe Biden personally wanted Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer as his 2020 running mate, but ultimately went with Kamala Harris because of the Black Lives Matter riots, according to a new profile published in The Atlantic.

The revelation comes from an in-depth piece on Whitmer as a potential 2028 Democratic presidential contender, which details the behind-the-scenes dynamics of Biden’s vice-presidential vetting process.

Whitmer had risen to national prominence in 2020 for her aggressive and authoritarian response to the COVID-19 pandemic and her public clashes with President Donald Trump.

By summer 2020, Whitmer was actively being vetted for the VP spot.

Whitmer was the first finalist to meet with Biden in person in Delaware in August 2020.

Insiders said she got along well with Biden and was prepared to accept the position if offered.

A former senior staffer for Whitmer told The Atlantic, “The moment called for a black running mate,” explaining the intense pressure on Biden following the nationwide riots after the death of George Floyd.

The Atlantic reports:

All of this attention seemed like it might add up to something, and by summer 2020, Whitmer was being vetted for vice president. She wasn’t sure about it at first, people familiar with her thinking at the time told me; she struggled to imagine herself as a creature of Washington, D.C. She got along well with Biden, though, and by the time he asked her to fly to Delaware for an in-person chat, she was ready to say yes. Biden didn’t ask. The moment called for a Black running mate, the former senior staffer for Whitmer told me, so he had to choose Kamala Harris. “But I think he wanted it to be Whitmer,” this person said. Asked to confirm, a former adviser to both Biden and Harris said that the assessment carried “some weight.”

A former adviser to both Biden and Harris added that the claim Biden “wanted it to be Whitmer” carries “some weight.”

Whitmer herself confirmed in a December 2020 interview with Detroit’s FOX 2 that she would have accepted the role if Biden had asked.

“If Joe Biden had called and said, ‘I need you to be my partner and be my running mate,’ I would have said yes. This election was that important,” she stated.

Whitmer later claimed she felt a “sigh of relief” that the call never came, as she preferred to remain governor of Michigan.

Biden had publicly pledged to select a woman as his running mate. Whitmer was seen as a strong ideological and geographic fit. However, multiple outlets at the time reported that black Democratic leaders and activists urged Biden to choose a black woman, with some warning that picking Whitmer could cost him support in key states like Michigan.

Whitmer went on to campaign vigorously for the Biden-Harris ticket and continued supporting Biden through his 2024 reelection bid until he withdrew.

The post REPORT: Joe Biden ‘Had to Choose’ Harris Because of the BLM Riots, But He Actually Wanted THIS Governor appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Eric Swalwell is DONE. Out of the California governor’s race in a stunning collapse. But that’s not enough. Not even close. I’m calling for his immediate expulsion from Congress.

Because the real story is just beginning.

A mysterious video. Swalwell. An alleged sex worker. And a shadowy man no one can identify… yet. Who is he? Why was he there? And why does no one in the media seem interested in asking the obvious questions?

We are.

The hunt is on and what we’re uncovering could blow this wide open.

And then there’s the Catholic Church. Once a pillar of moral clarity. Now? Three archbishops and the Pope attacking Donald Trump, condemning deportations, and weighing in on war with Iran. Since when did the Church abandon law, order, and common sense?

The post Eric Swalwell’s Escapades Exposed… But Who is the Mystery Man in the Latest Video! (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

DoorDash driver Sharon Simmons (L) joins President Trump (L) to celebrate ‘No tax on tips.”/Image: screenshot via CSPAN.

On Monday, President Trump ordered DoorDash to the Oval Office to highlight his ‘No Tax on Tips’ policy as part of the “One Big Beautiful Bill.”

DoorDash driver Sharon Simmons, AKA, “DoorDash Grandma” delivered McDonald’s to the Oval Office during the President’s surprise remarks to celebrate Simmons’ tax refund as a result of the bill.

On July 4th, 2025, President Trump made history by signing the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” delivering what many politicians have promised but never achieved: true tax relief for the middle class.

White House projections suggest a family of four could save between $10,000 and $13,300. A distributional analysis by the nonpartisan Joint Committee on Taxation estimates the bill provides over $600 billion in middle-class tax relief, with the largest proportional benefits going to households earning under $50,000.

This benefits approximately 4 million workers in jobs like waitressing, barbering, hairstyling, and taxi driving. Additionally, the bill increases income for more than 80 million hourly workers by up to $1,750 by eliminating income taxes on the overtime pay premium.

President Trump noted, “The reason for this is the fact that I heard you picked up an extra $11,000 that you didn’t think you’d get because the tax bill was so big, the refund was the biggest you’ve ever had, is that a correct statement?”

Simmons responded, “It definitely was. I saved over $11,000 by not having to claim.”

The President asked, “Was that surprising to you, actually?”

She replied, “It was very surprising.”

Watch:

WATCH IN FULL: @POTUS receives a @DoorDash delivery to the Oval Office.

“I have your @DoorDash order for you, Mr. President!” pic.twitter.com/lwFHbHmYVk

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) April 13, 2026

In July 2025, the grandmother of 10, who has completed more than 12,000 deliveries, testified before the House Ways and Means Committee at a field hearing in Las Vegas on pro-worker tax relief.

She shared how the policy (which includes Dashers and other delivery drivers) would let her keep hundreds to thousands of extra dollars annually from tips/earnings.

She said during the hearing,“That’s why I’m very excited that Congress took action to include Dashers and other independent contractors in the No Tax on Tips.”

“For someone like me, that means hundreds or potentially thousands of dollars that stay in my pocket every year.”

“I plan to use these tax savings to cover follow-up medical visits for my husband and to travel to Missouri to see my mom, my kids, and my grandchildren.”

You can read her testimony here.

The post Trump Welcomes Door Dasher to Oval Office to Highlight ‘No Tax on Tips’ (Video) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.