Karen Bass’s Long March from Communist Fringe to Biden’s VP Shortlist
The Democrat’s presumptive nominee Joe Biden will name his running mate as early as next week, and Congressional Black Caucus chair Rep. Karen Bass (D-CA) is
reportedly a top contender for job.
The California Democrat has emerged as the favorite pick of former Sen. Chris Dodd, who serves on Biden’s vice presidential search committee. According a source who spoke with Politico, Dodd has
urged Biden to choose Bass because “she’s a loyal No. 2. And that’s what Biden really wants.”
On the surface, Bass’s background as a former medical professional and South Los Angeles community organizer make her an attractive candidate to serve at a time when public health and racial inequality are
on the top of voters’ minds.
However, a deep dive into Bass’s background reveals that her influences were not just socialist, but hardcore communist.
The VP vetting process brought renewed scrutiny to comments Bass made about Cuba’s communist dictator Fidel Castro. In a statement following Castro’s death in 2016, Bass
referred to him as “Comandante en Jefe” and described his death as “a great loss to the people of Cuba.”
The honorific “Commandante en Jefe”—which translates to “commander in chief”—was
criticized by Florida Democrats for being excessively deferential to a dictator with a long history of human rights abuses.
President Barack Obama and Cuban dictator Raul Castro do the wave at a Major League baseball exhibition game in Havana on March 22, 2016. (Gramna)
When the interviewer asked her how she would “characterize the Castro regime and its legacy,” Bass said: “I think the Castro regime and its legacy is very troubling.” However, a moment later, she appeared to dismiss the significance of Castro’s crimes by saying: “But you know what? I mean, we could talk all evening. I could tell you about a number of regimes that I think are very troubling in a variety of different ways.”
Karen Bass's Long March from Communist Fringe to Biden's VP Shortlist