Is it rude to refer to the Vice President of the USA as the world’s most famous diversity hire? Possibly. But it is the same with so many things that are true.
You needn’t take my word for it. Joe Biden made his selection priorities clear when he was confirmed as his party’s nominee last year. He immediately declared that his search for a running mate was going to focus on non-white women. And in some ways it was a savvy move. Like John McCain in 2008, he knew that the US media might not thrill to a ticket made up of a couple of white, male soon-to-be octogenarians.
Yet the decision left him with a relatively small list of qualified people to choose from. It would be the same if he’d decided that his running mate had to be a gay. It inevitably shrinks the talent pool and turns the focus from aptitude to identity.
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