Joe Biden to pick his vice presidential nominee next week

Joe Biden has declared he is the “antithesis” of Donald Trump and democracy itself is “at stake” in the US election as he confirmed he will pick a vice presidential nominee next week.

The Democratic presidential candidate answered half an hour of questions from the press following a speech on racial justice after claims from the Trump campaign that he has been avoiding reporters.

At one point Mr Biden, the former US vice president, was asked whether voters simply saw him as a ‘stop Trump’ candidate rather than someone with his own inspiring vision.

“I’m running because Trump is the president and I think our democracy’s at stake, for real,” Mr Biden responded.

“And what seems to be the case is many Americans - those who don’t like me and those who do - view me as the antithesis of Trump. And I believe that I am.”

“When I announced I said I was running because I thought it was essential to restore the basic decency, the soul of America, and I really meant it.”

Mr Biden added that he also framed his presidential pitch originally around protecting the middle-class which had been suffering economically - a message he has doubled down on since the coronavirus outbreak struck.

Mr Biden was speaking in his home state of Delaware and used the address to outline the racial equality portion of his economic platform, which he has been rolling out this month.

He proposed investing money in businesses owned by black Americans to help rebuild the US economy and give a $15,000 tax credit to help first-time homebuyers.

The speech was the fourth plank in his ‘Build Back Better’ economic agenda, which strategically sees him take on Mr Trump over the economy - one of the areas the US president is still more trusted than Mr Biden on.

During responses to reporters Mr Biden said the proposals if enacted when in office would make him "one of the most progressive presidents in modern history".

Mr Biden also confirmed what his campaign has been indicating for weeks - that he will pick his vice presidential nominee in the first week of August. It is unclear exactly when the choice will be made public.

The selection marks a moment of both political peril and opportunity for Mr Biden with less than 100 days to go before voting day on November 3. He enjoys around a nine-point lead over Mr Trump in the national polls.

Mr Biden has already pledged that a woman will be chosen - the first ever woman to be named on the presidential ticket for a major US political party - but no final decision has been taken yet on who will be selected.

Mr Biden said earlier this month that four black women are among those being considered. The vetting process has been going on for months, with speculation playing out in the US media.

Kamala Harris, the California senator, Elizabeth Warren, the Massachusetts senator, Susan Rice, the former White House national security adviser, and Val Demings, the Florida congresswoman, are all said to be in serious consideration.

Mr Biden is set to be adopted formally as the party’s presidential nominee at its convention next month. He is due to face Mr Trump in three presidential debates before election day.