Booker: With Harris' dropout, potential all-white debate stage, 'What message is that sending?'

Brianne Pfannenstiel | The Des Moines Register

DES MOINES — U.S. Sen. Cory Booker decried the winnowing of a presidential field that began as the most diverse in history at an impassioned speech in Des Moines on Thursday.

He said Democrats need to create broad, inclusive coalitions of support if they want to win the White House and unite the country.

"It is a problem when an immensely qualified, widely supported, truly accomplished black woman running to lead the party — a party that is significantly empowered by black women voters — didn't have the resources that she needed to continue here to Iowa," he said, referencing U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris, who ended her presidential campaign earlier this week.

"What message is that sending that we heralded the most diverse field in our history, and now we're seeing people like her dropping out of this campaign not because Iowa voters had the voice — voters did not determine her destiny?"

He said black women voters will play a particular role in deciding this election.

"And so I'm just going to say it plain: It is a problem that we have an overall campaign for the 2020 presidency that has more billionaires in it than black people."

The speech comes as Booker tries to jump-start his campaign two months before caucus day. The senator so far has struggled to gain traction in Iowa, baffling many activists and pundits. He put together an early and robust field operation, has made no major gaffes, has consistently performed well on the debate stage and is well-liked in polls of Iowa Democrats.

Still, he’s yet to perform well enough in polling to qualify for this month's presidential debate hosted by the Democratic National Committee — a benchmark that increasingly is forcing candidates who fall short to exit the race.

Booker urged his supporters not to give up hope and redouble their efforts two months to Caucus Day. When their phone rings and it might be a pollster on the other end, "pick up the phone and answer, please," he said.

"Choose me," he told them. "Choose us. Choose virtue and values. Choose love."