This is CNN breaking news.

And welcome to the lead. I'm Pamela Brown and for Jake Tapper today.

We begin this hour with breaking news.

Joe Biden has decided on a running mate.

Sources tell CNN he has revealed his choice to top advisors

and the announcement could come as soon as today,

really any minute now, potentially this hour.

We'll have to see moments ago.

We also learned the Biden campaign has now informed some of the contenders of his decision,

and Congresswoman Karen Bass was told by Biden herself that she is not the pick, three sources say.

Let's start with seeing as Jeff Zellini. So Jeff, what are you learning about this decision?

Pamela, good afternoon. Joe Biden of course has been looking for a running made of his own for

about three or four months or so and we are told this afternoon that he has indeed

made a decision on his choice. He informed just a handful of small a small handful of advisors earlier today that he had

indeed settled on his choice and that sets into motion the rollout plan and what

this means is it is going to be a historic choice

whoever he decides.

Why?

Because he pledged some five months ago

that he would pick a woman as his running mate.

So whoever he decides is going to be the third woman

in US history to be a running mate on a

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