Biden VP news megathread (pg 286 - been selected, announcement could be today)

[Beet]

At this point, like most people, I think it's gonna be Harris.  She has great rapport with Biden, she covers all his gaps, and it's becoming more clear that she's who he personally wants.

Except for the ideological gap. A Harris pick does nothing to bring Bernie/Warren supporters or those in their coalition on board. This was a mistake Hillary made with Kaine in not trying to shore up unity in the Party.

[Beet]

At this point, like most people, I think it's gonna be Harris.  She has great rapport with Biden, she covers all his gaps, and it's becoming more clear that she's who he personally wants.

Except for the ideological gap. A Harris pick does nothing to bring Bernie/Warren supporters or those in their coalition on board. This was a mistake Hillary made with Kaine in not trying to shore up unity in the Party.

I think his reasoning is that Trump + his record in office (such as it is) + coronavirus-related economic downturn will do the job for him.  Hillary only had the first factor.  

He still needs a compelling message and to run a good campaign, which involves bringing the progressive faction of his party on board. If there's one Party that can screw up defeating an incumbent in a major economic downturn, it's the Democrats.

[Beet]

Elizabeth Warren.

[Beet]

https://twitter.com/lewoofl/status/1255665243969241088

[Beet]

Bernie Sanders doesn't seem too keen on Elizabeth Warren as Biden's running-mate:

Sanders not urging Biden to pick Warren as running mate: report

This is a bizarre story, given that it is not based on any developments, and literally could have been run any day of the last month. It seems to be implying things that just aren't there. For all we know, he wants her, but doesn't want to put his finger on the scales.

[Beet]

Awful. Harris does not help with progressives, is not from a swing state, doesn't help appeal to Latinos, has a weak electoral record, failed miserably in the primaries, and yeah she's a cop with some smelly corruption issues swirling in her past. Polls of African American voters show they are more enthusiastic about Abrams and even Warren. Please anyone else.

[Beet]

I don’t know why they’re vetting second year governors. Seems silly to waste a new comer from such a powerful position to a ceremonial one.

I don't really get this objection. New Mexico's population is only 2 million. VP of the United States is a far more important position than that. (Hell my own county judge, Lina Hidalgo, oversees more people). Biden also badly needs to consolidate the Hispanic vote, which is by no means assured.

[Beet]

I don’t know why they’re vetting second year governors. Seems silly to waste a new comer from such a powerful position to a ceremonial one.

I don't really get this objection. New Mexico's population is only 2 million. VP of the United States is a far more important position than that. (Hell my own county judge, Lina Hidalgo, oversees more people). Biden also badly needs to consolidate the Hispanic vote, which is by no means assured.

"A poor woman had two sons. One went away to sea. The other became Vice-President of the United States. And neither poor boy was ever heard of again."

If it's such an irrelevant position, why do you even care? Lujan Grisham would be a great choice.

Also most sea captains aren't 77 years old. It'd be good to have someone with executive experience.

[Beet]

I don’t know why they’re vetting second year governors. Seems silly to waste a new comer from such a powerful position to a ceremonial one.

I don't really get this objection. New Mexico's population is only 2 million. VP of the United States is a far more important position than that. (Hell my own county judge, Lina Hidalgo, oversees more people). Biden also badly needs to consolidate the Hispanic vote, which is by no means assured.

Hispanics aren't just going to vote for someone because half of their surname has Spanish origins.

Do you go outside of your house in Texas lol

Democrats keep telling themselves that. And then they keep losing elections to tickets named Garcia and DeSantis-Nunez. Analysis of voting patterns in Texas going back to the 1990s shows Hispanics vote for Spanish last names. Even complete joke candidates like Sema Hernandez.

[Beet]

I don’t know why they’re vetting second year governors. Seems silly to waste a new comer from such a powerful position to a ceremonial one.

I don't really get this objection. New Mexico's population is only 2 million. VP of the United States is a far more important position than that. (Hell my own county judge, Lina Hidalgo, oversees more people). Biden also badly needs to consolidate the Hispanic vote, which is by no means assured.

"A poor woman had two sons. One went away to sea. The other became Vice-President of the United States. And neither poor boy was ever heard of again."

If it's such an irrelevant position, why do you even care? Lujan Grisham would be a great choice.

Also most sea captains aren't 77 years old. It'd be good to have someone with executive experience.

It being irrelevant is the point. Why waste a Governor (a non irrelevant job) who’s only been in office for sixteen months on an irrelevant job?

How is it irrelevant? The four year mortality rate of a 77 year old man is 22%. Not to mention the possibility of a tied Senate. The more I think of it, the more picking a governor is a good idea.

[Beet]

I don’t know why they’re vetting second year governors. Seems silly to waste a new comer from such a powerful position to a ceremonial one.

I don't really get this objection. New Mexico's population is only 2 million. VP of the United States is a far more important position than that. (Hell my own county judge, Lina Hidalgo, oversees more people). Biden also badly needs to consolidate the Hispanic vote, which is by no means assured.

Hispanics aren't just going to vote for someone because half of their surname has Spanish origins.

Do you go outside of your house in Texas lol

Democrats keep telling themselves that. And then they keep losing elections to tickets named Garcia and DeSantis-Nunez. Analysis of voting patterns in Texas going back to the 1990s shows Hispanics vote for Spanish last names. Even complete joke candidates like Sema Hernandez.

Did Lupe Valdez win her election?

Disingenuous straw man to bring up an election you know was uncompetitive. You're better than this New Frontier.

[Beet]

I don’t know why they’re vetting second year governors. Seems silly to waste a new comer from such a powerful position to a ceremonial one.

I don't really get this objection. New Mexico's population is only 2 million. VP of the United States is a far more important position than that. (Hell my own county judge, Lina Hidalgo, oversees more people). Biden also badly needs to consolidate the Hispanic vote, which is by no means assured.

Hispanics aren't just going to vote for someone because half of their surname has Spanish origins.

Do you go outside of your house in Texas lol

Democrats keep telling themselves that. And then they keep losing elections to tickets named Garcia and DeSantis-Nunez. Analysis of voting patterns in Texas going back to the 1990s shows Hispanics vote for Spanish last names. Even complete joke candidates like Sema Hernandez.

Did Lupe Valdez win her election?

Disingenuous straw man to bring up an election you know was uncompetitive. You're better than this New Frontier.

I'm not the one who claimed that having a Hispanic surname will be the magic fix to higher Hispanic turnout and a guaranteed win .

Neither did I. I said it would be a boost in a close election. It's ugly and dishonest of you to persist in a misrepresentation of my position.

[Beet]

Man, Warren is so desperate for centrists to like her she’s gonna lose all her progressive appeal by 2024.

There are no "centrists" in American politics anymore. I wish there was more.

[Beet]

Well a plurality of Democrats prefer Warren by polls, but with COVID-19 putting a crimp on political giving, Biden is more dependent on his corporate donors than ever. That could lead to progressives getting the trapdoor once again.

[Beet]

Well, that does it. It's going to be Kamala. More awful news for our awful time.

[Beet]

After all these statements, Biden is going to have to put up or shut up. If he doesn't choose a woman of color at this point, it will be disappointing. I frankly thing the stars have aligned for Val Demings and I'll be bummed if she doesn't pick her.

He needs to slow down and give himself room to maneuver. There's always AG and the Supreme Court.

[Beet]

Why Joe Biden will almost certainly pick a black woman as VP

South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn, whose endorsement of Biden days before the primary was, without question, the turning point of the race, was asked about Biden choosing a black woman as his running mate on Wednesday morning in a conversation with The Washington Post's Jonathan Capehart. "The only thing that's a must in this process at this time is to win," Clyburn said. "That's to win. It will be a plus to have an African American woman. It will be a plus to have a Latino. It will be a plus to have a woman."
True enough! But there's a strong case to be made that the best chance of Biden winning the White House is by picking a black woman as his running mate.

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/06/03/politics/joe-biden-vp-kamala-harris-val-demings-keisha-lance-bottoms/index.html

It's Chris Cillizza. Even Clyburn is not insisting it has to be a black woman.

[Beet]

He needs to pick Warren if he wants to win. Economic populism is going to be a big factor, and a lot of people support Trump solely because he's seen as a working class champion, although arguably that is dubious. Another thing to consider is that whoever he picks may be the party's standard bearer in the 2020s if he wins. If he picks an opportunistic careerist like Harris the Democrats will double down on being the party of the upper middle class which is really bad. He needs a progressive and Warren is the most likely progressive pick.

[Beet]

There still a while to go. I don't think a decision will be made until all the candidates are vetted. It won't necessarily go to Harris just because she campaigns the loudest for the spot.

[Beet]

Warren and Harris both had their controversies, but in the primaries it hurt Harris more. Warren as shown tonight is a fundraising powerhouse and is preferred by more Dems than anyone else. By all objective measures it should be her.

[Beet]

Yeah, Warren is just too much of a risk.

Read up on Tribegate on Twitter.  It's a sneak preview of what a Biden/Warren ticket would entail.

Not to mention picking a geriatric white woman to run with a geriatric white man would be tone-deaf in a post-Floyd era.

Some people on Atlas think the Blacks should shut up and get in line and vote for their preferred white favorite.

Calling Kamala aggressive but championing a woman who beat her own damn staff.

By that standard I should be Judy Chu or bust. I mean if we're only supporting VPs of our own race.

[Beet]

I definitely see Klobuchar getting primaried from the left in 4 years. Someone with her prosecutorial record has no place in the Party.

[Beet]

If it's between them then please pick Demings. I don't know if I can vote for a ticket with Harris on it. Her prosecutorial record is just so awful and it's just too blatantly hypocritical.

[Beet]

It isn't that Kamala is the worst idea, I just believe Biden has better options including women of color. Demings would absolutely be a plus for all but the far lefties (Kamala will do no better here). Lujan Grisham isn't high profile but her background in public health, Congress and as Governor would be ideal. Duckworth also as a war hero has a more compelling story.

I just don't see how Kamala resonates with people. Her career is all insider, coastal politics and is heavily focused on social issues as opposed to economic ones. If unemployment is 10% and student debt is even worse in 2022, you can guarantee average voters will turn on this type of party.

This. Worst, this sets up the direction of Democratic politics for the rest of the decade. You have to look past one election. Her getting picked would be a disaster for the country, but this is the current timeline, which is of course why Biden will pick her.

[Beet]

The KHive is extremely toxic. They deserve no support - zero.