Clinton should pick Booker

[Mister Mets]

It can be argued that being a woman is a setback.

Maybe in 2008.  The country has changed quite a bit since and people are getting used to the idea of a ticket without at least one white male.  Anyone who has a problem with such a ticket wouldn't vote for the Democratic candidate anyway.

Out of fifty Governors in the US, only five are women, in a country where women are a slight majority of the population. It's certainly reasonable to consider that it may be more difficult for a woman to get elected to executive office.

It's also possible that women can get judged in ways that male candidates wouldn't. A small percentage of the population might have these kinds of biases, and it would be enough to make a big difference.

I'm sure some would view a ticket with a woman and black man as pandering, although the effects of that argument are unknown. It could end up hurting the opposition, or it might cost votes with cautious centrists.

The main reason the Clintons are unlikely to back Booker is that they preferred other people to Booker as Mayor.

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2008/09/sharpe_james_to_be_behind_bars.html

[pikachu]

I don't think the VP choice matters unless he/she screws up (like Palin), but people are overstating the Senate risk. When Lautenburg died, we only had a Republican Senator for 4 months, and no Republican, not even Christie, has a shot at winning a NJ Senate seat. There'll be an open seat in 2017 for governor anyway, so any Republicans with statewide ambitions are better off going for that instead.

[HAnnA MArin County]

If you're insisting that she choose an African American as VP, I think she could go with Michael Nutter. He endorsed her in 2008.

[Intell]

Terrible Idea.

[Mister Mets]

I don't think the VP choice matters unless he/she screws up (like Palin), but people are overstating the Senate risk. When Lautenburg died, we only had a Republican Senator for 4 months, and no Republican, not even Christie, has a shot at winning a NJ Senate seat. There'll be an open seat in 2017 for governor anyway, so any Republicans with statewide ambitions are better off going for that instead.

Christie allowed for a special election quickly because it was in his political interests to do so.

The special election could be delayed until the midterms.

[pikachu]

I don't think the VP choice matters unless he/she screws up (like Palin), but people are overstating the Senate risk. When Lautenburg died, we only had a Republican Senator for 4 months, and no Republican, not even Christie, has a shot at winning a NJ Senate seat. There'll be an open seat in 2017 for governor anyway, so any Republicans with statewide ambitions are better off going for that instead.

Christie allowed for a special election quickly because it was in his political interests to do so.

The special election could be delayed until the midterms.

NJ state law says that the governor must hold the special election in conjunction with the next state general election (which would be November 2017), unless a vacancy occurs within 70 days of the next primary (which would be June 2017). Assuming Booker would resign in January, Christe would have to call the election in 2017.

[Simfan34]

If you want a black running mate with experience, go with Deval Patrick. Easy as that.

[IceSpear]

If you want a black running mate with experience, go with Deval Patrick. Easy as that.

Patrick isn't trustworthy enough. He's been concern trolling Hillary for quite a while now.

[ShadowRocket]

Nah. I think Hillary will need someone that she can count on to give her a boost in a critical swing state or somebody to shore up her left flank. Booker does niether of those.

[Mister Mets]

I don't know.

It would make sense for Hillary to go with someone qualified, but acceptable to the left, to avoid a veep who causes problems.

Booker could work in that category. He's a Senator with executive experience and familiarity with and to the media.