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

[BlueSwan]

538 did another VP draft, their list was:

Harris
Pressley
Klobuchar
Duckworth
Warren
Cortez Masto
Lujan Grisham
Abrams
Whitmer

I assume it is on their podcast so I'll listen to it shortly, but I'd love to hear the reasoning here. Picking Pressley second? Whitmer the 8th pick?? I do agree with Harris as the #1 pick, as that is who I picked myself on a danish podcast on the VP pick last week.

[Morning in Atlas]

538 did another VP draft, their list was:

Harris
Pressley
Klobuchar
Duckworth
Warren
Cortez Masto
Lujan Grisham
Abrams
Whitmer

I assume it is on their podcast so I'll listen to it shortly, but I'd love to hear the reasoning here. Picking Pressley second? Whitmer the 8th pick?? I do agree with Harris as the #1 pick, as that is who I picked myself on a danish podcast on the VP pick last week.

Pressley combines Warren's niche and Harris's niche. It's admittedly a risk, but she has the highest reward and is the most unifying candidate out of all the ones floated.

To put it bluntly, we don't need the primary's "orange man bad" candidate as our VP.

[Orser67]

Yeah, Pressley stood out the most to me as well. I argued for her as a sleeper pick a few pages back in this thread, but certainly wouldn't have picked her second.

Here's a relevant part of the 538 chat regarding Pressley:

sarahf: So I’m not totally sure I agree with my own pick, but if part of the optics around Biden’s VP pick requires appealing to black voters or progressive voters, I wonder if he can’t try and do both by picking Rep. Ayanna Pressley...

sarahf: The lack of experience definitely cuts against Pressley. But if Biden’s top VP considerations are appealing to black and progressive voters, I think it’s impressive she can check both boxes. I also thought she was a pretty effective endorser of Warren in the primary, but yeah, I admit that I’m not convinced this will actually happen.

[American2020]

https://twitter.com/NBCPolitics/status/1255532322440577037

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

https://twitter.com/NBCPolitics/status/1255532322440577037

Bad sign for Harris

[Holmes]

https://twitter.com/NBCPolitics/status/1255532322440577037

Bad sign for Harris

This is what I thought... maybe Clyburn heard some things and is trying to downplay expectations of a black VP.

[ShadowRocket]

Politico had a discussion with four Republican past presidential campaign managers and hosted by Tim Alberta.  When asked who Biden should choose as VP, they all said Kamala Harris.

JEFF ROE:   He has to have a balanced ticket. I understand the need to have somebody that can be president. The Democrats have to believe that; the independents have to believe it, but I think Kamala Harris is his only choice. If you believe in base politics, it’s the only choice.

BETH HANSEN: I would say it goes a little bit beyond base. What it gets him—and you said this just a second ago, Jeff—it gets you enough of the base without freaking people out. And that’s the balance. I would argue that he can’t pick somebody that it’s just going to be so clear it’s not a good fit for who he is. I mean, he does have a reputation of [chuckles] 150 years in politics, and people know who he is, and they know that he is a pragmatic, middle of the road, blue collar, centrist, populist kind of a leader. And so, picking somebody that’s just asynchronous for that, I think will not help him. But he’s got to get enough of that intensity and that base and something different. I think you do end up with Kamala Harris.

DANNY DIAZ: I think there’s an argument for Harris, but at the same time, there’s an argument for Warren.

TERRY SULLIVAN: If you want to make sure that you don’t raise any super PAC money, there’d be an argument for Warren, because there’s not a single big donor that’s going to give any super PAC money unless they’re like some total communist, because they’re all scared sh**tless of her. But I think that’s why Harris would be—she’s just left of center enough. She checks a lot of boxes. They’ve got to be able to turn that minority vote out. But most importantly, I think she’s just vanilla enough that she doesn’t scare people. And I think their campaign—and Jeff and I will disagree on this—I think their campaign needs to be very careful to not scare middle-of-the-road voters.

TIM ALBERTA: On the eve of the Michigan primary, Biden held this rally at Renaissance High School in Detroit where he had a number of high-profile surrogates come out. You know who stole the show? It wasn’t Cory Booker. It wasn’t Gretchen Whitmer. It wasn’t Joe Biden. It was Kamala Harris. And I said to people there, “Wouldn’t it have been interesting if she had been waging her presidential campaign in high school gyms in Detroit instead of coffee shops in Des Moines?” It’s just a completely different vibe for her.

https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2020/04/28/2020-campaign-joe-biden-trump-campaign-manager-191169

I think this is most accurate especially the idea that Klobuchar wouldn't really bring anything to the ticket despite being the other most likely pick besides Harris.

I do think they downplayed the advantages of Biden picking Warren though. Out of the likely contenders, I feel that her and Harris are the ones that most carry the most tangible upsides.

[President Johnson]

https://twitter.com/NBCPolitics/status/1255532322440577037

Bad sign for Harris

This is what I thought... maybe Clyburn heard some things and is trying to downplay expectations of a black VP.

Hopefully he jumps on the CCM train.

[ShadowRocket]

https://twitter.com/NBCPolitics/status/1255532322440577037

Bad sign for Harris

This is what I thought... maybe Clyburn heard some things and is trying to downplay expectations of a black VP.

I'd say it likelier that he's just trying to avoid boxing Biden in.

[Dr Oz Lost Party!]

https://twitter.com/NBCPolitics/status/1255532322440577037

Bad sign for Harris

This is what I thought... maybe Clyburn heard some things and is trying to downplay expectations of a black VP.

I think that's overthinking it. Maybe he just believes all the frontrunners would be great for the ticket no matter what color they are?

Besides, doesn't the CBC support Harris?

[2016]

There is no way that Klobuchar, Warren or Catherine Cortez-Masto could win a POTUS Race down the road in 2024. The Expectation is that Biden won't run again.

And I disagree with Clyburn. It has to be a Woman of an Minority Group.

I remember in 2016 sitting in front of my TV watching Election Coverage and NBC's Chuck Todd said On-Air that he thought that the Democratic Ticket of Clinton/Kaine was too white for the changing face of America and she should have picked Booker instead of Kaine.

Given how obsessed Biden is with AA in general it's got to be Harris.

[Ogre Mage]

https://twitter.com/NBCPolitics/status/1255532322440577037

Bad sign for Harris

This is what I thought... maybe Clyburn heard some things and is trying to downplay expectations of a black VP.

I think that's overthinking it. Maybe he just believes all the frontrunners would be great for the ticket no matter what color they are?

Besides, doesn't the CBC support Harris?

The CBC strongly supported her in 2019.  I assume that is still the case.

https://www.politico.com/story/2019/05/12/joe-biden-kamala-harris-dream-ticket-1317561

https://www.axios.com/kamala-harris-congressional-black-caucus-south-carolina-6f3c05fc-580f-49c6-b903-4a1223733967.html

[Bojack Horseman]

I really think I’d go with Warren at this point. Abrams is a good campaigner but she has no experience and her $200,000 in unpaid credit card debt will be a liability.

[Ogre Mage]

With regards to Ayanna Pressley, I can't see her being picked this time around. But if she ever gets into statewide office she could definitely be a prospect for a national ticket.  She's only 46 years old and has plenty of time to grow into a major politician.  From what I've seen of her the potential is there.  Val Demings is impressive, but she is 63 and in her 2nd term in the House.

[It’s so Joever]

A Latino is a must.
Biden already has black support and he can get Kamala and Obama to campaign for him. He lacked Latino support in the primary (relative to Hillary) and needs to be aware of this weak spot. If Biden loses, it will be because he doesn’t listen/takes-for-granted Latino voters in the same way Hillary ignored some of her base.

[Donerail]

A Latino is a must.
Biden already has black support and he can get Kamala and Obama to campaign for him. He lacked Latino support in the primary (relative to Hillary) and needs to be aware of this weak spot. If Biden loses, it will be because he doesn’t listen/takes-for-granted Latino voters in the same way Hillary ignored some of her base.

Does an English-speaking half-Italian Senator whose paternal grandfather happened to immigrate from Mexico solve that problem?

[Ogre Mage]

https://twitter.com/NBCPolitics/status/1255532322440577037

Bad sign for Harris

This is what I thought... maybe Clyburn heard some things and is trying to downplay expectations of a black VP.

I'd say it likelier that he's just trying to avoid boxing Biden in.

Yes.  And some black politicians *cough* Abrams *cough* have been pushing too hard.  This may be Clyburn's way of saying "you better relax yourself" (to quote Jill Scott).

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

A Latino is a must.
Biden already has black support and he can get Kamala and Obama to campaign for him. He lacked Latino support in the primary (relative to Hillary) and needs to be aware of this weak spot. If Biden loses, it will be because he doesn’t listen/takes-for-granted Latino voters in the same way Hillary ignored some of her base.

Does an English-speaking half-Italian Senator whose paternal grandfather happened to immigrate from Mexico solve that problem?

Silence, Republican!

[Not Me, Us]

I would really like to see Warren or Pressley. I plan on voting for Biden, but the pill would be much easier to swallow if there was a progressive on the ticket, and I know many people IRL who feel the same.

[It’s so Joever]

A Latino is a must.
Biden already has black support and he can get Kamala and Obama to campaign for him. He lacked Latino support in the primary (relative to Hillary) and needs to be aware of this weak spot. If Biden loses, it will be because he doesn’t listen/takes-for-granted Latino voters in the same way Hillary ignored some of her base.

Does an English-speaking half-Italian Senator whose paternal grandfather happened to immigrate from Mexico solve that problem?

To an extent, given both her ability to garner Latino voters in Nevada (a must for any NV Democrat) and her background (half-Latino)
Personally I would prefer Lujan Grisham anyways, but Cortez-Masto would be better for reaching out to Latino Voters than say, Elizabeth Warren.

[Landslide Lyndon]

A Latino is a must.
Biden already has black support and he can get Kamala and Obama to campaign for him. He lacked Latino support in the primary (relative to Hillary) and needs to be aware of this weak spot. If Biden loses, it will be because he doesn’t listen/takes-for-granted Latino voters in the same way Hillary ignored some of her base.

Does an English-speaking half-Italian Senator whose paternal grandfather happened to immigrate from Mexico solve that problem?

Does a half-white guy who grew up in Hawaii with his white grandparents from Kansas appeal to blacks?

[Lincoln Republican]

The way I see it, for a female candidate for Vice President to be on the ticket with Joe Biden, there is but one woman who has the right combination of gravitas., the experience, the intellect, the talent, and as someone who would be considered by most Americans as capable of assuming the Presidency should that become necessary, and that woman is Elizabeth Warren.

I am no particular fan of Elizabeth Warren, however, looking at the field, she checks a lot of the requirements for the job.

Other potential female candidates check some of the requirements, but Warren is the only one I can see at this time who checks the most important requirement, and that is to be taken seriously by the American electorate as someone who could assume the Presidency and have the capabilities for the job.

That is the picture as I see it at this point in time.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

A Latino is a must.
Biden already has black support and he can get Kamala and Obama to campaign for him. He lacked Latino support in the primary (relative to Hillary) and needs to be aware of this weak spot. If Biden loses, it will be because he doesn’t listen/takes-for-granted Latino voters in the same way Hillary ignored some of her base.

Does an English-speaking half-Italian Senator whose paternal grandfather happened to immigrate from Mexico solve that problem?

To an extent, given both her ability to garner Latino voters in Nevada (a must for any NV Democrat) and her background (half-Latino)
Personally I would prefer Lujan Grisham anyways, but Cortez-Masto would be better for reaching out to Latino Voters than say, Elizabeth Warren.

CCM is chairman of the DSCC she already took her name out of the running

[ηєω ƒяσηтιєя]

A Latino is a must.
Biden already has black support and he can get Kamala and Obama to campaign for him. He lacked Latino support in the primary (relative to Hillary) and needs to be aware of this weak spot. If Biden loses, it will be because he doesn’t listen/takes-for-granted Latino voters in the same way Hillary ignored some of her base.

Does an English-speaking half-Italian Senator whose paternal grandfather happened to immigrate from Mexico solve that problem?

Does a half-white guy who grew up in Hawaii with his white grandparents from Kansas appeal to blacks?

You can't compare Obama to Cortez-Masto.

Even though, Obama did grow up with his White grandparents, when he got older he moved to NYC and then Chicago. He lived and made a name for himself in the South Side of Chicago is which a predominately Black area. He was a community organizer as well, he made personal connections with Black Chicagoans and ended up marrying one (Michelle). Also, many Black people would not have been as enthusiastic about Obama if he was married to a White woman.

Furthermore, if President Obama grew up in Wichita, KS he probably wouldn't have made it far. Being connected to Chicago helped BO a whole lot.

[RussFeingoldWasRobbed]

Clyburn is full of bologna. The nominee is not going to be a white woman. My guess is Warren isn't even being considered, Whitmers been a governor for a little over a year, and Klobuchars successor would have to run in a Biden midterm and that puts another seat into play.
I think the top 4 are
Harris, Demings, Duckworth and Masto.