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

[BidenHarris2020]

https://twitter.com/JTHVerhovek/status/1288201749371781127?s=19

[BidenHarris2020]

Seems like we'll know who the finalists are, when the final meetings begin. iirc, the press monitored the comings and goings of Hillary's finalists as well.

[BidenHarris2020]

I'm betting on August 1st/2nd. More so the 2nd

[gf20202]

If Biden is really picking by the end of the first week of August, I assume he's met with his finalists if he is actually meeting them in person.

[Anti Democrat Democrat Club]

This is a lot like the 2020 primary. Everybody knew it was going to be Biden so they wanted to see other candidates and the moment the crazy pick look it going to win everybody went to Biden.  

Although, to be fair, the downfall was partially due to the Bernie campaign deciding to hyperfocus on turning out their base. Turns out making enemies with everyone leaves you unable to break past 30%.

I’m glad to see at least some of his supporters understand that.

Still, I think it would have been an uphill battle for him to ever gain enough votes in this party to win even if he ran a kinder, gentler campaign. The moderates/establishment were likely gonna consolidate around SOMEONE, be that Biden or whoever else. And the harsh fact is most black voters (and, seemingly, a lot of WWC voters who only voted for hin last time as the “someone else” option) simply do not trust Bernie and were not gonna be swayed to vote for him no matter what. Bernie could have made it more competitive, but I honestly think 2016 may have been almost his best case scenario. He was doomed to lose a one-on-one with Biden and most other candidates. Maybe his only hope actually was praying that the field remained divided long enough for him to pull off a Trump 2016 and scrape by with a plurality as a factional candidate.

To be fair, a huge part of that was Biden's strength and Bernie's ascension. Biden had a lot of strength, essentially being a part of the white working class. Despite being a part of the Washington establishment for longer than most of this forum has been alive, he's always been a salt-of-the-earth, humble guy. I'd even argue his gaffes are a strength. They're a welcome change from the overanalyzed, focus-grouped, artificial BS from most of our party figures.

There's also Bernie's ascension as an establishment figure. A lot of the people who voted for him to stick it to Hillary saw him as a part of the Democratic establishment. He's not a random backbencher Senator anymore - he's leading a movement now. I wouldn't go as far as to say that everyone would beat Bernie one-on-one, but I'm 100% sure that Biden was the perfect candidate to beat Bernie. 

Again, I'm glad we can finally come to an understanding. Most of the better people on your side of the fence tend to come around to the fact that I'm not a part of the Borg.

[This user has not been convicted of 34 felonies]

Accolades, etc:

So at the latest, this part of the process will be done by July 24th. Say he narrows it down to a true 3-4 person shortlist, those interviews take a day each, then some more mulling, then a decision...i’m guessing somewhere in that August 7-9 range.

[NYSforKennedy2024]

https://twitter.com/amandawgolden/status/1288202055413370880

"First Week of August" = Five Syllables

"Kamala Harris" = Five Syllables

I mean, there we go. /s

[Mr. Morden]

The convention starts on Aug. 17th, so if he does announce the pick by the end of next week, it'll continue the recent pattern of nominees announcing their running mate more than a week before the convention when they're the challenger running against an incumbent president....whereas in years with an open seat, like 2008 and 2016, the nominees announce their picks right on the eve of the convention.

So yes, the last two nominees to announce their picks more than a week before the convention were Kerry announcing Edwards in '04 and Romney announcing Ryan in '12.  Kerry did it on a Tuesday, while Romney did it on a Saturday, so not sure there's any consensus on what time of week is optimal.

Usually, the identity of the pick leaks at least a few hours before the formal announcement.  This is especially true when, as has happened in each case the last few cycles, the pick is announced in person, with the presidential and vice presidential nominees to be stand on the same stage.  Kerry didn't do this in '04 though.  He announced Edwards remotely, from a different state from where Edwards was speaking, in order to help preserve secrecy about who the pick was (though it was still leaked by someone whose job it was to repaint the campaign plane with "Kerry / Edwards").

Will be interesting to see if Biden does the announcement in person or not, given coronavirus concerns.  I still suspect he might do so, coronavirus be damned.  Wouldn't be surprised to see them stand on the same stage next week, as long as they're 6 feet apart.

[redjohn]

The rollout does matter a bit. An in-person announcement with both of them, emphasizing the candidate's experience would be very helpful.

Also, I'll be very surprised if it's anyone but Harris.

[brucejoel99]

https://twitter.com/howardfineman/status/1288181579123167233

https://twitter.com/mitchellreports/status/1287920043641184256

[Devils30]

https://twitter.com/howardfineman/status/1288181579123167233

https://twitter.com/mitchellreports/status/1287920043641184256

Hard to overstate the mistake Rice would be. There is no  warm story, just the insiders who will be smitten.

[NYSforKennedy2024]

Hard to overstate the mistake Rice would be.

[Roronoa D. Law]

Hard to overstate the mistake Rice would be.

[Warren 4 Secretary of Everything]

Hard to overstate the mistake Rice would be.

I honestly wanna think (or at least hope) Rice and Harris are just distractions to keep people from figuring out the real pick, in the latter case because Harris is such an obvious and dull choice and the former because Rice makes absolutely 0 sense

[Illini Moderate]

Seriously, what tf does Susan Rice bring to the table besides national security experience? She's not known, she's not particularly charismatic, she isn't a known quantity whatsoever, she's the definition of an insider, she actually has significant baggage.... I will actually be angry at that choice.

[soundchaser]

Rice seems like a lovely person, but I really, really hope it’s not her. She adds nothing to the ticket electorally, and Biden would almost certainly be able to build a similar relationship with a stronger candidate.

[brucejoel99]

Hard to overstate the mistake Rice would be.

I honestly wanna think (or at least hope) Rice and Harris are just distractions to keep people from figuring out the real pick, in the latter case because Harris is such an obvious and dull choice and the former because Rice makes absolutely 0 sense

Can y'all please fix the formatting of your quotes? I'm not the one who said it would be "hard to overstate the mistake Rice would be."

[TDAS04]

Biden should really just pick Harris.  Rice can be Secretary of State.

[NYSforKennedy2024]

Rice jumps Harris on PredictIt, her stock moving 10 cents today alone.

https://www.predictit.org/markets/detail/5883/Who-will-win-the-2020-Democratic-vice-presidential-nomination

[Landslide Lyndon]

Rice would be great as SoS but as a VP pick she literally adds nothing to the ticket. And the narrative that Biden shunned Harris because she challenged him in a debate will probably leave a bigger mark among black and female voters than his choice of another black woman.
I hope he is smarter and less petty than this.

[Devils30]

Hard to overstate the mistake Rice would be.

I honestly wanna think (or at least hope) Rice and Harris are just distractions to keep people from figuring out the real pick, in the latter case because Harris is such an obvious and dull choice and the former because Rice makes absolutely 0 sense

Yeah, historically there is a name that pops up around 3-5 days from now and gains "late momentum." It would not shock me if they have their person and its not one of these two.

[Dr Oz Lost Party!]

If you scroll down this article, you’ll see that politico reported that Biden chose Harris...

https://www.politico.com/amp/news/2020/07/27/joe-biden-vp-running-mate-pick-tracker-377652?__twitter_impression=true

[#TheShadowyAbyss]

It seems like most people in the Obama and Clinton world are heavily pushing for Rice.

Clyburn is pushing for a Kamala Harris

I thought it looked like it was going to be clear choice of Kamala Harris but now it's looking like it's probably going to be Susan Rice

[President Johnson]

Saying this despite not a popular opinion: I think Susan Rice would be a fine pick. She knows government, is smart and there seems to be a mutual trust with her and Biden. Benghazi, where is no proof of any wrongdoing by her, is kinda old news. Republicans will try to demonize each vice presidential pick, whether it's Kamala, Warren or even Duckworth. The "elite" thing seems overblown as well. The pandemic has shown how important it is to have competence in offices of public trust. Countries need able leaders, not necessarily someone you'd like to have a beer with. That said, I don't think Uncle Joe would like her if she wasn't simpatico. So I hope it's either Kamala, Demings, Whitmer or her.

[Beet]

https://twitter.com/KevinWhitelaw1/status/1287864339068620801
This sounds like something a ticket with Warren on it would have.

Or any competent, non corrupt ticket running against Donald Trump.

Well that rules out "quid pro quo" Harris.