Biden’s VP Choice

[iNow]

Who do you think Joe Biden will announce as his running mate? Not who you WANT him to pick, but who you PREDICT he will pick. 

Polls show Elizabeth Warren as the favorite among people polled, but I doubt that’s the direction he chooses. 

My top picks are Susan Rice or Kamala Harris. I’d like to see Stacey Abrams, but am unsure she’ll click with Biden as the person with whom he’ll want to enjoy weekly lunch dates. 

Tammy Duckworth and Val Jennings seem possible, but IMO are not probable.

The announcement will likely happen within the next week or two. Who do you think will be chosen?

Maybe Obama? If so, which one? Lol

[CharonY]

My gut says Rice with absolutely nothing to back it up. I have zero insights into what the Biden campaign is gunning for or what their strategy is (other than let Trump do the talking). Most likely because I am buried in COVID-19 literature, ugh.

[iNow]

Maybe Biden should just state the obvious and call Covid-19 his running mate

[J.C.MacSwell]

I'm starting to like the chances (and her herself so far though I do not know that much about her) of Karen Bass.

https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2020/07/karen-bass-joe-biden-running-mate/613975/

Two concerns (not for me) are some of her views on Cuba and a 2010 speech she gave addressing a Scientology Church. Apparently she said nice things about them (citing aspects that few reasonable people would disagree with, so I don't think they will be disqualifying)

 

[iNow]

She is getting a lot of extra attention in media right now. Was on Meet the Press this morning, even 

[J.C.MacSwell]

Here she is on Fox News with Chris Wallace:

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/biden-vp-hopeful-bass-regrets-past-castro-comment

Barring any skeletons in the closet yet to come out, she seems like a very good fit for Biden.

 

[J.C.MacSwell]

According to Axios, Biden confidants tend to believe the choice is down to Harris and Rice.

https://www.axios.com/biden-vp-pick-kamala-harris-susan-rice-0e1f7c91-7df2-4d08-a08f-4568e86e6e50.html

[iNow]

17 minutes ago, J.C.MacSwell said:

According to Axios, Biden confidants tend to believe the choice is down to Harris and Rice.

That aligns perfectly with my forecast a bit more than a week ago. We’ll see. I’m leaning toward Rice right now. 

[iNow]

Expecting an announcement tomorrow or Wednesday. 

Last weekend, Michigan Governor, Gretchen Whitmer flew to Wilmington, Delaware so she’s at least under consideration. Karen Bass is apparently who Pelosi is hoping to advance. 

I’m still leaning toward Susan Rice. 

[zapatos]

19 hours ago, iNow said:

I’m still leaning toward Susan Rice. 

You were batting 1000 till now!

Quote

Joe Biden has selected Kamala Harris as his running mate 

 

https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/2020-election-biden-vp-pick/index.html

Edited August 11, 2020 by zapatos

[iNow]

I'm genuinely surprised by this one, but also know she is more than qualified and is a fighter

[iNow]

Just heard a quick take from Perry over at FiveThirtyEight and it aligns exactly with my thinking.

The suggestion is Biden prefers Rice in terms of governing and working together to get stuff done, but prefers Harris in terms of campaigning and actually winning the election. 

Obviously just opinions, but they’re informed opinions.

[CharonY]

2 hours ago, iNow said:

Just heard a quick take from Perry over at FiveThirtyEight and it aligns exactly with my thinking.

The suggestion is Biden prefers Rice in terms of governing and working together to get stuff done, but prefers Harris in terms of campaigning and actually winning the election. 

Obviously just opinions, but they’re informed opinions.

Well, it kind of makes sense, especially as Harris die land some blows at Biden during the debates.

[MigL]

K Harris isn't just the first black woman nominated as running mate on a Presidential ticket, and hopefully future vice-President of the US.
She spent most of her early life in Montreal, Canada, and probably has better understanding of Canadians than any previous vice-President,

I hope this means much improved relations between our countries after the November elections.

[iNow]

7 minutes ago, MigL said:

I hope this means much improved relations between our countries after the November elections.

That’s hardly a high bar and is really a rather low hurdle to jump... eh? 🍁 

[CharonY]

5 minutes ago, iNow said:

That’s hardly a high bar and is really a rather low hurdle to jump... eh? 🍁 

It is more a question of not stumbling rather than jumping. But then you have a surprising number of folks with MAGA hats and confederate flags in some areas.

[Ten oz]

13 hours ago, iNow said:

Just heard a quick take from Perry over at FiveThirtyEight and it aligns exactly with my thinking.

The suggestion is Biden prefers Rice in terms of governing and working together to get stuff done, but prefers Harris in terms of campaigning and actually winning the election. 

Obviously just opinions, but they’re informed opinions.

The Vice President presides over the Senate. It is the only Constitutional duty the VP has. Susan Rice has never held elective office while Kamala Harris is currently a Senator and sits on the committees for Budget, DHS, Intelligence, and Judiciary. Biden appears to have had a good working relationship with Rice but ultimately Harris fits the bill on paper better to do the job itself. Not just the campaigning stuff but to work with her current colleagues in the Senate to advance the Presidents agenda. Harris has been in the Senate working these last few years while Rice has been out of govt.

My guess is Rice will be Biden Sec of State or U.N. Ambassador which is a natural fit for the progression of her career.

[iNow]

1 hour ago, Ten oz said:

The Vice President presides over the Senate. It is the only Constitutional duty the VP has. Susan Rice has never held elective office while Kamala Harris is currently a Senator and sits on the committees for Budget, DHS, Intelligence, and Judiciary. Biden appears to have had a good working relationship with Rice but ultimately Harris fits the bill on paper better to do the job itself. Not just the campaigning stuff but to work with her current colleagues in the Senate to advance the Presidents agenda. Harris has been in the Senate working these last few years while Rice has been out of govt.

My guess is Rice will be Biden Sec of State or U.N. Ambassador which is a natural fit for the progression of her career.

Agree with everything here. I also sense Rice as a Sec State pick to help repair broken international relationships... IF they win

[Airbrush]

My advice for Kamala Harris is to control her facial expressions.  Hillary Clinton lost her election by a slim margin.  Hillary had a very quick and easy BROAD smile.  By "broad" smile I mean the toothy grin of a first grade teacher, the first day of class, with eyes bulging out.   It does not look presidential for independent voters.   If Hillary had controlled her facial expressions, like a Margaret Thatcher or Angela Merkel, she would have won her election.  Kamala please do not smile too broadly. 

Edited August 12, 2020 by Airbrush

[Phi for All]

2 minutes ago, Airbrush said:

My advice for Kamala Harris is to control her facial expressions.  Hillary Clinton lost her election by a slim margin.  Hillary had a very quick and easy BROAD smile.  By "broad" smile I mean the the toothy grin of a first grade teacher has on her face the first day of class, with her eyes bulging out.   It does not look presidential for independent voters.   If Hillary had controlled her facial expressions, like a Margaret Thatcher or Angela Merkel, she would have won her election.  Kamala please do not smile too broadly. 

That's advice men rarely get or seem to need. Along with how to respond to questions about how they balance work and family. I find it extremely sexist.

[Airbrush]

20 minutes ago, Phi for All said:

That's advice men rarely get or seem to need. Along with how to respond to questions about how they balance work and family. I find it extremely sexist.

I voted for Hillary Clinton because I felt she was VERY qualified to be president.  She really scraped her way up as a lawyer.  She lost her election by a slim margin.  I don't want Biden/Harris to lose by a slim margin.  It will help them WIN if Kamala, a super-great choice to prosecute Trump every day until the election, will follow more the Margaret Thatcher or Angela Merkel school of subdued expressions, rather than the all out, cut-loose, big toothy grin and bulging eyes of Hillary Clinton. 

Edited August 12, 2020 by Airbrush

[iNow]

Your heart's in the right place, Airbrush, but Phi is right. The fact that it would be mentioned at all reminds us of just how differently we implicitly treat women from men, and how our expectations for one differ from the other. Maybe you're right... maybe how she positions her face will affect how voters feel, but it shouldn't, and the fact that we don't talk about facial expressions of men shows we're discriminating... even if only by accident. 

[Phi for All]

34 minutes ago, Airbrush said:

I voted for Hillary Clinton because I felt she was VERY qualified to be president.  She really scraped her way up as a lawyer.  She lost her election by a slim margin.  I don't want Biden/Harris to lose by a slim margin.  It will help them WIN if Kamala, a super-great choice to prosecute Trump every day until the election, will follow more the Margaret Thatcher or Angela Merkel school of subdued expressions, rather than the all out, cut-loose, big toothy grin and bulging eyes of Hillary Clinton. 

I'll let the point go if you can show me the thread you started to complain about Trump's bizarre facial expressions. 

[swansont]

1 hour ago, Airbrush said:

My advice for Kamala Harris is to control her facial expressions.

That really hurt Trump, didn't it?

 

The problem here is there is no "right" way to be a woman in politics. People who don't like them will make up excuses not to like them. True of men to some extent (tribalism is real), but amplified with women, since it includes many metrics never used on men.

 

 

[Phi for All]

7 minutes ago, swansont said:

The problem here is there is no "right" way to be a woman in politics. People who don't like them will make up excuses not to like them. True of men to some extent (tribalism is real), but amplified with women, since it includes many metrics never used on men.

One of the worst is one we should be seeing quite a bit of in the next few months. Watch how the men will be allowed to yell over one another aggressively without complaint, but if Harris interrupts a man or raises her voice, she'll be painted as rude and demanding. Or worse, hormonal.