Stacey Abrams says she hasn't heard from Biden campaign about VP search

[RandySF]

Georgia Democrat Stacey Abrams says she has not heard from Joe Biden’s presidential campaign as it starts its vetting process to pick a nominee for vice president.

“I have said many times that if called I will answer, but I have not received any calls,” Abrams, who rose to prominence when she narrowly lost Georgia’s gubernatorial race in 2018, said Wednesday night on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.”

Abrams, also a former leader in the Georgia state House, has been frequently floated as a possible running mate for Biden, particularly as pressure ramps up for the former vice president to tap a woman of color as protests erupt across the nation against systemic racism.

Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) is seen as a favorite to be Biden's running mate, and Rep. Val Demmings (D-Fla.) and Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms (D) are seen as other contenders. All three are African American.



https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/502226-stacy-abrams-says-she-hasnt-heard-from-biden-campaign-about-vp-search

[jimfields33]

1. I like the Atlanta mayor

The Chicago mayor or DC mayor would be good too. Val Demmings would be a great pick as well.

[lagomorph777]

9. Keisha Lance-Bottoms has serious charisma.

I think she'd bring a lot to the campaign.

[Laelth]

23. Yeah. She's great. n/t

-Laelth

[BluesRunTheGame]

49. Did you know her father was a big-time R&B star in the early 60's?

A short medley of 3 of his hits:

[lagomorph777]

60. Seriously? He was Major Lance? Cool!

[SoonerPride]

2. I love Stacey Abrams. But I think it'll be Kamala Harris.

She's vetted.

Plus.......
Biden signaled he needs someone ready to take over day one if needed. Kamala checks that box.

[lagomorph777]

11. Can we afford to lose her seat?

I know, should be safe, but the Senate will be key to the reconstruction of America.

[PunkinPi]

14. Yes, Gavin Newsom is the Dem governor and would replace her w/another dem. nt

[RandySF]

18. California is deep blue at this point.

[RhodeIslandOne]

59. The Republicans may never win a statewide seat in California again.

And there's a deep bench that could replace her. Like Ted Lieu.

[lagomorph777]

61. Ted would be amazing. If Moscow Mitch survives, Ted will ruin his life.

[Dem4Life1102]

24. She doesn't help to flip a single swing state

And her attack on Biden during the debates is a GOP attack ad that writes itself. And the experience argument is BS, if experience mattered Trump wouldn't be President.

[DrToast]

37. " if experience mattered Trump wouldn't be President."

How’s that working out?

[Dem4Life1102]

38. Doesn't change the fact

that experience doesn't matter in elections.

[DrToast]

40. It matters for governing

[LiberalLovinLug]

47. You lose your own argument by bringing up Trump

He is the ultimate example of winning elections without having the experience. Voters look at charisma, and salesmanship, and confidence.

The argument here was not who is best AFTER being elected, only what the requirement is to get elected in the first place. And sometimes, you don't know just how good of a leader an "inexperienced" candidate can be. Obama only served 3 years as a federal level Senator didn't he? How'd that work out?

[DrToast]

53. No, that wasn't the argument

Go look at the post that started this chain.

Plus.......
Biden signaled he needs someone ready to take over day one if needed. Kamala checks that box.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100213578961#post2

[DrToast]

54. Also, I didn't bring up Trump

[LiberalLovinLug]

55. I apologize

I thought I was answering to a sub thread on here further down. Actually it was Hortensis that implied an inexperienced candidate had less a chance of winning.

But you were conflating the question about winning an election into "governing". Which are still two different things.


For the record, I think Harris would be the better choice regardless. Even better, Warren.

[PatSeg]

31. Yes

Though I really like Stacey Abrams, I don't think she has enough relative experience to be a heartbeat away from the presidency. Kamala Harris is still my number one pick and has been for a long time.

[PTWB]

3. Kamala Harris is the best choice.. a "law and order liberal"

[onetexan]

20. +1 K&R

[PunkinPi]

27. +1 nt

[tritsofme]

4. Biden has indicated he wants a VP who is ready to be president on day one.

I think that takes her out of the running. It seems that Harris’ stock continues to rise.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

5. I like Stacey Abrams a lot; I think she has a great future.

But Biden is probably looking for someone with considerable experience in the federal government, and Abrams has only ever been a state legislator. Her time will come, no doubt; but I'm betting on Harris or Rice.

[left-of-center2012]

6. Abrams has waged a public campaign to cast herself as Biden's best pick

... bucking precedent from past cycles when possible running mate picks would avoid publicly discussing their chances of joining the presidential ticket.

"I’ve learned over the course of my life, starting out as a young black girl in Mississippi that if you don’t speak up for yourself, then people will take that as permission to underestimate you ... my responsibility is not only to dream but to say it aloud"

[left-of-center2012]

7. I choose ...

Sen Tammy Duckworth

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tammy_Duckworth

[janterry]

8. I like Harris

I like Abrams, too. But she needs more gov't experience (imo). Harris has that and then some

[brooklynite]

10. You want to know how to run for VP? Don't talk about running for VP...

[lagomorph777]

13. +1 She would be great in statewide or House. But this is not really a great look right now.

[PunkinPi]

15. Agree. nt

[tritsofme]

16. This assumes she was a real contender

and her campaign for the position somehow damaged her prospects.

On the contrary, I don’t think that is the case, and that if her primary goal was raising her profile in national politics, it was very successful.

[Dem4Life1102]

25. Good point

It seems that both Abrams and Harris are actively campaigning for the job.

[LakeArenal]

12. No primary candidate for VP, please.

[still_one]

17. I really would like to see Susan Rice, based on her experience and knowledge

[onetexan]

22. i like Susan Rice, but she needs to come across as more relatable and approachable

a little too cerebral and so serious all the time. I'd like her to project a little more empathy and humanity. Laugh and smile more, exhibit a bit more charisma. These are qualities that have drawn me to Kamala. Darn can she work up a crowd, not to mention beauty and brains. She's got it all .

[tavernier]

30. Joe has an over abundance of relatable and approachable

so maybe cerebral and serious is a good balance.

[onetexan]

32. good point, but considering Joe's age we need someone ready the first day, as he said. So

relatability & approachability are important qualities IMO. I know asking for the whole package is hard, but we do have highly qualified women in our party Joe can choose from. I saw Susan Rice on Morning Joe this morning, and while i love how she's quite the wonk (highly knowledgeable & articulate) i found little charisma. In all the times i've seen her speak on tv i've yet to see her smile. Condi Rice at least smiled alot more and though i don't agree w/ her politics, i found her very warm and relatable.

[Peacetrain]

35. Bingo!!!! balance is what it is all about.. what makes a great team

[theophilus]

19. Ms. Abrams, and Georgia, was robbed. She should be governor. She

needs to be the VP on the ticket. Blacks deserve a fighter like Stacey and putting her on the ticket will actually right a wrong perpetrated by Kemp (white) and other Georgia folks (white again). Stacey on the ticket will show that Biden is serious about addressing past wrongs and empowering Blacks in the future.

This is my opinion but I feel that I am right on this one.

[Hortensis]

21. Biden just said his VP needs to be ready to be president from day 1.

It's not Ms. Abrams.

I'm fine with anyone he chooses, but I've liked Elizabeth Warren for the idea since she'd been reminding me of FDR's amazing Frances Perkins for some time. Not that that'd matter if I hadn't read that some of his staffers said he'd wanted her for his running mate in 2015 if he'd run and that they were serious enough to meet to discuss it. Polls this time show she pulls in the most additional support.

[Dem4Life1102]

26. If experience mattered Trump wouldn't be President

[Hortensis]

28. :) Of course it does. Two reasons: 1. WE're not RW idiots.

I think that should at least make one ponder a bit: We're. Not. Them. Democrats believe in the value and importance of good government. Inexperience is a virtue only to those trying to destroy it.

I think the "We're. Not. Trumpsters" argument should be very convincing on its own. But if not, there's always:

2. Biden requires his VP have the experience to hit the ground running the first day. Case closed.

Btw, the pattern of Democratic presidents choosing VPs with the experience and competence to work with them began with Carter in the 1970s and has grown stronger over succeeding adminstrations.

This has not happened in the Republican Party because of the hierarchical nature of conservative leadership, which we see in the obedience of even Republican senators to Trump. Plus, the Repubs have been going the opposite way since the 1970s: increasingly more RW extremist and authoritarian -- again, seen in the shocking obedience of even Republican senators to Trump.

[Dem4Life1102]

29. No it doesn't and never has

Or Obama would have lost to McCain.

[Hortensis]

33. And never will. Got it.

[Dem4Life1102]

34. Yup

[Sugarcoated]

36. Abrams is no Obama

Citing Obama to argue inexperienced candidates get elected doesn't work.

[Dem4Life1102]

39. There are many more examples

Gore was more experienced than W.
Bush had more experience than Clinton.
Nixon more than JFK.
Douglas more than Lincoln.
Experience doesn't matter in elections. Never has.

[Sugarcoated]

41. Bet there's many more examples lack of experience had a losing outcome

Abrams is no JFK, Clinton or Lincoln. Those men are exceptions to the rule. Brilliant minds, brilliant oraters, charisma, confidence and likability that comes along once in a generation. As good as Abrams is she's not on that level. I can't see her as president...at least not yet.

[Dem4Life1102]

42. You are free to post them

Please do

[LanternWaste]

44. Let's face it.... regardless of how valid the evidence you're presented with is,

Let's face it.... regardless of how valid the evidence you're presented with is, you'll move the goalposts again. That's kinda your thing. (e.g., your rapidly changing premise that "Most Nominees don't pick a former primary opponent as VP..." )

[Dem4Life1102]

45. Not moving any goal post

Why don't you show examples of when the candidate with the most experience won. There are many, like when Obama beat Romney or when W beat Kerry or when Clinton defeated Dole. See that is the problem experience arguments, they support incumbents.

And for the record, most nominees don't pick former primary opponents as their VP.

[StarfishSaver]

46. Well, let's see

Kennedy picked Johnson

Johnson picked Humphrey (one of his opponents in 1960)

Reagan picked Bush

Kerry picked Edwards

Obama picked Biden

So, if you count the winning and losing teams, you're right - most nominees haven't picked former primary opponents as their VP.

But with the exception of John Kerry, every nominee who did pick a former rival in the last 60 years WON ...

[Dem4Life1102]

48. OK a little fact check

Johnson didn't run in the primaries in 1960. He became a candidate at the convention.

Humphrey didn't run in 64 so he doesn't count and was already out of it in 60 when Johnson got it.

The rest are accurate. And both Reagan and Obama did win. But so did:

Nixon and Agnew in 68

Carter and Mondale in 76

Bush and Quayle in 88

Clinton and Gore in 92

W and Cheney in 00

Trump and Pence in 16.

So that is 2 vs 6. Or 2 out of 8 which is 25%. And that is just the winning tickets.

[StarfishSaver]

50. Point taken re Johnson/Humphrey

But you seem to be arguing that choosing a former rival as a running mate is a bad move. But since all but one nominee who did so won, your argument fails. Moreover, the fact that six candidates who didn't select a former rival also won does not prove your point especially since 11 other nominees fitting that description lost their races,* further undercutting any assumption that picking a former rival hurts a nominee. In fact, given the past track record, it seems like a pretty good bet.

*Nixon/Lodge
Goldwater/Miller
Humphrey/Muskie
McGovern/Shriver
Ford/Dole
Mondale/Ferraro
Dukakis/Bensen
Gore/Lieberman
McCain/Palin
Romney/Ryan
Clinton/Kaine

[Dem4Life1102]

51. No

I'm just saying that most of the time nominees don't.

[StarfishSaver]

52. Ok

[aikoaiko]

43. Given that Joe tossed Abrams name around as a VP early on he owes her an interview.

Remember this

https://www.axios.com/2020-presidential-election-joe-biden-stacey-abrams-vp-54472f8f-5bb2-4d1f-bc7c-0544a09ebba5.html

Close advisers to former Vice President Joe Biden are debating the idea of packaging his presidential campaign announcement with a pledge to choose Stacey Abrams as his vice president.

Why it matters: The popular Georgia Democrat, who at age 45 is 31 years younger than Biden, would bring diversity and excitement to the ticket — showing voters, in the words of a close source, that Biden "isn't just another old white guy."

But the decision poses considerable risk, and some advisers are flatly opposed. Some have pointed out that in a Democratic debate, he could be asked why no one on the stage would be a worthy running mate.
Advisers also know that the move would be perceived as a gimmick.
Biden's position on the issue couldn't be learned — we were just told about the advisers' debate.

Biden has discussed selecting a running mate early, a move that one senior Democrat said could hurt him by feeding "an air of inevitability," CNN reported.
Biden's office declined to comment.
Abrams met Biden in Washington last week to discuss her next political steps, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.

Biden requested the lunchtime meeting, per AP.

[BGBD]

56. Abrams had some early momentum...

but it seems like she's fallen back of some other candidates.

Kamala, to me, probably would have been the easy favorite had she endorsed earlier. Biden could have used her endorsement when he was having some early struggles.

I really think KLB is the best choice at this point.

[hamsterjill]

57. I'm warming up to the possibility of Val Demings

The Congresswoman from Florida. She has a great resume. I like Susan Rice. I do not like the idea of Stacy Abrams. There’s just something about her that, to me, makes her not the right fit with Joe. Kamala Harris is awesome but needs to stay in the Senate to preside over the investigations that are sure to come from Trump having stomped on the Constitition.

[la-trucker]

58. It is going to be Sen. Kamala Harris

We can stop speculating

Unless ... he is going to have Michelle Obama -- but that is unlikely.