Here Are My VP Thoughts, FWIW

[sfstaxprep]

I've always thought Kamala Harris was the most likely, and still do.

Based on what I've observed, I'd put Susan Rice in the strongly under consideration spot.

IMO, the clear Dark Horse kind of popped onto the radar within recent weeks. Tammy Duckworth.

Tammy would be extremely difficult to go after, given that she's a war hero. I know, that didn't stop them going after Kerry, but I think it would be so much different now, and attacking a critically wounded Female former military, would not fly in 2020.

[dawg day]

1. Susan Rice hasn't run for office -- so I'd prefer Harris

They're all good, but Harris is tough and will wipe the floor with Pence in a VP debate. I'd just like to see that.

[Merlot]

2. Agreed on Susan Rice. She would be great in any cabinet position.

[judeling]

3. I just don't understand this logic as regards VP

The VP nominee is not running a campaign they are supporting one. The fact that someone won an election somewhere doesn't even show a measure of appeal outside of where they won.
There may be something to the under fire on the big stage, that's fine. But specifically to Rice she has been on the biggest stage and under the fire for longer then any of the others.

[Sherman A1]

4. I would prefer

The governor of Michigan with domestic executive experience and puts Michigan much more in play. Harris leaves me cold and Susan Rice would be much better as Secretary of State as her expertise is foreign affairs. Tammy Duckworth is great but I would think head of the VA perhaps might be a better slot.

[Baked Potato]

5. I want young people to come out in a force never seen before...

I want Trump and Republicans rejected soundly by whole new generations of Americans. The Republicans fear the young as they can’t figure out how to control them. Young people aren’t hampered by the blankets of brainwashing older Americans have been subjected to. For me, younger Americans are 40 and younger, give or take. So, whoever can get the young to come out is key for me.

[flibbitygiblets]

6. Duckworth is who I'm hoping for and here's why:

-She's a veteran, and she can help bring in the military vote. The military may be on the fence already for a bunch of reasons (Vindman and his brother, the captain of that Navy ship who rang alarm bells to save his crew stricken with COVID-19, and then almost got fired --I can't remember his name, but he was extremely popular; Russian bounty on US military in Afghanistan).

-She's a pit bull (and I mean that in all respect). Biden can take the "high ground", and she'll call "cadet bone spurs" to Trump's face. She's tough and scrappy, and we need that.

-Because of the two points above, still-very-misogynistic Americans are probably more likely to support a woman as VP, especially given Biden's advanced age and likeliness of the VP assuming the top spot at some point soon.

-She's Thai-born, which still qualifies her to be POTUS (dad was a US Army and Marine vet). And given trump's racism toward Asian Americans ("China Virus&quot , she can fight back on that as well as score points as a person of color.


Every other "short-lister" has some kind of downside, as I see it:

I love Harris, but being from a liberal state doesn't help, and her prosecutor past may receive backlash from our own side (including BLM) given the state of policing these days. She'd make an EXCELLENT AG though!

And Rice has the most foreign policy experience by a mile. But Benghazi will get dragged into it, and I can't remember, but there is other baggage that we don't need. Plus she's pretty hawkish. Just MHO.

I also love Abrams and Demings, but not enough experience (Demings also could face backlash from Miami excessive force issues, again, could cause internal BLM problems that we can't afford).

And I love Warren, who's eminently qualified, but we really have to have a woman of color this cycle. Unfortunately for Warren, but I'd bet she'd be okay with that.

[sfstaxprep]

7. All Excellent Points

Tammy would absolutely cut into Drumpf's Military vote, to the extent he has any edge there.