Why Hillary Clinton's perfect running mate is... Joe Biden

[One of the 99]

Why Hillary Clinton's perfect running mate is... Joe Biden

Hillary Clinton is in the process of whittling down her vice presidential shortlist. But if she's looking to truly rout Trump in November, she ought to consider one old hand who is almost never mentioned: Joe Biden.
...
The current vice president is universally known, vetted, and unquestionably fit to serve. As America's affable "Uncle Joe," he is viewed positively by 51 percent of the country and unfavorably by just 36 percent. He's absolutely beloved by Democrats, helping to shore up the Sanders-Warren wing of the party. And he has already proven to be an able complement to a candidate who, like Clinton, sometimes struggles to connect viscerally and emotionally with voters. He also appears to absolutely love being vice president, and is good at the job.
...
But Biden would reinforce Clinton's strongest claim to the Oval Office, doubling down on unparalleled experience while adding a warm blue-collar familiarity. As Democrats look to assemble a November landslide, a Clinton-Biden ticket would heighten this election's core contrast: a choice between being governed by the steady hand of the adults on the Democratic side, or by the unserious, unpredictable child put forward by the GOP.

http://theweek.com/articles/632603/why-hillary-clintons-perfect-running-mate-joe-biden

[Squinch]

1. I disagree with this. Because she will be the first woman president, there are optics

considerations not unlike those that existed for Obama, but in her case there are even more restrictions because she is the wife of a former president.

It is imperative that she proceeds as clearly her own person. She cannot seem to be giving any decisions by default to any powerful man that preceded her. She cannot allow herself to be seen as a continuation of anyone else's administration, especially Obama's or Bill's. She needs to make sure she is seen as the only hand on the helm of her administration.

I like Joe, but this would not be a good choice.

[Hortensis]

7. Agree entirely. Seems to me this would appeal to some

who want the reassurance of this tall, personable man from the previous administration backstopping her.

I understand electing a woman, and one who's been the target of 25 years of character assassination, is a big change, but imo she is more competent than Biden ever was, and she certainly won't be the squish in the hands of the Republican leadership that he was.

Can anyone imagine her caving to right wing propaganda and giving Clarence Thomas a lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court? Senator Biden actually commented in public that he felt he came out of that without serious damage to his personal image.

Even if it were desirable to her, him, and the electorate--all highly unlikely, he's turning 74 in November, would be 82 by the end of the second term, if he lasted that long.

I like him, everybody does, and that Obama chose to work closely with him says a lot, but no.

[Exilednight]

12. Then by that logic, she better get Obama and Bill off the stump.

She wants to put Bill in charge of the economy and return it to the days of Bill.

Obama is saying that she's the one best positioned to continue his policies.

You can't have it both ways.

[Squinch]

18. The stump is different from the cabinet. You know that, right?

[Bucky]

19. The optics of a strong male leader deferring to a strong female leader is sufficient

to show who's gonna be in charge. It's the president. Shit, even when it was Bush-Cheney, the Veep deferred to the President.

[Squinch]

20. I kind of always assumed that Bush and Cheney had some kind of S and M thing going on behind the

scenes...

[Bucky]

21. =8oO

[Squinch]

22. LOL!

[Exilednight]

23. So all these campaign promises from the stump are lies?

If that's the case, then we nominated a liar.

[Squinch]

24. Do you really need to do this? Is this proving something? If so, enjoy!

[Exilednight]

32. I'm just asking basic questions that no one has answers to.

[Squinch]

33. OK, then. In answer to your question, no, all these stump promises are not lies.

[Exilednight]

34. Then you just undermined your own argument. She is going to be

a continuation of Obama's presidency and plans on deferring to Bill when it comes to the economy.

[Squinch]

35. Oh, FFS. No, I haven't. As I say, if you really need to go around in this inane circle, have fun.

[Exilednight]

36. then answer this

Is she a continuation of the Obama presidency as both her and Obama say?

If so, then she's undermining your argument.

If not, then all these stump speeches are pure pandering.

[leftofcool]

2. Nope!

[mainstreetonce]

3. I love Joe but

he will bring any undecided voters. She needs someone new.

[loyalsister]

4. No

We need VP who has a longer life expectency. We need to be thinking about the future and expanding the bench beyond boomers. It would also be good to have a VP who would run in 2024

[FSogol]

5. Translation: I'm afraid of change.

After 8 years, do you really think Biden wants to continue as VP?

Relax, HRC will make a good choice and we'll have a have a VP we all like as much as Biden.

[JustAnotherGen]

16. I agree - adding

I think those two tolerated each other - because they both respected someone who respected both of them.

[PatSeg]

25. Yes, that is an insulting idea to Biden

Had circumstances been different, Joe would have run for president and very likely would have been the presumptive nominee. I can't image that after his long and distinguished career, he would want to be VP for four or eight more years.

[grossproffit]

6. Cue the Hotel California jokes, "You can checkout any time you like, but you can never leave!"

[sufrommich]

8. No. Not going to happen. nt

[MineralMan]

9. That won't be happening.

First, because Hillary needs her own, unique VP candidate and second, because Joe Biden wouldn't be interested in playing second fiddle for another President. I suspect he wants to retire.

[TheCowsCameHome]

10. No thanks.

Joe is a good guy, but not as a career VP.

[BobbyDrake]

11. 8 years of Joe's chronic foot-in-mouth-itis is quite enough, thank you very much. nt

[SheilaT]

13. What makes anyone think he'd want another four or eight years in the job?

Not to mention, Hillary is going to need a VP considerably younger than she is because, well, just in case. Which is why Warren is probably out of the running. Not to mention she should stay in the Senate.

More to the point, she's going to want someone who is aligned with her on all of the issues that matter. Someone willing to stump enthusiastically for her and then more or less disappear from view except for certain ceremonial occasions.

[jalan48]

14. He's definitely experienced in the role.

[MoonRiver]

15. No

[CobaltBlue]

17. No!

[Lance Bass esquire]

26. Me loves my Joe Biden

but hes looking tired.

Time to relax and let someone else take the reigns.

Joe is a good man.

[PatSeg]

28. I can't imagine him relaxing for long though

and hope he will have a significant role in the next administration. He made it quite clear that he did not want to be a Supreme Court Justice, maybe Secretary of State, something he was interested in before he was chosen Obama's VP.

[Binkie The Clown]

27. Nope. n/t

[giftedgirl77]

29. Holy crap can we please get someone under the age of 60

preferably under 50 and not white if at all possible?

[TDale313]

30. This makes no sense whatsoever to me.

Aside from whether he'd even want it, what does he bring to the table that she doesn't have?

[bigwillq]

31. No to Biden. Eight years was enough.

Time for someone new, imo.