# Biden's choice for vice presidential candidate **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [April 10, 2020, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505 "2020-04-10T15:04:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 15
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2020, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/281 "2020-06-26T16:13:06Z")
latest rumor is these are the top 4 Harris, Warren, Demings, Atlanta mayor Bottoms ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2020, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/282 "2020-06-26T16:18:14Z")
Here’s CNN Politics on the four finalists (if they really are that): [Biden running mate search: Nation's reckoning on race looms large over final month of selection process | CNN Politics](https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/26/politics/joe-biden-running-mate/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![xenophon41](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xenophon41/32/253_2.png) [@xenophon41](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xenophon41)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2020, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/283 "2020-06-26T17:00:09Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > Whether she also lacks competence, like you, I’m not qualified to judge. But, how did you find out _ **I** _ lack competence? (I mean, other than by my posting history I mean.) I find KH most charismatic when she’s questioning a witness, and least so when she’s trying to speak persuasively. This, I think, would make her a poor running mate. Here’s an example of what IMO a good running mate could do for Biden: Here’s an interview Stacey Abrams did on PBS Newshour with Judy Woodruff. At about three and a half minutes in, Judy asks about complaints against Joe Biden’s response to the current civil unrest regarding police behavior and his record in supporting the 1994 crime bill, an issue of sudden topical relevance. Abrams’ response is a great example of the type of support and clarification/spin a VP candidate should be able to deliver. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/NA6KrCPaqIM/maxresdefault.jpg "Stacey Abrams on ‘reformation and transformation’ in American policing") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NA6KrCPaqIM&t=217) ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2020, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/284 "2020-06-26T17:13:11Z")
> [@xenophon41](#): > > But, how did you find out _ **I** _ lack competence? (I mean, other than by my posting history I mean.) Slow Children Playing. 🙃 It was a good answer by SA. She makes an excellent spokesperson and would be an asset to the Biden’s cabinet. Still don’t think she has the clout to be VeeP. Now, could KH advocate for Biden in the same way?.. Given her past comments, it would be a glaring contrast and likely not come across as believable, IMO. ---
**Author:** ![xenophon41](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xenophon41/32/253_2.png) [@xenophon41](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xenophon41)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2020, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/285 "2020-06-26T17:57:11Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > Now, could KH advocate for Biden in the same way?.. Given her past comments, it would be a glaring contrast and likely not come across as believable, IMO. Harris is really tough and very prepared in an argument, and comes across authentically in my view. If she can maintain a lawyerly frame of mind and be an advocate for _Bidenism_ in the same way she prosecutes issues in the Senate Judiciary Committee (see exchange below with John Cornyn), I don’t think their former antagonism will detract from that advocacy. Here’s the squabble with Cornyn, who was trying to embarrass Harris over handling of the GOP “reform” bill she wanted to debate in committee: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/5c24SOEy_7s/maxresdefault.jpg "Kamala Harris, John Cornyn Spar Over Senate Police Reform Bill") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5c24SOEy_7s) ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2020, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/286 "2020-06-26T18:09:32Z")
> [@xenophon41](#): > > Although I have no idea who gets the blame for the poorly run campaign Plenty of people have previously run bad campaigns before they broke through. Biden himself is an example. And in terms of Vice Presidents, Al Gore ran a bad Presidential primary campaign in 1998 and seemed to be a good match for Bill Clinton in 1992. As for Harris’ previous statements, George H.W. Bush famously was Reagan’s Vice President, even after he called Reagan’s economic plan “voodoo economics”. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2020, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/287 "2020-06-26T18:22:08Z")
She is without a doubt a very good public speaker and prosecutor. I do not deny that. Perhaps you are correct in your assessment that she would make as good a VeeP to Biden as I believe Susan Rice would. As an aside, I’m not sure if I’ve noticed this before but KH has an uncanny similarity in her speaking and mannerisms to HRC. Just me?.. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2020, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/288 "2020-06-26T18:43:06Z")
I wonder how many people know Harris’ mother was from India? Her father was from Jamacia so she’s first generation American from both parents. ---
**Author:** ![erysichthon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d07c76/32.png) [@erysichthon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erysichthon)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2020, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/289 "2020-06-26T19:00:09Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > It was a good answer by SA. She makes an excellent spokesperson and would be an asset to the Biden’s cabinet. Still don’t think she has the clout to be VeeP. I think Abrams is out. She was on the Colbert show a couple of weeks ago and acknowledged that she has not been contacted by the Biden campaign. I suppose they could be vetting her without talking to her, but I doubt it. ---
**Author:** ![Lantern2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lantern2/32/3010_2.png) [@Lantern2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lantern2)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2020, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/290 "2020-06-26T20:22:57Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > As an aside, I’m not sure if I’ve noticed this before but KH has an uncanny similarity in her speaking and mannerisms to HRC. Just me?.. No I was just thinking the same thing. Most politicians are calculating and ambitious but the good ones have the ability to hide it. Both Obama and Biden are masters at this in different ways. For a high-level politician Harris has a remarkable inability to cloak her political ambition and I suspect that voters find that off-putting. I think HRC had a similar problem. My sense is that if Harris is the pick she will do fine as a VP candidate but then if she becomes the main candidate in 2024 or 2028 she may well lose a winnable election like HRC. Which is why I think someone like Cory Booker would have been a better choice if only Biden hadn’t boxed himself with his unnecessary pledge to pick a woman. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2020, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/291 "2020-06-27T01:09:29Z")
Harris is noted as solidly pro-police, law & order. Wont fly, and she bring CA- which is already deep dark blue. ---
**Author:** ![barkodogo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/barkodogo/32/3911_2.png) [@barkodogo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barkodogo)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2020, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/292 "2020-06-27T01:21:01Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > Atlanta mayor Bottoms Could they really run a “Biden Bottoms” ticket? ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2020, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/293 "2020-06-27T02:32:46Z")
If they do, some tabloid will have a **Biden Likes Bottoms** headline ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2020, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/294 "2020-06-27T03:48:39Z")
He could include her maiden name to soften the embarrassing impact. “Biden Lance Bottoms.” Nope, scratch that. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2020, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/295 "2020-06-27T04:17:05Z")
> [@ISiddiqui](#): > > …Al Gore ran a bad Presidential primary campaign in 1998… Nitpick: 1988. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2020, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/296 "2020-06-27T05:16:29Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > **xenophon41** , I meant to say that KH suffers from a similar lack of charisma, and perhaps authenticity as HRC… Huh, I was really impressed with her charisma in the debates, and again recently in twitter clips. I feel like she was the most charismatic of all the democrats running. She wasn’t my favorite in a lot of ways. But I was leaning towards her despite her positions BECAUSE of her charisma. > [@Lantern2](#): > > > [@QuickSilver](#): > > > > As an aside, I’m not sure if I’ve noticed this before but KH has an uncanny similarity in her speaking and mannerisms to HRC. Just me?.. > > No I was just thinking the same thing. Most politicians are calculating and ambitious but the good ones have the ability to hide it. Both Obama and Biden are masters at this in different ways. For a high-level politician Harris has a remarkable inability to cloak her political ambition and I suspect that voters find that off-putting. I think HRC had a similar problem… Huh, what politicians DON’T look ambitious to you? I guess we’ll never have a female president. Men who are ambitious look strong, women who are ambitious look… I dunno, but a lot of people seem to be turned off by it. Because yeah, Clinton and Harris are both ambitious women, and have almost nothing else in common. ---
**Author:** ![Lantern2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lantern2/32/3010_2.png) [@Lantern2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lantern2)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2020, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/297 "2020-06-27T06:36:17Z")
Many top politicians succeed in crafting a persona and message that mask their ambition. For Obama it was as an inspiring orator talking about optimism and unity. For Biden it was about being a regular person, a “middle-class Joe”. There are women too: for example Warren as a crusader against corporate greed. Harris hasn’t really succeeded in doing this; she comes off as just an ambitious pol who is desperate to climb to the next rung. HRC had a similar problem. And it isn’t a female problem either; Romney, Kerry and Gore had similar issues. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2020, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/298 "2020-06-27T11:47:40Z")
I very much agree with **Lantern2**. Warren lacks the artifice of Harris. I would have loved to see Warren as the nominee. From what I’ve seen, up and coming star, Katie Porter, possesses not only the prosecutorial skills of Harris but the confidence inspiring charisma of Warren and Obama. So yeah, let’s not make this about whether ambitious women can ever be president in a man’s world. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2020, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/299 "2020-06-28T02:11:18Z")
I don’t think the veep has to have charisma or a lot of gravitas. The key is not to pick someone who’s going to be a liability. I’d be fine with either Harris or Warren. I suspect Harris has the inside track because of her relative youth and the fact that she won in a state with some diversity. I get that Warren is a fave of progressives, but she really under-performed in her own back yard during the primaries and it makes me wonder how strong she really is. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2020, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/300 "2020-06-28T02:30:27Z")
To be honest, it seems like Biden has a better repore with Harris than Warren. They are all chummy right now - I’m sure they were before the primary as well. So if it is between those two, I can see Harris with the inside edge. Demings is going to be in the conversation until the end though. Especially considering that Florida is a shitshow, re: COVID 19 right now and it looks like it can be turned. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505.md?page=14) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505.md?page=16)