# 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:** 18
**Author:** ![Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.winston_oboogie/32/2945_2.png) [@Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Winston_OBoogie)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2020, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/341 "2020-07-06T13:14:58Z")
And, Heaven forbid, you may actually convince them that taking down statues of Washington is the wrong thing to do. Discussion is not bad. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2020, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/342 "2020-07-06T13:23:15Z")
Why? Please feel free to discuss. ---
**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:** [July 6, 2020, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/343 "2020-07-06T13:45:49Z")
It’s OK to talk about removing statues but not in the hyper partisan election year we are having now if you are running or might run for VP. By now Biden has likely taken a lot of women off the list , probably only 3 or 4 left and I doubt Duckworth was on the short list anyway. ---
**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:** [July 6, 2020, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/344 "2020-07-06T13:59:24Z")
Nobody cares what the VP candidate has to say to/about the incumbent Pres. It’s a given it won’t be flattering. She’ll never be on the same stage as Trump so all she can do is throw out missives. If selected as running make, she will have to face off against Pence. She’ll undoubtedly hold her own and I have no reason to think she’ll fail to beat his ass. But so will any woman who is currently in the running for VP. While certainly accomplished, I don’t see Duckworth as exceptional in any way for this job. I think Harris will be better, but all a distant second to Rice. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2020, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/345 "2020-07-06T14:09:55Z")
I know Rice is very smart and accomplished, but what kind of campaigner is she? That’s my biggest worry for her. She’ll be a very likely Dem nominee for '24 or '28, and if she’s not a solid campaigner then we’ll be at a big disadvantage. She’s never even run for a local race, IIRC. ---
**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:** [July 6, 2020, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/346 "2020-07-06T14:27:16Z")
True. If she is selected for VP, we will see what her campaign skills are. If, as you say, she is a likely Dem nominee for '24 or '28, her experience (and track record) as VP will be a far more valuable skill/asset than her lack of election campaign experience. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2020, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/347 "2020-07-06T14:51:32Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > I know Rice is very smart and accomplished, but what kind of campaigner is she? That’s my biggest worry for her. What do you mean by “campaigner?” Can she give speech Can she raise money? Can she connect to voters? I don’t see any reason she wouldn’t be as good as the others at these things. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2020, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/348 "2020-07-06T14:55:02Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > What do you mean by “campaigner?” Can she give speech Can she raise money? Can she connect to voters? I don’t see any reason she wouldn’t be as good as the others at these things. The skills that came naturally to Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, but that Hillary Clinton struggled with (oratory and charisma are just a part of it – it also has to do with campaign strategy and staffing decisions, which Obama and Bill Clinton, but not Hillary Clinton, were also very good at, in general). Rice has never been tested in this way – she could be good or she could be not good. I’d like to have a running mate with proven campaigning skills. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2020, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/349 "2020-07-06T15:00:57Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > The skills that came naturally to Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, but that Hillary Clinton struggled with (oratory and charisma are just a part of it – it also has to do with campaign strategy and staffing decisions, which Obama and Bill Clinton, but not Hillary Clinton, were also very good at, in general). Well, few politicians are as good as Bill Clinton or Barack Obama. None of the other women on the imagined “short list” are at that level. Moreover, I don’t think the VP nominee does a lot of strategy or staffing. Once in office, I’m sure that changes. I’ not saying Rice is the only option, but in my opinion, she’ll be competent enough as a campaigner that her failure to hold elected office in the past should not disqualify her. “Not a politician” is (unfortunately) something that still resonates with some of the voters. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2020, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/350 "2020-07-06T15:23:13Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > Well, few politicians are as good as Bill Clinton or Barack Obama. None of the other women on the imagined “short list” are at that level. Moreover, I don’t think the VP nominee does a lot of strategy or staffing. Once in office, I’m sure that changes. They’re probably not as good as Obama, but they may still be pretty good – there’s tons of room between good and bad on this measure. My point is that we literally have no evidence of Rice, either way. She could be good but she could be terrible. There’s no way of knowing, since she’s never run a campaign. And it’s not 2020 I’m worried about from this standpoint – it’s 2024 or 2028. If Rice sucks as a campaigner, she still could win the '24 or '28 nomination, and doom the party to an unskilled campaigner at the top of the ticket. That’s a big, big risk, IMO. And while “non-politician” may have some cachet, I don’t think “non-politician who has worked as a Washington insider in multiple administrations for multiple decades” isn’t going to have much special appeal. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2020, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/351 "2020-07-06T15:28:22Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > Duckworth is my first choice. A war hero, lost both legs in combat, she’ll run (even with no legs!) rings around General Bone Spurs in campaigning. Being a woman and a minority on top of that will make Chump’s head explode. Near lifelong IL resident. I never was too impressed w/ Duckworth. Never saw much to her other than the wounded vet card. And vet issues - not to mention vets’ benefits issues - have NEVER been terribly high on my personal list. As a very liberal Dem, I’m happy to have just about ANY Dem over nearly any Repub. And I welcome increased representation by other than white men. People I DO respect speak highly of her, which carries some weight for me. And I acknowledge that as IL’s junior senator, she may be in the shadow of Dick Durbin - whom I respect TREMENDOUSLY. I’m not sure that I’ve ever heard anything NEGATIVE about her. Just saying that she’s never really impressed me either. She’d be OK as a Veep - hasn’t shown anything to convince me that she is someone who should be positioned to be a potential president. ---
**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:** [July 6, 2020, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/352 "2020-07-06T15:54:15Z")
Rice seems to me to have a certain brittleness - not sure how well she’d hold up under the pressures of a national campaign. I honor Duckworth for her military service and the terrible injuries she suffered for her country, but IMHO she was foolish to say she was open to discussing taking down statues of George Washington. That’s a nonstarter with a lot of American voters (including me), and would, if she’s selected as Biden’s running mate, only hand the GOP another club to beat on her with. ---
**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:** [July 6, 2020, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/353 "2020-07-06T15:55:35Z")
Duckworth took some flak when she worked for the VA dept. in Illinois but it did not get a lot of publicity. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2020, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/354 "2020-07-06T18:00:30Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > I know Rice is very smart and accomplished, but what kind of campaigner is she? That’s my biggest worry for her. She’ll be a very likely Dem nominee for '24 or '28, and if she’s not a solid campaigner then we’ll be at a big disadvantage. She’s never even run for a local race, IIRC. Rice is a REPUBLICAN. That disqualifies her. That means she, as veep will vote with Moscow Mitch as a tiebreaker, and then she will likely usher in a new GOp presidency in 2024. Rice is a idiotic idea. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2020, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/355 "2020-07-06T18:02:05Z")
Rice is by far the worst choice. Might as well nominate Moscow Mitch. Rice is a die hard Republican. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2020, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/356 "2020-07-06T18:03:13Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Rice is by far the worst choice. Might as well nominate Moscow Mitch. Rice is a die hard Republican. Susan Rice, not Condoleeza Rice. Susan Rice has been a Democrat her whole life. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2020, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/357 "2020-07-06T18:15:06Z")
😮 Oops, Condoleezza Rice was actually talked about as a possible candidate. Carry on, sorry for the boo-boo. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2020, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/358 "2020-07-06T18:22:11Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > I know Rice is very smart and accomplished, but what kind of campaigner is she? … I’m not sure how much value a VP candidate brings to the ticket, other than symbolic plus or minus. I remember how awesome folk said Tim Kaine was going to be for Hillary. He was a complete nonentity - tits on a bull during the one debate w/ Pence. No Biden naming a woman of color will certainly win him some votes, and lose him some others. His wager is that it will win him more votes than lose. Not sure how many votes will be swayed one way or the other whether it is Rice, Harris, Duckworth… ---
**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:** [July 6, 2020, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/359 "2020-07-06T20:54:31Z")
Biden should make a safe choice. No need to pick a Palin type. He should not pull a Jean van de Velde in golf. > **[Jean van de Velde (golfer)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_van_de_Velde_(golfer))** > > Pages for logged out editors learn more > > > Jean van de Velde (born 29 May 1966) is a French professional golfer, who formerly played on the European Tour and the PGA Tour. He came close to winning The Open Championship in 1999, but lost a three shot lead on the final hole. > Van de Velde was born in Mont-de-Marsan, Landes, France. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2020, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/360 "2020-07-06T21:02:52Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > I’m not sure how much value a VP candidate brings to the ticket, other than symbolic plus or minus. I remember how awesome folk said Tim Kaine was going to be for Hillary. He was a complete nonentity - tits on a bull during the one debate w/ Pence. Kaine was just sensationally boring. Calling him a nonentity is an insult to nonentities. He was a negative entity, a black hole of personality. Pence, by comparison, helped Trump because he was specifically popular to Christians. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505.md?page=17) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505.md?page=19)