# 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:** 24
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2020, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/461 "2020-07-31T21:35:49Z")
Yeah, up until the GOP attack machine gets their hooks in. Better to have someone who has been in the national profile and has come out relatively unscathed (so Klobuchar is out, but Harris and Warren are still very much good choices). ---
**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:** [July 31, 2020, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/462 "2020-07-31T22:15:07Z")
While Biden will likely make his decision next week, there’s a good chance it won’t be announced until the week of the 10th. > two aides told CNN that the timing of an announcement was more likely to be pushed back until the week of August 10. But Biden’s advisers gave him a deadline of next week to make up his mind. [https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/31/politics/joe-biden-running-mate/index.html](https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/31/politics/joe-biden-running-mate/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2020, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/463 "2020-07-31T23:22:16Z")
I’m bracing myself for disappointment since that seems to be the theme of 2020. But I’ll be stoked if Biden goes for Bass, Demings, Abrams, Duckworth, or Warren. I’ll be angry if he goes with Kamala Harris or another moderate. ---
**Author:** ![Boycott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boycott/32/6741_2.png) [@Boycott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boycott)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2020, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/464 "2020-07-31T23:32:35Z")
Explain how Kamala is a moderate. I always thought the chief reason her presidential campaign fell apart was she was trying to appease the left wing activist crowd of the party. ---
**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 31, 2020, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/465 "2020-07-31T23:43:35Z")
Rooting for Bass, Lujan Grisham, then Abrams, Duckworth, or Demings, roughly in that order. ---
**Author:** ![pool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pool/32/4152_2.png) [@pool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pool)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2020, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/466 "2020-07-31T23:47:09Z")
Didn’t he already commit to picking a black woman, doesn’t that exclude Warren? ---
**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 31, 2020, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/467 "2020-07-31T23:49:04Z")
He committed to a woman, but not anything more specific than that, unless I missed something. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2020, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/468 "2020-07-31T23:50:09Z")
> [@Boycott](#): > > Explain how Kamala is a moderate. She was a law and order Attorney General and in the highly rarefied atmosphere of very left-leaning San Francisco where she made her career she was identified with the “moderate” faction as opposed to the “progressives.” Progressives tend not to like her law enforcement bonafides and priorities when she was in those jobs. You can see a detailed and somewhat critical article [here](https://www.jacobinmag.com/2017/08/kamala-harris-trump-obama-california-attorney-general). Harris also has a little bit of an attackable (i.e. smearable) angle from her long past relationship with [Willie Brown](https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2019/1/28/18200885/willie-brown-kamala-harris-2020) at the start of her political career. I don’t think that ever blew up on her too much, but I wouldn’t be shocked if some Republican operatives brought that up again as a talking (screeching) point. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2020, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/469 "2020-07-31T23:53:42Z")
Her campaign fell apart because she doesn’t have strong convictions. During the debates, she’d wait to see how Warren and Sanders responded to a policy question before articulating her position–which she’d usually backpeddle on when asked for the specifics. I was rooting for at first because she’s impressive when her juices are flowing. But it became apparent to me that she’s someone who will cave on the issues that I care about the most (like healthcare). Biden has the same problem, IMHO. So I want him to go with someone who has a stiffer backbone and isn’t playing around. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2020, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/470 "2020-07-31T23:56:41Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > I was rooting for at first because she’s impressive when her juices are flowing. The one thing I do like about her is that facet. She was pretty fierce and I thought effective grilling Barr in Senate hearings. It’s useful to have a VP that can play junior prosecutor. But I share your reservations as well. ETA: In particular I’m a little worried about her ability to carry a presidential campaign in four years, because it is damn unlikely even a victorious Biden will run for second term in his 80’s. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2020, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/471 "2020-07-31T23:57:22Z")
Like I said, 2020 has been disappointing so I’m bracing myself. I want him to go with a black woman. Everyone’s saying he’s going to go with a black woman. I think he’ll likely go with a black woman. But I’m prepared for him to throw us for a loop because Crazy Joe. ---
**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 31, 2020, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/472 "2020-07-31T23:58:48Z")
The best thing about Harris is the Mya Rudolph impression from SNL. If she’s the pick, at least (hopefully) we’ll have a few years of that. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2020, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/473 "2020-08-01T00:02:42Z")
I was thinking the same thing! “That little Corn Pop was me” was one of my favorite SNL moments of all time. That whole sketch was comic gold. ---
**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:** [August 1, 2020, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/474 "2020-08-01T00:58:07Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > …Biden may be 77, but on Jan. 20, 2021 he’ll be 46. :: golf clap :: I think right now I’d go for Rice, Duckworth, Abrams or Bass, in that order. Harris just rubs me the wrong way and I think she would be a net drag on the ticket. But just about anyone would be an improvement over Pence. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2020, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/475 "2020-08-01T01:11:26Z")
How much does a VP pick help with winning a state? I know Biden is a strong favorite, but I’d choose someone from Florida, Pennsylvania, Michigan, or Wisconsin. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2020, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/476 "2020-08-01T01:12:42Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > I repeat: > > > [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > > > I think being unknown is better _because_ people don’t already have a bunch of pre-conceptions about them. > > At the moment their national profile is “must not have fucked anything up because I’ve never heard of them before”. It’s begun. > **[Karen Bass, A Potential Biden VP Pick, Praised Scientology At Church Opening...](https://amp.dailycaller.com/2020/07/31/karen-bass-biden-scientology?__twitter_impression=true)** > > Rep. Karen Bass, who has emerged as a leading contender to be Joe Biden's running mate, praised the Church of Scientology during a 2010 ribbon-cutting ceremony. Now granted that’s not terrible, but Bass praising Scientology is still not the best look. Oh as for Harris, she’s had one of the most liberal voting records in the Senate. Calling her a moderate is silly - the only way it makes sense if she is a moderate in San Francisco which makes her a big ole liberal everywhere else. As for her tactics running for President, I’m not going to blame her for trying to find a lane to run in. Booker was trying the same. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2020, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/477 "2020-08-01T02:57:21Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > How much does a VP pick help with winning a state? I know Biden is a strong favorite, but I’d choose someone from Florida, Pennsylvania, Michigan, or Wisconsin. That’s always bothered me as a reason… it seems lazy to assume that everyone’s going to vote for a candidate, just because their VP choice lives near you. (“I really like Tammy Duckworth’s policies, but Tammy Baldwin lives in my area code… except she spends all her time in DC, doesn’t she? But, I saw her eating a brat at the State Fair, so if Biden’ chooses her, he’s got my vote!”) Now, if that is indeed true of most people, I retract my comment and will keep being disappointed in humanity… ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2020, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/478 "2020-08-01T03:36:09Z")
> [@ISiddiqui](#): > > > [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > > > I repeat: > > > > > [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > > > > > I think being unknown is better _because_ people don’t already have a bunch of pre-conceptions about them. > > > > At the moment their national profile is “must not have fucked anything up because I’ve never heard of them before”. > > It’s begun. > > [Karen Bass, A Potential Biden VP Pick, Praised Scientology At Church Opening In 2010 - The Daily Caller](https://amp.dailycaller.com/2020/07/31/karen-bass-biden-scientology?__twitter_impression=true) > > Now granted that’s not terrible, but Bass praising Scientology is still not the best look. > > Oh as for Harris, she’s had one of the most liberal voting records in the Senate. Calling her a moderate is silly - the only way it makes sense if she is a moderate in San Francisco which makes her a big ole liberal everywhere else. As for her tactics running for President, I’m not going to blame her for trying to find a lane to run in. Booker was trying the same. While not outright disqualifying for me this is seriously troubling. Scientology is at best a financial scam cult and at worst a dangerous criminal enterprise engaging in blackmail, espionage and facistic intimidation of opponents. The fact Bass wasn’t aware of this and chose to speak in positive terms at that ceremony and on other occasions is deeply disturbing. I was willing to say she or Rice would be my preference prior to finding out about this but I have to seriously reconsider Bass’ qualifications. Rice or Duckworth are probably my preferred choices at this point. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2020, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/479 "2020-08-01T03:51:00Z")
I’m not going to call it a lazy assumption, but I agree with you that people make a bigger deal over it than i think is warranted. However, I also think the assumption is based on some truth. Americans can be quite regional. Southerners feel some kind a way about Northerners. Midwesterners feel some kind of way about “coastal elites”. Big sky country feels a certain way about little sky country. I don’t think people want zip code level of specificity from their candidates, but I think they do like it when someone from their region (or thereabouts) is represented on a ticket. However, in a race like this one, I don’t think it’s going to matter. ---
**Author:** ![erysichthon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d07c76/32.png) [@erysichthon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erysichthon)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2020, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/480 "2020-08-01T04:14:20Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > How much does a VP pick help with winning a state? I know Biden is a strong favorite, but I’d choose someone from Florida, Pennsylvania, Michigan, or Wisconsin. I’m skeptical of the idea that the VP pick has to be from a critical state; it’s not guaranteed to work anyway. Romney didn’t win Wisconsin, despite having Paul Ryan on the ticket. John Edwards didn’t deliver South Carolina for Kerry in 2004. I’d love it if Biden picked Susan Rice, because it would throw that whole “we need help in state X” paradigm out the window. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505.md?page=23) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505.md?page=25)