# 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:** 31
**Author:** ![Raymond\_Luxury\_Yacht](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raymond_luxury_yacht/32/4099_2.png) [@Raymond\_Luxury\_Yacht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raymond_Luxury_Yacht)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2020, 9:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/602 "2020-08-05T09:29:38Z")
My preference is for Kamala Devi Harris. She has the best name recognition, and she has won multiple statewide elections. She has been fundraising for Biden, I believe more than any of the others on the list. My 2nd choice would be Duckworth. She is a safe choice. I like Susan Rice, but she has never competed in any race; we don’t know how well she’d connect with voters. Also, her son being a Trump supporter is not great optics - I can imagine that he would be popping up on Hannity with some regularity. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2020, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/603 "2020-08-05T12:54:55Z")
My choices are pretty much Rice/Harris - tied for 1st, Duckworth - an acceptable but distant 3d. Both Rice and Harris appeal to me largely b/c both impress me as extremely intelligent - which I like to see in my leaders. I agree that Rice gives Repubs the BS Benghazi/Clinton thing to harp on. Which wold be annoying. Not sure anyone who is susceptible to that BS would vote for Biden anyway, but might be as well to avoid that possibility. Rice is the kinda smart that doesn’t need to flaunt it. Harris tends to play “the race card” a little more than I’m comfortable w/, but I acknowledge that that card ay need to be played more than it has been. She also impresses me as very smart, but also very self-promoting. Not sure her law background will turn off too many minorities - are they really gonna vote Trump/Pence instead? Duckworth - I’m sure she’d be fine, and she does nicely check off the not male/not white boxes. But simply, she has been my Rep and my Sen, and has never impressed me. She did serve a very useful purpose in defeating some pretty crappy Repubs, but she always impressed me as primarily a symbolic candidate - the injured vet. If I think Harris plays the race card too often, her play pales next to Duckworth’s wounded warrior. Sure, she has not been worthless as a Rep/Sen, but her successes have been overwhelmingly symbolic - along the lines of as parenting/breast feeding. Positive symbolism isn’t worthless, but I sure haven’t seen signs of the brilliance I sense from Rice/Harris. Both Harris/Duckworth would be replaced by Dem appointees. The others - I don’t know enough about. I’d be pretty happy w/ any of the oft-mentioned finalists other than Warren, but these 3 are my clear faves. Don’t get me wrong - I LOVE Warren. But she is too old now - and ESPECIALLY too old to run for Pres in 4/8 years. I’d love the VP slot and cabinet positions be used to groom the next decades of Dem leaders to drive the Repub troglodytes firmly into the ground. Plus Warren is too valuable in the Senate. ---
**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:** [August 5, 2020, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/604 "2020-08-05T13:27:57Z")
> [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](#): > > Rice - 4 Amercians killed in Benghazi > > Trump - 165,000 Americans killed by Covid-19. > > The rebuttals write themselves. If factual rebuttals were enough, we wouldn’t have President Trump right now. For whatever reason, the right was able to make Benghazi part of the narrative that pushed Trump to victory in 2016. I don’t know about you, but I don’t think putting one of the key figures from the Benghazi flap onto the ticket in 2020 is the best example of “do no harm.” Especially when that key figure has zero experience on the campaign trail. I know the Benghazi thing was bullshit, and I’m sure you do too. We’re not the ones that we need be worried about losing. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2020, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/605 "2020-08-05T13:34:06Z")
> [@Raymond\_Luxury\_Yacht](#): > > My preference is for Kamala Devi Harris. She has the best name recognition, and she has won multiple statewide elections. **She has been fundraising for Biden** That’s a good point that I think a lot of people are ignoring. Harris probably helps a lot more with fundraising and that’s a big deal in modern politics. That’s something that she has that none of the other candidates aside from Warren has. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2020, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/606 "2020-08-05T13:50:47Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > I don’t know about you, but I don’t think putting one of the key figures from the Benghazi flap onto the ticket in 2020 is the best example of “do no harm.” I tend to agree. Politics is surely not all about competence. I don’t love Rice so much to warrant that. And she’d be great as NSA, Sec St, whatever. I really like what Harris brings - and a part of what this older liberal white male likes is that at times she makes me feel mildly uncomfortable. 😃 Duckworth is just blah. A symbol - generally a good and much needed symbol - but with little content. ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2020, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/607 "2020-08-05T17:21:25Z")
What sucks is how limited the reception will be in our virtual world when the VP is named. I hope they don’t have too much tech trouble. Reporter: “And please welcome VP candidate [insert name]!” (cut to home of VP nom) VP Nom: “Thank you…”(static, screen freezes, static, distorted voice) 😃 ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2020, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/608 "2020-08-05T18:19:12Z")
Remember, no matter who is picked, she will have some minuses- none are perfect. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2020, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/609 "2020-08-05T18:34:06Z")
I think any of the high-profile candidates would be fine as vice president, both in terms of getting the Democratic ticket elected and in serving in the office. They are all qualified and this election is going to be pure referendum on un-indicted co-conspirator Donald John Trump. The secondary issue to consider is who will be most able to run on her own once Biden retires. I don’t know who that it. I’m partial to Harris, but I’d like to hear more about how others might do in four or eight years. Maybe what the veep candidate learns on this campaign will be enough for her presidential run, so it doesn’t matter what her current experience running a large campaign is. I don’t know. Edited to add: oh how much I love putting “her” in that paragraph! ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2020, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/610 "2020-08-05T18:41:59Z")
Supposedly the shortlist is down to Harris and Rice. > **[The final 2? Biden confidants see VP choices narrowing to Kamala Harris and...](https://www.axios.com/2020/08/05/biden-vp-pick-kamala-harris-susan-rice)** > > After conversations with more than a dozen people close to him, they'd be surprised if he chose anyone else. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2020, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/611 "2020-08-05T18:44:28Z")
I think Biden’s heart wants Rice. But he knows he needs a killer for this campaign. That’s Harris. He’ll pick Harris. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2020, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/612 "2020-08-05T19:20:52Z")
Rice as Veep, Harris as AG Harris as Veep, Rice as Sec State Flip a coin - I’d be happy either way. Come to think of it - after Kaine’s worthless performance 4 yrs ago, I’d love to see Harris call it as she sees it. The last thing we need is someone giving the incumbents any benefit of the doubt, or and respect due their offices. ---
**Author:** ![gytalf2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ac91a4/32.png) [@gytalf2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gytalf2000)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2020, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/613 "2020-08-05T21:05:31Z")
I honestly don’t understand why it should be taking this long for Biden to name a vice president. It doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to string it out for this long. Why? ---
**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:** [August 5, 2020, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/614 "2020-08-05T21:10:30Z")
> [@gytalf2000](#): > > I honestly don’t understand why it should be taking this long for Biden to name a vice president. It doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to string it out for this long. Why ? Possibly because 1) he hasn’t made the decision or 2) he wants to shorten the time she is going to endure incoming attacks. ---
**Author:** ![gytalf2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ac91a4/32.png) [@gytalf2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gytalf2000)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2020, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/615 "2020-08-05T21:12:21Z")
Number 2 seems like a pretty good reason! ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2020, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/616 "2020-08-05T21:44:21Z")
It’s not out of the ordinary. They usually announce shortly before the convention: [Why Biden Probably Won’t Announce His Running Mate For Months | FiveThirtyEight](https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/why-biden-probably-wont-announce-his-running-mate-for-months/) ---
**Author:** ![gytalf2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ac91a4/32.png) [@gytalf2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gytalf2000)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2020, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/617 "2020-08-06T14:38:21Z")
Okay, so it isn’t as unusual as I first thought. Good to know! ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2020, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/618 "2020-08-06T18:15:44Z")
> [@gytalf2000](#): > > I honestly don’t understand why it should be taking this long for Biden to name a vice president. It doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to string it out for this long. Why? He’s enjoying the decision making process. ![](https://media.tenor.com/images/98bdd808780ab874d270947e1e33e275/tenor.gif) ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2020, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/619 "2020-08-06T18:46:14Z")
Karen Bass is probably happy she’s not likely to be in the national public eye much longer: > **[L.A. Rep. Karen Bass surged up Biden’s VP list. Is she ready for the national...](https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2020-08-04/los-angeles-rep-karen-bass-bidens-vice-president-national-stage)** > > Bass catapulted to Biden’s short list thanks to her pragmatism and unassuming style, which have impressed progressives, moderates, even Republicans. > [@](#): > > A Times review found that between 2008 and 2011, her state Assembly campaign committees gave nearly $100,000 to Community Coalition, the South Los Angeles nonprofit Bass co-founded. > > In 2010, the Community Coalition paid her $70,500 in consulting fees directly and through one of its contractors, according to interviews and public records. > > “It’s not a good idea to receive substantial income from organizations that are supported by contributions from your campaign fund,” said Kirk O. Hanson, senior fellow at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University. “It creates an appearance of a conflict of interest, that you have converted campaign funds into personal income.” Though Bass says that her fees were from an outside grant, but it doesn’t look great and would be great fodder in a national campaign. ---
**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 6, 2020, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/620 "2020-08-06T19:04:27Z")
OK, four strikes for her. This CNN writer says Biden should pick Rice: [Susan Rice is the VP Biden needs (Opinion) | CNN](https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/06/opinions/susan-rice-vice-president-joe-biden-psaki/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![gytalf2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ac91a4/32.png) [@gytalf2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gytalf2000)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2020, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505/621 "2020-08-06T19:05:23Z")
Holy crap! What the hell is wrong with him? He’s still better than the current pussy-grabber-in-chief, of course, but still – that is pretty goddam creepy! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505.md?page=30) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bidens-choice-for-vice-presidential-candidate/851505.md?page=32)