# Can we talk about Democratic running mates for a minute? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 6, 2019, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-talk-about-democratic-running-mates-for-a-minute/843066 "2019-11-06T06:52:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Akaj](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/akaj/32/145_2.png) [@Akaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Akaj)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2019, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-talk-about-democratic-running-mates-for-a-minute/843066/21 "2019-11-07T17:26:37Z")
> [@bump](#): > > I disagree. I think that pandering to the Democratic base through some sort of virtue-signaling via the VP pick isn’t going to accomplish much of anything. Once you do that, you’re putting the people who aren’t affiliated with either party in the position of having to pick between two extremes. > > Better to paint one side (the GOP) as dangerously reactionary and extreme, while touting your own moderation and even-handedness. Like it or not, elections are marketing campaigns, and the running mate is a key tactic. Naming one who complements the POTUS candidate (male for female, black for white, midwestern for eastern, etc.) isn’t pandering to the base – they’re going to vote Dem anyway. If anything, it’s pandering to the undecided and the unmotivated to show them, hey, you’re represented on this ticket even if the POTUS candidate isn’t exactly your preference. I’m not sure how this tactic interferes with “paint[ing] one side (the GOP) as dangerously reactionary and extreme.” I’d fully expect the Dem candidates to do that, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2019, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-talk-about-democratic-running-mates-for-a-minute/843066/22 "2019-11-07T17:28:33Z")
> [@E-DUB](#): > > I think that it was Nixon who said that the best you can hope for with a VP nominee is that they don’t hurt you. And that was true for Nixon in 1968/1972 since everyone knew Nixon from being Ike’s VP and the 1960 race against JFK. Plus, he was the return to normality after the craziness of Goldwater. I think Gore helped Bill Clinton, Mondale helped Carter, and Biden helped Obama. Lieberman and Edwards were mistakes. The less said about Ferraro, the better. Bentsen and Kaine were pretty neutral. Dole was probably a a drawback for Ford with ‘Democrat wars’ Bush definitely helped Reagan similar to how Pence helped Trump, ‘This guy isn’t completely crazy!’ The 88 Bush campaign exiled Quayle to rural Idaho and other such places and even the Jack Kennedy quote didn’t hurt in 88. Kemp hurt Dole by showing how old Dole really was. Cheney was an absolute bizarre pick but even after people knew how awful he was in 2004, it still wasn’t enough to prevent Bush squeaking out a win. Palin, enough said. Ryan was absolutely neutral for Romney, they both looked like business executives announcing layoffs and then record executive bonuses the next day. ---
**Author:** ![Thing\_Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@Thing\_Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing_Fish)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2019, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-talk-about-democratic-running-mates-for-a-minute/843066/23 "2019-11-07T17:35:29Z")
> [@FlikTheBlue](#): > > I think Mayor Pete would benefit from a running mate who both appeals to African Americans as well as someone who is older / more experienced. Stacey Abrams would be a good pick for him. I love Stacey Abrams, but she has the same weakness in relative lack of experience. She would be a great pick for Biden. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2019, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-talk-about-democratic-running-mates-for-a-minute/843066/24 "2019-11-07T19:25:15Z")
Cyically, I’m not sure that how much of a need there is to racially balance the ticket in the general election is as important as you are making it out to be. People of color are certainly an important voting block in the Democratic primary, but I think with or without an African American on the ticket, blacks are going to be well motivated to vote against Trump. The main thing is for the candidate to make it clear that African American concerns are being given serious consideration, as a clear contrast with the present administration. Even more cynically, I would point on that blacks only represent about 10% of the electorate, so even a 10% drop in participation would only equates to a 1% drop overall vote total. I think the main balancing point should be ideological. Moderate candidates will need someone to motivate voters who might whine that both parties are in the thrall of corporate greed and so they might as well just stay home. Leftist candidates need someone to reassure people who may not be happy with Trump, but might also fear a “Socialist” candidate, who is going to radically change everything. ---
**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:** [November 7, 2019, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-talk-about-democratic-running-mates-for-a-minute/843066/25 "2019-11-07T19:34:06Z")
> [@Buck\_Godot](#): > > Even more cynically, I would point on that blacks only represent about 10% of the electorate, so even a 10% drop in participation would only equates to a 1% drop overall vote total. 1% in the right states can make all the difference. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2019, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-talk-about-democratic-running-mates-for-a-minute/843066/26 "2019-11-07T20:39:00Z")
Several of the Dem candidates are old enough that the selection of a running mate needs to be a bit more serious decision than just balancing the ticket. Especially the ones that have already had a heart attack, or are showing a tendency to ramble. Tammy Duckworth would be good for practically any of them. If she wants the job - she might not, although I expect that VP would be marginally less demanding than Senator. Assuming whoever is at the top of the ticket wins, which is far from certain. Maybe it’s not in the spirit of the OP, but Buttigieg would be a good VP pick for pretty much anyone. He is the one of the few with anything resembling charisma in the Dem field. Apart from him, I wouldn’t pick from any of the also-rans at all. Find a southern governor. Nobody from CA or NY, not needed - those states will go Dem no matter what. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2019, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-talk-about-democratic-running-mates-for-a-minute/843066/27 "2019-11-07T20:47:12Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > I know the popular thing to say is that the #2 isn’t important. But I argue otherwise. The running mate fleshes out the ticket, it pulls people in. Or further pushes them away. > … > > **Biden.** He needs to rope in Latinos & progressives, needs to have someone young and with federal and/or high-level executive experience. Female would be ideal. My picks: > > 1. Sally Yates. As the person who got fired for refusing to enforce Trump’s Muslim ban EO in early 2017, she has a certain appeal to those in the “resistance.” She’s from Georgia, so she brings some southern diversity to the ticket. She’s a woman, younger and has experience in the DOJ. > 2. Hilda Solis. She’s currently serving on the LA County Board of Supervisors. Previously was Obama’s Sec of Labor, and before that a member of Congress. Daughter of immigrants, daughter of a Teamster organizer. She’s be great to bring in Latino voters, without scaring away the white blue-collar lunch-bucket voters in the Midwest; she can hang in the union halls. Plus she has federal executive branch experience. > 3. Tammy Duckworth. Not a progressive by any means, but is a woman of color from the Midwest (currently sitting in Obama’s old Senate seat). A disabled war vet with military roots stretching back to the American Revolution. She’s a suburban mom with a relatively-new baby at home who is the one (I believe) to coin the term “Cadet Bone Spurs” in regard to Trump. She’s a badass, imo. She would reinforce Biden’s strengths. > > **Warren**. IMO, she needs a male, a moderate, ideally an African-American (or someone who can really, really turn out the AA community), and someone from the Industrial Midwest and/or a swing state. > > 1. Rep. Anthony G. Brown. Congressman from Maryland. Retired military, comes across a gruff but likable. African-American. > 2. Anthony Foxx. Former mayor of Charlotte, NC, and served as Obama’s Secretary of Transportation, which would be a nice olive leaf to the Obama Universe; she needs it. Gen-X African-American, currently works for Uber. Has executive experience (mayor), and from what I’ve read, he was a pretty popular/successful mayor. > 3. Adm. Bill McRaven. Brings military gravitas and moderation to the ticket. He’s a good speaker and he freaking led the mission that killed Bin Laden. He’s from Texas, so he brings geographical diversity to the ticket. > … Yes, good ones. For Biden we can add Harris and Michelle Obama. (She _might_ accept the #2 spot in a draft) But yes, someone young. I really like McRaven for Warren. ---
**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:** [November 7, 2019, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-talk-about-democratic-running-mates-for-a-minute/843066/28 "2019-11-07T20:47:21Z")
If Biden wins the Democratic presidential nomination, I expect him to pick Amy Klobuchar as his running mate, provided Minnesota will safely elect another Democrat to replace her. He will see her as the best pick to bring the Midwest to the general election party. Biden takes care of the South, and the Coasts will take care of themselves. ---
**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:** [November 7, 2019, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-talk-about-democratic-running-mates-for-a-minute/843066/29 "2019-11-07T21:24:37Z")
Rating the top candidates now, I’d go: 1. Warren 2. Biden 3. Buttigieg Combine any two of these three and there’s your Dem P/VP ticket. VPs pulled out of thin air don’t always get a lot of ground. Hillary had a good guy, whathisname… Mumbly Joe? Anyway, he was killing Pence in VP debates and it didn’t help. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2019, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-talk-about-democratic-running-mates-for-a-minute/843066/30 "2019-11-07T23:47:43Z")
> [@Locrian](#): > > Rating the top candidates now, I’d go: > > 1. Warren > 2. Biden > 3. Buttigieg > > Combine any two of these three and there’s your Dem P/VP ticket. VPs pulled out of thin air don’t always get a lot of ground. Hillary had a good guy, whathisname… Mumbly Joe? Anyway, he was killing Pence in VP debates and it didn’t help. Mayor Pete is a great guy. But openly gay wont play in peoria in 2020, sadly(I think that by 2028 it wont be that much of a issue). Maybe as veep however. Joe & Pete? ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2019, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-talk-about-democratic-running-mates-for-a-minute/843066/31 "2019-11-09T15:40:06Z")
> [@Buck\_Godot](#): > > Cyically, I’m not sure that how much of a need there is to racially balance the ticket in the general election is as important as you are making it out to be. People of color are certainly an important voting block in the Democratic primary, but I think with or without an African American on the ticket, blacks are going to be well motivated to vote against Trump. Nonetheless, there was a real drop in AA turnout between 2012 and 2016 - I think it went from ~65% to ~59%. If it had stayed at 65%, we wouldn’t be having this discussion - they’d have tipped PA, MI, and WI. Could an African-American on the ticket make a difference in getting some AA’s to the polls who might normally be less than likely to vote? I’d expect so. ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2019, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-talk-about-democratic-running-mates-for-a-minute/843066/32 "2019-11-09T17:38:02Z")
I did cite Nixon earlier in the thread, but I’m not even sure that I agree totally with that. Maybe the euchre strategy where you count on your partner to take one trick. A good vp nominee shouldn’t hurt you anywhere but can be counted on to pull in or lock down one (usually his own) state. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2019, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-talk-about-democratic-running-mates-for-a-minute/843066/33 "2019-11-09T17:44:46Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > Nonetheless, there was a real drop in AA turnout between 2012 and 2016 - I think it went from ~65% to ~59%. If it had stayed at 65%, we wouldn’t be having this discussion - they’d have tipped PA, MI, and WI. > > Could an African-American on the ticket make a difference in getting some AA’s to the polls who might normally be less than likely to vote? I’d expect so. Although this time around, the Dems will have Barack and Michelle Obama available full time for campaigning. Also, Biden if he’s not on the ticket and Bill Clinton can be quite useful for AA turnout as well. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2019, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-talk-about-democratic-running-mates-for-a-minute/843066/34 "2019-11-09T17:52:33Z")
Castro or Klobuchar. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2019, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-talk-about-democratic-running-mates-for-a-minute/843066/35 "2019-11-09T19:07:07Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > Although this time around, the Dems will have Barack and Michelle Obama available full time for campaigning. Did they not campaign for Hillary? > [@](#): > > and Bill Clinton can be quite useful for AA turnout as well. Didn’t he campaign for Hillary? > [@](#): > > Also, Biden if he’s not on the ticket I don’t see a reason to link Biden’s AA support in the primary with his ability (or lack of it) to inspire AA turnout in the general. They’re two very different things. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2019, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-talk-about-democratic-running-mates-for-a-minute/843066/36 "2019-11-09T19:51:09Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > Did they not campaign for Hillary?Didn’t he campaign for Hillary?I don’t see a reason to link Biden’s AA support in the primary with his ability (or lack of it) to inspire AA turnout in the general. They’re two very different things. Yes, the Obamas campaigned for Hillary. But, Barack was also busy being president and was probably exhausted after 8 years on the job. ---
**Author:** ![RioRico](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f04885/32.png) [@RioRico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RioRico)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2019, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-talk-about-democratic-running-mates-for-a-minute/843066/37 "2019-11-10T02:04:24Z")
Sorry to disenhearten anyone but 1) Veep doesn’t really carry votes, although if bad enough, they might serve as insurance against presidential assassination, and 2) we have no idea yet if a 2020 election will actually occur, and who might survive to run in it. What we HOPE and what we KNOW differ. We don’t know nothing yet IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2019, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-talk-about-democratic-running-mates-for-a-minute/843066/38 "2019-11-10T07:46:42Z")
> [@RioRico](#): > > Sorry to disenhearten anyone but 1) Veep doesn’t really carry votes, although if bad enough, they might serve as insurance against presidential assassination, and 2) we have no idea yet if a 2020 election will actually occur, and who might survive to run in it. What we HOPE and what we KNOW differ. We don’t know nothing yet IMHO. 1. Actually they do, but not as much as they used to, 2. what are you babbling about? Yes, we _know_ there will be a presidential election in 2020. ---
**Author:** ![RioRico](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f04885/32.png) [@RioRico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RioRico)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2019, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-talk-about-democratic-running-mates-for-a-minute/843066/39 "2019-11-10T20:59:18Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > 1. what are you babbling about? Yes, we _know_ there will be a presidential election in 2020. We sincerely HOPE for a 2020 national election but we don’t KNOW what could happen by then. Each step here probes uncharted territory. I won’t threadjack to list possible disruptions. But as Brecht said, “The man who laughs has not yet been told the terrible news.” We also can’t know which Dems can politically and physically survive till the convention. Top-listers right now are Biden, Warren, Sanders - old farts. Bloomberg is another old fart who just might spend enough to matter. But this suggest that any would feel a need for a much younger Veep candidate. Which of the second tier could help them? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2019, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-talk-about-democratic-running-mates-for-a-minute/843066/40 "2019-11-10T21:04:40Z")
> [@RioRico](#): > > We sincerely HOPE for a 2020 national election but we don’t KNOW what could happen by then. Each step here probes uncharted territory. I won’t threadjack to list possible disruptions. But as Brecht said, “The man who laughs has not yet been told the terrible news.”… Yeah, the sun might not rise tomorrow as a massive asteroid has destroyed the earth and all human life. :rolleyes: However, barring weird crap like that, there _will_ be a election in 2020. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-talk-about-democratic-running-mates-for-a-minute/843066.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-talk-about-democratic-running-mates-for-a-minute/843066.md?page=3)