# Harris VP choice as she is the official presidential nominee of the Democratic Party for 2024 **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** kamala-harris\ **Created:** [July 21, 2024, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harris-vp-choice-as-she-is-the-official-presidential-nominee-of-the-democratic-party-for-2024/1004552 "2024-07-21T19:06:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 34
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2024, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harris-vp-choice-as-she-is-the-official-presidential-nominee-of-the-democratic-party-for-2024/1004552/663 "2024-07-29T15:48:36Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > Bottom line is that there are at least three choices that may be viewed as having good different stories for helping win, including what the choice signals about what sort of president Harris aims to be. Yep, and it’s certainly not a scientifically precise process. They may even get it wrong. But their sole objective had better be determining who adds best to the chances of the ticket winning. I’m sure most voters evaluate VP choices, to some extent, on how comfortable we’d be with that person in the big seat. Factor that into the decision—but just to the degree that people value it relative to other factors, and not an atom’s worth more. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2024, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harris-vp-choice-as-she-is-the-official-presidential-nominee-of-the-democratic-party-for-2024/1004552/664 "2024-07-29T15:53:11Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > I hope (and imagine) the vetting team is doing something like this and not just looking at traditional polling. I would absolutely think so, and I suspect that it’s part of why the decision wasn’t made overnight. If nothing else, Harris, her campaign leadership, and DNC leadership can (and likely have) looked at the mistakes that the GOP has made in recent elections, with unqualified and controversial VP choices (Palin, Vance), and are learning from those. Also, FWIW, my understanding is that presidential campaigns conduct their own polling, which is often more detailed than the “public” polls shared in the press. Finally, speaking as a professional market researcher, who has conducted hundreds of focus groups, as well as quantitative surveys, in my career: focus groups are great for uncovering the “why” behind how people think, but they represent a small sample size. Focus groups are not a replacement for actually conducting quantitative research (surveys/polls) among a large sample of your target, to understand what proportion of your target feels X, versus Y. ---
**Author:** ![Chad\_Sudan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chad_sudan/32/4509_2.png) [@Chad\_Sudan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chad_Sudan)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2024, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harris-vp-choice-as-she-is-the-official-presidential-nominee-of-the-democratic-party-for-2024/1004552/665 "2024-07-29T15:54:46Z")
She may be getting on in years, but [E. Jean Carroll](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E._Jean_Carroll#Sexual_abuse_and_defamation_lawsuit_against_Donald_Trump) has an impressive track record and the wherewithal to contribute generously to the campaign. ---
**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 29, 2024, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harris-vp-choice-as-she-is-the-official-presidential-nominee-of-the-democratic-party-for-2024/1004552/666 "2024-07-29T15:55:05Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > If nothing else, Harris, her campaign leadership, and DNC leadership can (and likely have) looked at the mistakes that the GOP has made in recent elections, with unqualified and controversial VP choices (Palin, Vance), and are learning from those. Qualified and uninspired is also a pitfall. See Kane 2016. ---
**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:** [July 29, 2024, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harris-vp-choice-as-she-is-the-official-presidential-nominee-of-the-democratic-party-for-2024/1004552/667 "2024-07-29T15:55:33Z")
Boy howdy. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2024, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harris-vp-choice-as-she-is-the-official-presidential-nominee-of-the-democratic-party-for-2024/1004552/668 "2024-07-29T15:56:12Z")
Absolutely. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2024, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harris-vp-choice-as-she-is-the-official-presidential-nominee-of-the-democratic-party-for-2024/1004552/669 "2024-07-29T16:41:46Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > Qualified and uninspired is also a pitfall. It falls into the what the choice signals about sort of president the top of the ticket aims to be. I’m not sure what I believe about how much difference a not toxic level choice makes (although of course any difference in a tipping point state may be the vote that matters). Silver going from calling it 3% for a sitting Senator or Governor in his ‘16 analysis to less than 1% in his current article speaks to me that it is a bit WAG. BUT I think the effect it has on _branding_ who the top of the ticket is and aims to be is very hard to quantify. Each of the top choices sends different signals. Are they a team of rivals team builder leader? A team of same minded pulling in the same transformational direction? Wanting to heal divides? Effective steady hand? ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2024, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harris-vp-choice-as-she-is-the-official-presidential-nominee-of-the-democratic-party-for-2024/1004552/670 "2024-07-29T16:52:04Z")
Maybe we ought to have a poll as to when we think she’ll announce! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2024, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harris-vp-choice-as-she-is-the-official-presidential-nominee-of-the-democratic-party-for-2024/1004552/671 "2024-07-29T16:53:52Z")
I think I can add that [to my Poll thread](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-for-harriss-vp-pick-for-2024-election/1004638). What should the date options be in the poll? Please reply in this thread: [Poll for Harris's VP pick for 2024 election](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-for-harriss-vp-pick-for-2024-election/1004638) ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2024, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harris-vp-choice-as-she-is-the-official-presidential-nominee-of-the-democratic-party-for-2024/1004552/672 "2024-07-29T17:14:31Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > Qualified and uninspired is also a pitfall. See Kane 2016. I’m less convinced by this. The issue in 2016 was Clinton was qualified and uninspired, I’m not convinced an inspiring VP would have helped. This year you have an inspiring presidential candidate but who may be a little “unconventional” (back and female) for some old white men in the swing states (not the out and out , self confessed racists and misogynists, screw them, they have their guy. The old white guy who’s just a little disconcerted the candidate doesn’t look like he’s used to). Having the most conventional boring white male old guy stand next to her may help that. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2024, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harris-vp-choice-as-she-is-the-official-presidential-nominee-of-the-democratic-party-for-2024/1004552/673 "2024-07-29T17:25:59Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > > [@rocking\_chair](#): > > > > And astronaut! > > I really don’t get this as such a big deal to so many here and really do not think the general public would. Which is not to say he would not be a great choice, but I think the thrill of ASTRONAUT! is decades past and not a vote getter. It’s probably not a big factor and certainly doesn’t have the cachet it would have had in the 60s and early 70s, but there’s still some public perception that the path to becoming an astronaut is intensely competitive and the ones who make it are “the best of the best”. Just another feather in Kelly’s cap that sure doesn’t hurt. And when you have the best of the best in direct competition with a hillbilly like J D Vance, well … ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2024, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harris-vp-choice-as-she-is-the-official-presidential-nominee-of-the-democratic-party-for-2024/1004552/674 "2024-07-29T17:31:19Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > a hillbilly like J D Vance, well … I believe the proper term for Vance is _hillwilliam_. I can’t take credit for it. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2024, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harris-vp-choice-as-she-is-the-official-presidential-nominee-of-the-democratic-party-for-2024/1004552/675 "2024-07-29T17:32:28Z")
**Moderating:** Please keep the Vance specific stuff [in the Vance thread](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-be-trumps-running-mate-j-d-vance-has-been-chosen/996511/944). He is clearly not a Harris VP choice. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2024, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harris-vp-choice-as-she-is-the-official-presidential-nominee-of-the-democratic-party-for-2024/1004552/676 "2024-07-29T17:33:08Z")
Apologies. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2024, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harris-vp-choice-as-she-is-the-official-presidential-nominee-of-the-democratic-party-for-2024/1004552/677 "2024-07-29T17:48:06Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > He is clearly not a Harris VP choice. But if she _really_ wants to “reach across the aisle…” 😉 ---
**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 29, 2024, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harris-vp-choice-as-she-is-the-official-presidential-nominee-of-the-democratic-party-for-2024/1004552/678 "2024-07-29T18:06:04Z")
Just got a text from the Harris campaign asking for money. The person doing the asking? Mark Kelly. I wonder if they’re testing out which of the finalists can encourage the most giving. Next up Walz? ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2024, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harris-vp-choice-as-she-is-the-official-presidential-nominee-of-the-democratic-party-for-2024/1004552/679 "2024-07-29T19:06:00Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > I love the fact that most people don’t know most of the possibilities but they do know Newsom and don’t want him Most people (even if they don’t know the technical electoral difficulties) know having a VP pick from the candidate’s home state is a non-starter. It has nothing to do with Newsom’s popularity or nonpopularity. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2024, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harris-vp-choice-as-she-is-the-official-presidential-nominee-of-the-democratic-party-for-2024/1004552/680 "2024-07-29T20:47:28Z")
Remember, the insider info says that Harris has it down to just three possibilities- Kelly, Shapiro, and Walz. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2024, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harris-vp-choice-as-she-is-the-official-presidential-nominee-of-the-democratic-party-for-2024/1004552/681 "2024-07-29T23:06:51Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > Maybe we ought to have a poll as to when we think she’ll announce! 😃 I’m putting my marker down for this Thursday! Then a week to the virtual roll call. And then the convention not long after. Keeps possession of the news cycles as much as possible. ETA Cooper has apparently removed his name from consideration. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2024, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harris-vp-choice-as-she-is-the-official-presidential-nominee-of-the-democratic-party-for-2024/1004552/682 "2024-07-29T23:23:59Z")
I say Walz has already done his duty for America. He gave us the “Republicans are Weird,” meme. Go with god. Pick Kelly, seal up the he-man’s club. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harris-vp-choice-as-she-is-the-official-presidential-nominee-of-the-democratic-party-for-2024/1004552.md?page=33) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harris-vp-choice-as-she-is-the-official-presidential-nominee-of-the-democratic-party-for-2024/1004552.md?page=35)