She wasnt one of those asked for vetting. She is out. And really I dont think Whitmer is one of the best choices anyway.
She likely is, but not by a lot.
And Neutralize Vances bragging about being a marine- briefly. Do note that Harris lives in a border state also.
Altho I still say- the border is only an issue due to the GOP.
Why is that- the Dem convention isnt until the 19th. You mean if there was no majority candidate and it had to be decided at the Convention, the Dems couldnt run anyone? That is absurd.
They need someone in the VP spot who will attract people that Harris might not, as well as motivating those people to vote. Regardless of how talented Whitmer is, she would be appealing to pretty much the same voters who would vote for Harris. Someone like Buttigieg would likely motivate some men and LGBTQIA+ people to vote that might otherwise would have sat out. Even if Harris is aligned with those same additional voters, a Harris-Whitmer ticket might not be exciting enough for those additional people to actually go to the polls and cast a vote.
Ohio. It’s been mentioned here several times, in this thread and others, but the gist is that Ohio has a law that says that parties have to submit their nominees’ names for the ballot no later than 90 days prior to the election.
However, the RNC and DNC conventions are often after that deadline; historically, it’s been not a big deal, as each time, the Ohio Legislature has passed one-time exemption laws.
They did so again, this spring, for the Democrats, but the new law only goes into effect on September 1st (which is also the new deadline), and many in the Democratic Party are less than trusting that there would be no shenanigans pulled on this, so they had – even prior to Biden pulling out of the race – planned for a nomination vote prior to the convention, just to make sure.
That would also have to be part of the equation. If he alienates a lot of voters, then he’s not the right person for the position. Regardless, the purpose of the person in the VP spot is to get Harris elected. If they end up bringing 0 additional voters, they aren’t a good choice. If they reduce the number of voters for Harris, they aren’t a good choice. It has to be someone who brings a significant number of additional voters for Harris.
If you’d vote for Harris/Whitmer, Harris/Buttigieg or Harris/Shapiro, you were already going to vote for Harris/Kelly.
But Harris/Kelly also creates a permission structure for older, more moderate might-even-lean-a-little-to-the-right-but-can’t-stomach-MAGA to vote for Harris.
There are a lot of independents who think like this. They wouldn’t pull the lever for Harris and another woman, Harris and a gay man or Harris and a Jew, but they can get behind Harris and the astronaut.
It’s sad, it sucks, but it’s no more complicated than this. I say this as a strong supporter of Kelly for VP. I wish it could be otherwise.
I’ve waited my whole life to see a woman for president and seen it derailed by excessive optimism every time. This is not the time for a crap shoot on the ticket. Let’s let a woman being president – and a person of color to boot! – be enough this time around.
I think that’s the way Harris should look at the question, if she isn’t looking at it that way already. I’m sure that there is a segment of the American electorate who would love to see Harris and Whitmer/Buttigieg/Shapiro, but I am equally sure that there is a larger segment who, while Harris might be their choice, are a little unsure about voting for her if she’s paired with a woman/a gay/a Jew. Too much too soon, in other words.
Play it safe. Select a white man for the VP. That will reassure those who are as you described. You’ve got a good thing going, Ms. Harris, don’t do anything that could ruin it.
And I do think that’s the direction it’s going, based on the solicitations for donations I’m getting over the past week. Kelly has stepped up his asks and Harris does seem to be nosing for a consensus on how he is viewed as a potential pick. He’s much more in the news. I also notice that common sense gun control is an issue being prominently mentioned in the campaign.
Of course not. But she shouldn’t make a choice that results in too many people asking “why?” they way are with Vance. No matter who she selects only a minority of Democrats will declare it the best choice. The best she can hope for is for it to be proclaimed a good choice.
Do you honestly think that, looking at the names which have been commonly brought up, that there’s any one in that list which would cause large numbers of Democratic and swing voters to ask “why?”
I saw an interesting discussion earlier that proposed Kelly’s military experience might come in handy if Trump tries to claim “stolen election” again. Having someone with stronger military ties might diffuse that a bit, but I’m not totally sold that Kelley is going to have that level of military connections so early in the (hopeful) administration.
But that’s not what I asked you about; I said “large numbers of Democratic and swing voters.” (emphasis mine)
Yes, of course, any and all candidates will have some detractors, even among party faithful. But, you gave Vance as an example of what you hope won’t happen with the Democrats: a guy who pretty clearly is an oddball, not a good campaigner, and whom many Republicans are already not happy about.
Again: are you worried that Harris may be considering a candidate for whom large numbers of Democratic and swing voters will not just say, “Hmmm, OK, but I preferred someone else more,” but “Them? Why? You have got to be kidding me.”
I would put Shapiro in that category because of the Gaza issue.
Harris’s main risk with the general population is immigration. Her main risk with Democrats is Gaza. It’s not enough for her to make strong statements about a ceasefire; if she picks a pro-Israeli VP, she is going to turn off what I would consider a large number of Democrats - maybe not many that would vote for Trump instead, but enough that will sit it out.
I love Pete, and I’m gay, but this is not the right time for him. Right now, I believe Mark Kelly is not only the safest choice, but a damn good choice. I’ll be very happy if he is the choice.