# If Hillary chooses Cory Booker as a vp choice, my eyes will glaze over **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [May 7, 2016, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-hillary-chooses-cory-booker-as-a-vp-choice-my-eyes-will-glaze-over/754126 "2016-05-07T00:49:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2016, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-hillary-chooses-cory-booker-as-a-vp-choice-my-eyes-will-glaze-over/754126/21 "2016-05-07T05:16:11Z")
> [@DerekMichaels00](#): > > good point. I really, REALLY, want Hillary to move to the center on Muslim refugees and radical Islam. Hence why I want a centrist VP pick for her. I wish Joe Manchin could be on her ticket, but since that state went from Carter and Clinton twice, and even Dukakis, to strong GOP, not gonna happen. > [@Frank](#): > > Is it OK if she disagrees with Netanyahu? > [@CarnalK](#): > > Oh she’s allowed to disagree as long she does whatever he says regardless. I think DerekMichaels would be happy with a Constitutional amendment that gave Israel’s Prime Minister jurisdiction over American Middle East policy. > [@DerekMichaels00](#): > > yes, but what Obama does, publicly treat Netanyahu worse than dictators/despots, is not OK. Hillary has shown over her career and campaigns (including this one) that Obama’s foreign policy folly will likely not be repeated. > [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Obama does not do this. This is a false thing that you have repeated multiple times, but repeating it doesn’t make it true. > [@Frank](#): > > You keep saying this. You keep saying this even though it’s not so. > > When, and how, has Obama treated Netanyahu worse than a dictator or despot? > [@mhendo](#): > > LOL. You guys know **DerekMichaels00** is simply going to ignore you and repeat his falsehoods in another thread, don’t you? I am beginning to find it all a bit comical and am actually looking forward to one of his threads where Israel and Netanyahu are not mentioned. 🙂 …even though it wasn’t **DerekMichaels00** who made first mention in this one, although he did respond with one of his falsehoods so there is balance. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2016, 8:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-hillary-chooses-cory-booker-as-a-vp-choice-my-eyes-will-glaze-over/754126/22 "2016-05-07T08:40:47Z")
> [@Onomatopoeia](#): > > 🙂 > [@Salvor](#): > > That is the most demonic smiley face I’ve seen, I just noticed it. Look at those enlarged black eyes, like staring into the depths of a black hole where no light shall ever escape. Darkness squared. You might want to look into getting a smaller monitor. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2016, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-hillary-chooses-cory-booker-as-a-vp-choice-my-eyes-will-glaze-over/754126/23 "2016-05-07T13:03:59Z")
Boring is a very good thing for a VP candidate to be. ---
**Author:** ![Billdo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/billdo/32/315_2.png) [@Billdo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Billdo)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2016, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-hillary-chooses-cory-booker-as-a-vp-choice-my-eyes-will-glaze-over/754126/24 "2016-05-08T03:07:57Z")
These days, running mates get picked based on some mix of demographically neutral qualifications about how much help the person may be to the candidate in the office (think Cheney) and symbolic/voting group interest (think Palin). I don’t think that Booker is seasoned enough to make the cut on neutral qualifications. And, I don’t think in this race he has the right geographic or demographic characteristics to get selected. Clinton will have no problem with New Jersey and the whole Northeast, so she won’t help him to pick up states there. He’s a African-American former large city mayor, but Clinton’s has no problem with big city voters, and was extremely successful with the Black electorate in the Primaries. Having worked with Obama and being married to Bill, she doesn’t need a Black running mate to establish Black-friendly credentials or generate enthusiasm with the African-American community. (And Trump is generating all the enthusiasm she needs in the Hispanic community.) Strategically, I think she will pick an experienced, safe, White, male moderate. I doubt that she will have much problem retaining the progressive Sanders faction, given the alternative, and if she is angling to pick up Republicans who are unable to accept Trump, she needs to signal that she will govern from the middle, not the left. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Ace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@Johnny\_Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Ace)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2016, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-hillary-chooses-cory-booker-as-a-vp-choice-my-eyes-will-glaze-over/754126/25 "2016-05-08T05:23:27Z")
I still want to see Al Franken destroying Trump and making voters laugh as he does it. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2016, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-hillary-chooses-cory-booker-as-a-vp-choice-my-eyes-will-glaze-over/754126/26 "2016-05-08T12:17:01Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > I don’t think the center means what you think it does. Syrian refugees pose no threat to us and nattering on about “radical Islam” does nothing helpful and indeed would threaten relations with moderate Muslim nations. > > Cory Booker would be a poor choice, as Hillary already stands to do very well with black voters. I’m warming to the idea of Bernie, that would ramp up the youth vote and help Democrats downticket and get that gavel back in Pelosi’s hands where it belongs. Doing well with black voters isn’t the issue. It’s getting black voters to turn out. That’s the difference between victory and defeat in a close election. Booker’s cool and all, but the OP is right, he’s just playing the part of a politician who says nothing useful while somehow trying to keep in the limelight enough so that people remember he’s supposed to be a rising star. But that very asset actually makes him a great VP choice, since Vice Presidents’ primary job is to not say anything dumb and to be qualified to be President. I think that Booker is qualified and we already know he’ll avoid saying anything that could hurt the ticket. So why not? ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2016, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-hillary-chooses-cory-booker-as-a-vp-choice-my-eyes-will-glaze-over/754126/27 "2016-05-08T15:57:15Z")
> [@Morgenstern](#): > > Sanders is making noises about possibly riding the ticket with Hillary. This may be too much for her to pass up. Both are good people. I’d like to see them both shake hands and get down to work running the country & reassuring allies that we won’t be overthrown by “[The Goblin King](http://i.imgur.com/K8VHvXL.jpg)”. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2016, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-hillary-chooses-cory-booker-as-a-vp-choice-my-eyes-will-glaze-over/754126/28 "2016-05-09T02:35:47Z")
And that we won’t be putting up protectionist measures and pulling out of trade deals like TPP. Oh wait, our allies already know that Clinton’s promises are just campaign talk. Just as they were for Obama. ---
**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:** [May 9, 2016, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-hillary-chooses-cory-booker-as-a-vp-choice-my-eyes-will-glaze-over/754126/29 "2016-05-09T02:51:49Z")
> [@Johnny\_Ace](#): > > I still want to see Al Franken destroying Trump and making voters laugh as he does it. I’m with you on that but fortunately it doesn’t rely solely on Al being HRC’s running mate. Put him in front of a camera and ask him the right question and he will fulfill your wish. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2016, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-hillary-chooses-cory-booker-as-a-vp-choice-my-eyes-will-glaze-over/754126/30 "2016-05-09T03:15:25Z")
I’ve always been impressed with Booker. His interview with Freakanomics was fantastic. And as stated upthread by others, I’d rather have someone who is more careful than someone who’d shoot his mouth off. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2016, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-hillary-chooses-cory-booker-as-a-vp-choice-my-eyes-will-glaze-over/754126/31 "2016-05-09T06:29:37Z")
Depends on the motivation for being careful. Being careful because you don’t want to cause problems is one thing. Being careful so that you never say anything useful to avoid causing problems for your career is not so good. The best politicians know when to say something that’ll get people’s attention. Booker has been quite assiduous at not drawing attention to himself for anything he actually says. I guess we’re just supposed to appreciate his attractive mug on all his TV appearances. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Ace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@Johnny\_Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Ace)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2016, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-hillary-chooses-cory-booker-as-a-vp-choice-my-eyes-will-glaze-over/754126/32 "2016-05-09T07:06:25Z")
> [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](#): > > I’m with you on that but fortunately it doesn’t rely solely on Al being HRC’s running mate. > > Put him in front of a camera and ask him the right question and he will fulfill your wish. True, but Al would have many more opportunities to do so on the ticket. Which brings up another point…I wonder if he wants it? ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2016, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-hillary-chooses-cory-booker-as-a-vp-choice-my-eyes-will-glaze-over/754126/33 "2016-05-09T11:16:14Z")
It’s said that you never turn down the call to service from your party’s nominee, at least assuming your party’s nominee isn’t someone you can’t support, like Donald Trump. Trump will get a lot of nos. But if Clinton asked Al Franken to serve, I don’t think there’s any doubt he would say yes. The only people who are going to say no to Clinton are people who for whatever reason don’t believe they are suitable for the job(undisclosed health issues, wouldn’t want to be vetted, etc.) Fun fact from Game Change: Clinton herself didn’t want the Obama team to vet her unless they were actually going to pick her for VP. Anyone who wonders why Obama didn’t go for the Dream Team option, there ya go. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2016, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-hillary-chooses-cory-booker-as-a-vp-choice-my-eyes-will-glaze-over/754126/34 "2016-05-09T11:29:31Z")
> [@DerekMichaels00](#): > > yes, but what Obama does, publicly treat Netanyahu worse than dictators/despots, is not OK. Hillary has shown over her career and campaigns (including this one) that Obama’s foreign policy folly will likely not be repeated. Oh FFS, he does not do that. Netanyahu is the one who throws down the gauntlet, all because Obama dares to remind him that Israel’s actions repeatedly violate numerous internationally-sanctioned agreements. Bibi assumes that AIPAC and pandering republicans will be the muscle that he needs to push Obama away from the plate. Well it looks like he’d better rethink that position because Donald Trump has exposed Israel on the right and in the center. The American mainstream is moving away from Israel and it has nothing to do with Obama. Bibi and the Zionist interests have overplayed their hand. It’s not 2003 anymore. Tom Ridge isn’t here to post Orange alerts on Fox News and send Americans running through the streets like it’s the night of the Orson Welles War of the Worlds broadcast. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2016, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-hillary-chooses-cory-booker-as-a-vp-choice-my-eyes-will-glaze-over/754126/35 "2016-05-09T11:40:58Z")
I think Booker would be a solid choice for Vice President, strategically and otherwise. He probably does need a lot of grooming and experience, but who better to learn from than someone who’s been in the trenches for the past 25 years? From a purely political standpoint, I think he’d really do well with young voters. Maybe not in the Bernie Sanders ‘fight the power’ sense, but more along the lines of Obama’s multiracial identity and as someone who has fought for the causes of the poor and inner city. Plus, he kinda looks like Vin Diesel. Maybe the Clintons could get him to do drag racing at campaign rallies. Julian Castro is another interesting choice but Booker would bring a bigger profile. Elizabeth Warren would be a shot of Red Bull for the party’s leftist base, but I think two women on a ticket would be risky in a general election. I’d definitely make sure that Bernie, Warren, and Castro have major profiles at the convention and probably with some assurances that they’ll play major roles in the administration where they can fit. I hope Bernie doesn’t go to the mat with this idea of him being vice president. Clinton and the Democrats will definitely incorporate some of Sanders’ message but they’re not going to be bullied into supporting policies that a) they don’t entirely agree with themselves and b) more importantly, the nation as a whole isn’t really pushing for. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2016, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-hillary-chooses-cory-booker-as-a-vp-choice-my-eyes-will-glaze-over/754126/36 "2016-05-09T11:50:15Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > I hope Bernie doesn’t go to the mat with this idea of him being vice president. Clinton and the Democrats will definitely incorporate some of Sanders’ message but they’re not going to be bullied into supporting policies that a) they don’t entirely agree with themselves and b) more importantly, the nation as a whole isn’t really pushing for. I don’t think he will. I don’t even think he wants it. I think the idea is similar to his run for president–in this case, to have them pick a VP that will take some of his message. ---
**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:** [May 9, 2016, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-hillary-chooses-cory-booker-as-a-vp-choice-my-eyes-will-glaze-over/754126/37 "2016-05-09T17:21:43Z")
> [@Johnny\_Ace](#): > > True, but Al would have many more opportunities to do so on the ticket. > > Which brings up another point…I wonder if he wants it? I haven’t heard him express an opinion on it. I seriously doubt HRC would choose someone who could potentially overshadow her as much as someone like Al would. Unless they would bring tons of voters to her side, which is why I think chatter about Bernie being open to the possibility has been making the rounds the last few days. I doubt that will happen either. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2016, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-hillary-chooses-cory-booker-as-a-vp-choice-my-eyes-will-glaze-over/754126/38 "2016-05-09T18:11:12Z")
There is nothing wrong with being careful about what you say and doing what is popular. A lot of good things are popular, a politician should do them despite what they really feel. Nor do I automatically resent a politician for trying to win votes by pandering. If people don’t like that others only do what’s safe with the focus group, then be that focus group. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Ace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@Johnny\_Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Ace)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2016, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-hillary-chooses-cory-booker-as-a-vp-choice-my-eyes-will-glaze-over/754126/39 "2016-05-09T22:41:28Z")
> [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](#): > > I haven’t heard him express an opinion on it. I seriously doubt HRC would choose someone who could potentially overshadow her as much as someone like Al would. Unless they would bring tons of voters to her side, which is why I think chatter about Bernie being open to the possibility has been making the rounds the last few days. I doubt that will happen either. I agree on Bernie. I don’t see her naming a 74-year old to be a heartbeat away. He’d be the oldest Veep ever to take office, being more than two years older than the current oldest, Alben W. Barkley (Harry Truman’s veep). ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2016, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-hillary-chooses-cory-booker-as-a-vp-choice-my-eyes-will-glaze-over/754126/40 "2016-05-09T23:04:23Z")
> [@Johnny\_Ace](#): > > I agree on Bernie. I don’t see her naming a 74-year old to be a heartbeat away. He’d be the oldest Veep ever to take office, being more than two years older than the current oldest, Alben W. Barkley (Harry Truman’s veep). Nominating Bernie as Veep would make sense only to Bernie himself, and I’m not sure even he’s on board with that, either. There’s nothing to be gained by bringing Sanders onto the ticket. There is, however, a LOT to be gained by bringing his energy to the democratic convention, but it seems that the only energy Bernie’s bringing is to try and pee on Hillary’s expected nomination. I think Hillary and the Democrats would love to have a majority of Bernie’s supporters, who probably fall into the category of being Obama supporters wishing he could have driven a harder bargain on some issues but are otherwise okay with his legacy. The fanatical types who wear Bernie tee shirts, vote every 8 years, and then go troll Hillary supporters, and try to get into shouting matches with Trump supporters, though, are people that any campaign can do without. She doesn’t need them. She doesn’t really even need Bernie, and if he pisses her off then he may as well leave the Senate because he basically won’t exist in the minds of democrats in that chamber going forward. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-hillary-chooses-cory-booker-as-a-vp-choice-my-eyes-will-glaze-over/754126.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-hillary-chooses-cory-booker-as-a-vp-choice-my-eyes-will-glaze-over/754126.md?page=3)