# So why did Biden announce he's picking a woman VP? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [May 5, 2020, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-did-biden-announce-hes-picking-a-woman-vp/853188 "2020-05-05T16:11:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2020, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-did-biden-announce-hes-picking-a-woman-vp/853188/61 "2020-05-07T14:17:02Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > I went back and watched that debate again. Here’s my thoughts on reflection. > > 1. It wasn’t a gaffe or just something Biden blurted out. He came into the debate knowing he was making that announcement. > > 2. One reason was Biden wanted to slam the door shut on the Medicare 4 all talk. COVID is the threat now and wasting more hot air on fantasy health care plans is pointless. > > 3. Biden surely knew that a lot of Democrats wish they’d both sat this out. Having the last two remaining being septuagenarian white men didn’t thrill a lot of the Democratic base. Announcing a woman would be the VP threw the coldest bucket of ice water on a potential Biden//Sanders ticket. It also let voters know that Biden himself knows it’s time to pass the torch to a new generation and when he runs with a woman VP, he’s serious about putting more cracks in the glass ceiling. > > 4. Biden told Sanders the primaries are OVER. He’s the nominee and he’s pivoting to the general. The look on Biden’s face after the announcement and the rest of the debate showed that Biden was moving on. No more debates, Bernie can run in as many primaries as he wants but Bernie is going on the ignore list. > > 5. Yes, Biden won the night by his announcement. No one in the MSM was talking or writing about M4A and how it might affect COVID as Bernie was talking about it. Veep speculation began that following morning. You make a great point. Biden did exactly what he was supposed to – pivoted the conversation away from real change to ensure our corporate overlords remain happy. Thank you, Democratic Establishment! Doesn’t change anything, of course – its Biden or Bust now. Beating Trump is critical. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2020, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-did-biden-announce-hes-picking-a-woman-vp/853188/62 "2020-05-07T15:02:55Z")
> [@Babale](#): > > You make a great point. Biden did exactly what he was supposed to – pivoted the conversation away from real change to ensure our corporate overlords remain happy. Thank you, Democratic Establishment! > > Doesn’t change anything, of course – its Biden or Bust now. Beating Trump is critical. As a reminder, Bernie Sanders is an elected member of the US Senate. That gives him opportunities every day to speak out and have conversations, hopefully more effectively than on a message board. By the way, he’s also free to write all the damn bills he wants to implement those changes. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2020, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-did-biden-announce-hes-picking-a-woman-vp/853188/63 "2020-05-07T17:54:10Z")
Trump about to go after Biden with major ad campaign. I’m guessing part of it is he’s a career politician. May even bring up his sons cocaine use ---
**Author:** ![RioRico](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f04885/32.png) [@RioRico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RioRico)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2020, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-did-biden-announce-hes-picking-a-woman-vp/853188/64 "2020-05-08T07:43:02Z")
Why did Biden announce a female VP? Maybe he thought it was a good idea. > [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > Trump about to go after Biden with major ad campaign. I’m guessing part of it is he’s a career politician. May even bring up his sons cocaine use Donny is demonstrably scared shitless of Biden, so much so that he was impeached for his efforts. Ad campaign? Meh. I hope Biden has a VERY good security detail and brave food tasters. Maybe I should poll Dopers on the odds for both being alive in November. ---
**Author:** ![Sdowiat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Sdowiat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sdowiat)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2020, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-did-biden-announce-hes-picking-a-woman-vp/853188/65 "2020-05-10T01:55:24Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > My guess is that he already had a short list, and it was like mostly women anyway. They, put on the spot, he just said it would be. > > and of course- it’s time the USA stopped it’s sexist ways and elected a woman to the White house. Don’t know if you’ve thought of this, or maybe you think “Sexist” is a One way charge, but what he did when announcing that he WOULD pick a woman, is in essence announcing that no Man, no matter how good, would ever be picked even over the worst woman. That IS Sexist. Are you somehow thinking that we solve Sexism by simply reversing who we become sexist against? ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2020, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-did-biden-announce-hes-picking-a-woman-vp/853188/66 "2020-05-10T07:18:36Z")
Why do I feel an MRA hijack about to commence? ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2020, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-did-biden-announce-hes-picking-a-woman-vp/853188/67 "2020-05-10T11:05:12Z")
> [@Sdowiat](#): > > Don’t know if you’ve thought of this, or maybe you think “Sexist” is a One way charge, but what he did when announcing that he WOULD pick a woman, is in essence announcing that no Man, no matter how good, would ever be picked even over the worst woman. That IS Sexist. > > Are you somehow thinking that we solve Sexism by simply reversing who we become sexist against? Our maybe he’d already determined that the best candidates were women. ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2020, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-did-biden-announce-hes-picking-a-woman-vp/853188/68 "2020-05-10T16:29:55Z")
There is nothing sexist at all about saying that you want your VP to be a woman. It simply states that a female perspective is important enough to you that it will outweigh any other slight differences in overall “scores” when evaluating your choices. It could only be seen as objectionable if you believe: (a) there is no possible value to be placed on having a different perspective in the office of the VP OR (b) there is no female candidate whose qualifications put her within whatever value you place on (a) of the best male candidate (implicit within this is that there no chance that the best candidate is actually a woman) Biden has placed a certain value on (a) and is very confident that there are multiple female candidates that are qualified enough to be VP. And that’s without going into the obvious and inarguable electoral benefit of a female VP candidate, as well as any tactical arguments about changing debate topics, news cycles, etc. ---
**Author:** ![BigDfromLA](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8491ac/32.png) [@BigDfromLA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigDfromLA)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2020, 9:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-did-biden-announce-hes-picking-a-woman-vp/853188/69 "2020-05-15T09:14:23Z")
Biden should pick the one man he could get away with selecting at this time…Barack Obama. While Obama cannot legally run for president, the law does not forbid him from running for VP. Trump and the far right would throw a fit. The Obama-Pence debate would be a complete joke!!! ---
**Author:** ![Manwich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e480ec/32.png) [@Manwich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manwich)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2020, 10:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-did-biden-announce-hes-picking-a-woman-vp/853188/70 "2020-05-15T10:44:21Z")
It’s probably because of the sexual assault, his history of groping women and his lack of appeal with younger voters. ---
**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:** [May 15, 2020, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-did-biden-announce-hes-picking-a-woman-vp/853188/71 "2020-05-15T16:29:36Z")
> [@BigDfromLA](#): > > Biden should pick the one man he could get away with selecting at this time…Barack Obama. > While Obama cannot legally run for president, the law does not forbid him from running for VP. > Trump and the far right would throw a fit. > The Obama-Pence debate would be a complete joke!!! Obama is not eligible. ( realize there’s a debate about that) The 12th Amendment concludes: > [@](#): > > But no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice-President of the United States. I would love to see Obama on the ticket, but I’m sure Obama has no interest. (and probably isn’t’ eligible.) ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2020, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-did-biden-announce-hes-picking-a-woman-vp/853188/72 "2020-05-15T17:26:45Z")
If Trump wins this year will he blame all his problems on the Trump 1st term admin? ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2020, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-did-biden-announce-hes-picking-a-woman-vp/853188/73 "2020-05-16T04:30:58Z")
> [@Lamoral](#): > > Two, and more importantly: he failed to take into account the fact that the tide of current events in the months leading up to the election could potentially shape a stellar VP choice who would then be locked out because it might be a man. Let’s say that in the next few months, one of the state governors does an absolutely amazing job of rising to the occasion, truly distinguishing that state’s mitigation efforts above all the others. Let’s say just hypothetically that Jay Inslee, for instance, in the course of governorship during this pandemic, comes up with some kind of amazingly creative and effective plan that leads to a situation when, after the initial dust has settled in a few months, the whole country is looking at Washington State and saying, “wow, they did something right - their response to the virus was head and shoulders above the rest of the country.” > > Imagine this is a poker game. It’s Hold 'em. Biden has his cards. The coronavirus is the flop. The mitigation efforts are the turn. The resolution is the river. But wait, none of that matters because Biden folded as soon as he got his cards. There’s an obvious solution that the left would just eat up with a spoon. Have Islee publicly state that he identifies as a woman. Problem solved! ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2020, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-did-biden-announce-hes-picking-a-woman-vp/853188/74 "2020-05-16T11:55:13Z")
It’s long, long past time for a woman prez and VP. It’s entirely reasonable to take that into account when considering choices. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2020, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-did-biden-announce-hes-picking-a-woman-vp/853188/75 "2020-05-16T17:16:12Z")
> [@Projammer](#): > > There’s an obvious solution that the left would just eat up with a spoon. > > Have Islee publicly state that he identifies as a woman. Problem solved! I think Inslee has done a pretty good job as governor. Before he even locked down the State, he got buy in from Microsoft, Amazon, Boeing and other business leaders to initiate mandatory work from home corporate policies within 72 hours. However, I don’t see him with national star power. Certainly hasn’t dominated like Cuomo. ---
**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:** [May 16, 2020, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-did-biden-announce-hes-picking-a-woman-vp/853188/76 "2020-05-16T17:23:41Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > It’s long, long past time for a woman prez and VP. It’s entirely reasonable to take that into account when considering choices. I agree. But I see no advantage of announcing it so early in the campaign. He didn’t need to do it to win the primary. As others have said, keep your options open and if it turns out to be a woman when a pick is announced this summer, great. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2020, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-did-biden-announce-hes-picking-a-woman-vp/853188/77 "2020-05-21T19:59:15Z")
No surprise , he is vetting Amy Klobuchar ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2020, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-did-biden-announce-hes-picking-a-woman-vp/853188/78 "2020-05-21T22:19:48Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > I agree. But I see no advantage of announcing it so early in the campaign. He didn’t need to do it to win the primary. Maybe he didn’t need to make this commitment so early in the campaign nor to win the primary. BUT the move knocked out Sanders, and prevented a repeat of 4 years ago where it was dueling banjos to the Democratic Convention. Add it to one of Hillary’s failings was the inability to stop Sanders months earlier. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2020, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-did-biden-announce-hes-picking-a-woman-vp/853188/79 "2020-05-21T22:28:47Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Our maybe he’d already determined that the best candidates were women. The best qualified is Susan Rice, although I doubt he will pick her. ---
**Author:** ![Boycott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boycott/32/6741_2.png) [@Boycott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boycott)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2020, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-did-biden-announce-hes-picking-a-woman-vp/853188/80 "2020-05-21T22:45:24Z")
> [@China\_Guy](#): > > Maybe he didn’t need to make this commitment so early in the campaign nor to win the primary. BUT the move knocked out Sanders, and prevented a repeat of 4 years ago where it was dueling banjos to the Democratic Convention. > > **Add it to one of Hillary’s failings was the inability to stop Sanders months earlier.** In fairness it seems the decision for Sanders to coalesce around Biden was far easier for him to do because they are personal friends. > [@](#): > > Meanwhile, a small group of senior aides had been pushing Sanders for months to go harder on Biden. > > The problem: Sanders actually liked him. Personally, they got along better than he ever did with Hillary Clinton, aides have said. (The former vice president falls into an exclusive category for the Vermont senator: the people who were nice to Sanders before he mattered, as two aides put it recently.) > **[The Week Bernie Sanders Realized He Was Losing](https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/rubycramer/bernie-sanders-democratic-primary-joe-biden-campaign)** > > Interviews with nearly two dozen aides, allies, and progressive operatives reveal a campaign struggling to reconcile reality with the emotions of a movement that simply fell short. You could look at that cynically as an example of the old boys club. But another way is that networking seems to be Biden’s biggest strength. He ran against Obama in the 2008 Primary but they became arguably the closest POTUS-VP team ever. He ran to help defeat his longtime friend John McCain who remained his friend and who was eulogized by Biden (and Obama) at his funeral. He had a bruising political battle with Sanders which is now over and they are now working together to defeat the common enemy in November. If Biden picks Kamala Harris as his running mate it would be another example of how somebody who for a short period was a formidable opponent turns into his partner. He has political opponents but Trump is probably his first real enemy. Hillary had enemies for twenty years. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-did-biden-announce-hes-picking-a-woman-vp/853188.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-did-biden-announce-hes-picking-a-woman-vp/853188.md?page=5)