Let's get one thing straight. Every single one of the candidates under consideration to become Joe Biden's running mate was qualified to be vice president. Hell, they were qualified to be president. And, no, not just because shit-for-brains set the bar so low an ant could step over it. Because, unlike the Republican Party, the Democrats actually DO have a deep bench with a ton of talent. That being said, there were three reasons why Biden went with Kamala Harris over the other qualified candidates for his running mate.
One: It's clear that the Biden campaign believes that the polls are NOT fake. They show him with a fairly significant lead nationally and ahead in a majority of the swing states, including the three that Hillary Clinton lost in 2016 that gave Trump the presidency. That doesn't mean they think the race is over; merely that they understand that protecting a lead in the fourth quarter is how to best navigate through what promises to be a very "nasty" - no pun intended - last ninety days.
It's also clear that they feel that the problem in 2016 wasn't the back of the ticket (Tim Kaine), but the front of it (Hillary). That's why Biden elected to consolidate the ticket rather than balance it, as many, including me, were urging him to do. That meant that candidates like Elizabeth Warren and Stacey Abrams were never serious considerations. Obviously Biden feels the best way to beat Trump is to take the center lane away from him and hope that enough progressives turn out in November. We'll know soon enough whether his instincts are right.
Meanwhile, did you hear Bunker Boy yesterday at his press briefing call Harris the most liberal senator in the Senate? That was rich. Good luck with that, Donald. Harris is to progressivism what Lebanon is to world peace. It's going to be hysterical watching the Trump campaign try to paint the Biden/Harris ticket as part of the radical left. The fact is, with the exception of Amy Klobuchar, Harris was the safest choice Biden could've made. She was the front runner from the moment he pulled ahead of Bernie Sanders in March, and come January 20, she'll be a heartbeat away from the presidency.
Two: Biden got the memo. After the George Floyd murder, it was clear he needed to pick a woman of color as his running mate. To have done otherwise would've meant risking the wrath of the one core constituency Democrats must have in order to win. That meant that otherwise qualified candidates like Klobuchar - who wisely withdrew herself from consideration - and Gretchen Whitmer - a swing-sate governor who's doing an outstanding job dealing with the Coronavirus - were never going to be selected.
In another time and under different circumstances, either would've made outstanding picks. I actually believe Klobuchar was Biden's first choice. There's no doubt that the simpatico he feels is crucial in a running mate was present with her. The two were practically carbon copies of each other during the debates. It wouldn't surprise me a bit if he asked her to join his administration is some capacity should he win.
Three: The golden rule "Do No Harm" was paramount in the final decision. That pretty much ruled out Susan Rice from consideration. Biden has worked with her and he respects her, but the prospect of dredging up the whole Benghazi affair this close to the election would be like throwing a pick six with the ball on Trump's 20 yard line. Unfair or not, Rice will always be remembered for those appearances she made on the Sunday-morning news shows immediately after the attack. She took one for the team and that pretty much ended any hopes she had of having a post-Obama political career.
Also, and this can't be overstated, Rice has never run for political office in her life, much less the vice presidency. True, she's had experience in the Oval Office, but you can't govern if you don't win. Even if Harris's candidacy was less than riveting, at least she's been through several rough campaigns. She knows what it's like to be vetted on a national stage. If there WERE any skeletons in her closet, we would've known about them by now.
So, Biden has his number two. Now it's on to the convention. He has a sizable lead and all the momentum. The election is now his to lose. If his first major decision is any indication, we can expect little, if any, risk taking. Like the great football coach Hank Stram, Biden will simply "matriculate" the football down the field.
That's what you do when you're ahead. You move the chains and you keep the football away from your opponent.
So, Biden has his number two. Now it's on to the convention. He has a sizable lead and all the momentum. The election is now his to lose. If his first major decision is any indication, we can expect little, if any, risk taking. Like the great football coach Hank Stram, Biden will simply "matriculate" the football down the field.
That's what you do when you're ahead. You move the chains and you keep the football away from your opponent.
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