Potential VP nominee questions

[NewJeffCT]

I keep hearing Kamala Harris, Stacey Abrams and Val Demings - great options all the way around. And, maybe Klobuchar or Warren as well.

But, that left me wondering - do we have a similar lineup of impressive women of Latin American descent? Rep. Sylvia Garcia was an impeachment manager. But, even she is not nearly as high profile as Harris, Abrams and even Demings.

[abqtommy]

1. We have many impressive women here in New Mexico. Men too, for that matter. Some are

from one ethnic background, others from another. For me the key word is "impressive". Selecting prospective candidates by gender and ethnicity sounds a lot like sexism and racism to me.

[NewJeffCT]

2. I'm interested in finding out more

about the top Latin American women we have that are governors, lt governors and in Congress. They don't seem to get as much publicity as African American women.

I like diversity in the party and I see a lot of high profile African Americans, but not as many of HIspanic descent outside of AOC. Castro could barely get 1% in the primaries.

[panader0]

3. Kamala could deliver California.

She's west coast, while all remaining candidates are east coast.
I grew to have a lot of respect for Klobuchar too.
Stacy Abrams definitely has a future in the party. The VP needs to be female,
and I think Kamala balances the ticket quite well.

[abqtommy]

4. I agree that a woman candidate for VP provides a pleasant and effective balance. But that's not

sexism, it's just political common sense!

[Dem4Life1102]

8. California is a deep blue state

Harris is not needed to deliver it.

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

20. Exactly what I was thinking

We're not going to have a problem getting votes in California. A pick from the mid west or south would be better. I still would like to see Buttigieg.

[Firebrand Gary]

39. Harris could help lock the more liberal vote.

Sanders camp is seeing the writing on the wall, the entire country is rallying around Joe.

[Dem4Life1102]

41. Could she?

A lot on the left here issues with Harris’ record as a prosecutor.

[Firebrand Gary]

42. No candidate is apparently perfect.

So, with that it mind, which candidates will draw out the strategic numbers that we need to create a blue wave that’s so large, that Trumpism is carried out to sea; drowned for good!

All the while, with this election the party must turn the reigns over to the next generation for the good of the party and the country. Women, AAPI, Black, Brown, LGBTQ - otherwise we’re going to have an internal war!

[Dem4Life1102]

45. True

Which is why there might be better candidates for VP than Harris.

[not_the_one]

59. I agree. The reins need to be handed over to the Americans who have to live with our decisions.

It SHOULD have happened with THIS election, but unfortunately the stakes are too high. I would have loved to see Mayor Pete as our president. He would have fit so well on the world stage, with the other young leaders like Trudeau and Macron.

There has to be a NEW democratic establishment, both here and abroad. Ours has done enough damage.

I would love to see Mayor Pete as VP, but (strangely enough) he could negate the willingness of the AA community to support Biden. Ironic, since it would in essence be a "religious core base" negating support for a vp that is religious, but gay.

It would also be the core AA base from the past, doing it. That would be disastrous for the party, so let's not go there. That means we need a new democratic establishment ACROSS THE BOARD, including in the AA community.

I believe balance does require both a male and a female on our team this time around. It may not be absolutely essential, but the risk is too high. We need to play it safe (we are already doing so with Biden). The dingleberries aren't going to vote for a woman anyhow, so who gives a shit what they think. Women voters would like Stacy, and the AA community would like Stacy. Those are two HUGH! blocks of voters.

Stacy could help out with carrying Georgia, and the entire south's AA vote. I believe she is the black equivalent of Pete in the smart, articulate, charismatic vein. She has a future.

But so does Pete. When the time comes, President Abrams could pick Mayor Pete as HER VP. Then VP Pete could step into a role he was trained to fill.

Sounds like a plan...

[beachbumbob]

52. she did her job. And did it well. The left has problems with some laws for sure

[Wounded Bear]

10. "Delivering" California is not an issue in the general...

and the VP selection is usually not an issue for the primary. Besides, CA already voted in that.

Not to say Sen Harris would not be a good selection. We have to balance out Senate power with how goes to the White House.

Besides, I think she'd be a dynamite AG.

[wiley]

29. Any woman

Would be great.

[Wounded Bear]

36. I'd say it almost has to be a woman...nt

[Polybius]

16. Any Democrat could deliver California

It' deep, deep, blue.

[TDale313]

28. As a Californian, I love Harris...

But CA’s going to the Dem no matter what. Lots of reasons to pick her, but delivering CA? Not a huge concern.

[customerserviceguy]

38. If we can't win California

this election, with whoever is the nominee or the VP pick, we'll be shellacked in the rest of the country.

[Spider Jerusalem]

54. Under what scenario do you imagine California voting for Trump?

It's in the blue column regardless of who the VP pick is.

[panader0]

56. Okay, okay already - seven replies to scold me for stating the obvious is enough.

[Kashkakat v.2.0]

5. Warren if nominee is JB, Klobuchar if it's BS - Im looking for demonstrated ability

to mend rifts between the party and work together. What better way than the choose a V from other end of the spectrum and craft a brilliant and unified platform There is no need for P and VP to be matchy-matchy in their politics - in fact now is the time to think outside the box and commit to whatever it takes to present a strong, unified stance.

I just picked Warren and Klobuchar for illustration purposes - theres any no. of other qualified folks Im sure - need to read up on Abrams and Demings so cant comment on that in any kind of informed way.

[lastlib]

7. The unity argument is a valid one to make...

...but another consideration is, how many voters would the nominee bring to the ticket. Would a very progressive VP bring in Sanders voters, but scare off moderates/independents/NevertRumper repubs? Or would a centrist like, say, Amy K., bring in those voters while alienating Sanders voters? Who brings the most voters in, particularly in the very key battleground states? We don't need Kamala Harris to carry California, but Amy might sway enough voters in Wisconsin to move it to the D column.

We shall see, as they say.

[Dem4Life1102]

23. Massachusetts has a Republican Governor

Can’t risk taking Warren out of the Senate.

[getagrip_already]

31. just pointing out that....

When dukakis ran, there was a rrepublican governor. Schizo state.

In MA, dems have veto proof majorities in both houses. For dukakis, they passed a bill that forced any senate vacancies to a special election. They switched it back, but they can do it all over again.

Yes, we occasionally lose senate seats, but it is possible/likely we will keep it. It's not a sure loss.

[Dem4Life1102]

37. But is it worth the risk

when a GOP controlled Senate could block anything a Democratic President wants to do?

[Zorro]

6. I think Beto would be an inspired VP pick

[NewJeffCT]

9. I love Beto

but, do Democrats need two white men at this time?

[Wounded Bear]

11. Yeah, not a good look...nt

[Proud Liberal Dem]

12. Having a woman of color for VP would possibly help drive some enthusiasm for Biden

I know that some progressives detest Harris for many of the same reasons they hated Klobuchar (i.e. "she's a cop" ) but she would be a solid choice for Biden and she would be a tough campaigner against Trump. And her seat would be easily replaceable since she in California. One of the things I was worried about with Warren is that her Senate seat would have been filled by a Republican if she won the Presidency.

[NewJeffCT]

13. Warren for Senate Majority Leader

is my choice - her and Pelosi would get good shit done.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

14. That would be awesome!

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

22. Yeah, that would be :) n/t

[rusty fender]

46. Schumer will not let anyone but

himself be majority leader if we take back the senate.

[NewJeffCT]

49. he may be amenable

to a request from a president elect Biden, but I agree that he most likely would not step down without getting someting in return.

[Initech]

15. I personally would love to see Warren debate Pence.

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

21. I think Buttigieg and Pence match up would be awesome

Sure would make Pence uncomfortable. It's kind of hard to use Christianity as an excuse for homophobia when dealing with Buttigieg.

[Initech]

25. Buttigieg would be a bad VP choice.

I'm not saying that in a negative context. I am saying that with as rampant as homophobia is in this country, if he were the VP nominee, the dems would get laughed at out of the general election. I think Mayor Pete should still be in the cabinet in some form but not as VP.

IMO, Warren I think is the strongest VP candidate choice that we have given her years of experience. She would be the one to bring the hardcore Sanders supporters over should Biden be the nominee, and can bridge the gap between Bernie Bros and Dem purists, should Sanders be the nominee.

That's my two cents.

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

35. Not sure if we have more homophobia or sexism in this country

Seems to me we are making progress for LGBT issues but backsliding when it comes to women's issues.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

44. I don't think Pence would share a stage with a woman.

Not unless his wife was standing between them.

He's an odd person.

[Polybius]

17. Why not Hillary?

She would be absolutely fantastic if Biden gets the nomination. They are also pretty similar on views, and get along. We owe it to her for what has happened to this poor woman. 2016 still bothers me.

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

19. No, I think we are better off keeping Hillary out of this election

There's lots of other people to pick from. That would be a bad idea to pick her as a vp. We don't need a vp candidate with baggage from the last election with Trump. I'd hope he'd pick someone younger than her too.

[Initech]

26. I think that it's best that we move on from 2016.

[getagrip_already]

32. I love hillary and would love to see her in offce but she is too old ......

In 8 years, she wouldn't be in a position to assume the re-election effort. A vp gets a definate boost.

Choose someone younger, like Michelle Obama.

[ElementaryPenguin]

18. Corey Booker would be a great choice IMO.

[wishstar]

24. Yes, Booker would be my preference over any other male for VP

and over many of the females being considered too.

[lamp_shade]

27. Whoever Biden chooses will succeed him as POTUS. I try to keep this in mind.

[getagrip_already]

33. only if they will be young enough in 8 years.....

We really need to get away from such old candidates. I'm old too, but this is a hard job and we see what happens when someone tweets it in.....

[lamp_shade]

40. Precisely my thinking.

[Polybius]

47. Not necessarily

In the past 150 years, only one VP has been directly elected president. That was George HW Bush in 1988.

[old guy]

30. IMO the Senate is a consideration here.

Don't take a Senator out that could cost us a majority.

[Polybius]

48. Unless there is a Democrat as governor

Then they'll appoint another Democrat.

[NewJeffCT]

50. Massachusetts has a Republican governor

in Charlie Baker

[Chainfire]

34. What is a damn shame

Is that our nation is still so uncivilized as to have a bunch of liberals trying to decide what race or gender would help the odds of winning the election, rather than who are the best two people in the nation we could put in the offices. We still have a long way to go. I don't claim to be any more advanced, I have been studying on what black woman that I think would make a great president......

The Republicans don't have those kinds of problems. They only want to have the most crooked bastard in the country in the front office, and any incompetent, nodding bootlicker in the No. 2 spot. No need for them to worry about women or blacks; their voters would have like it.

[NewJeffCT]

51. I'm not trying to decide the nominee

I was just wondering why when potential VPs are mentioned, it's mostly African American and White women and not women of Hispanic descent or Asian descent.

[Glimmer of Hope]

43. I am team Abrams. She is young, super smart and from Georgia. And Oprah.

[dem4decades]

53. Does she have enough experience to be president? I like her but people have to be confident the VP

Is ready on day 1, especially with an older President.

[NewJeffCT]

55. Dan Quayle? Sarah Palin? Mike Pence?

none of them would be ready or would have been ready to step in to be president.

Abrams is very smart and will do a fine job if it comes to that.

[dem4decades]

57. I know that but idiots voted for them. I'm sure Abrams would do a great job but I'm worried about

swing voters having confidence.

[FailureToCommunicate]

58. Here are two possiblities...

Former Representive, and now Governor of New Mexico, Michelle Lujan Grisham

Nevada Senator Catherine Cortez Masto