Joe Biden vowed to pick a woman VP. Some Democrats say she must be a woman of color

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

WASHINGTON – In 2008, Barack Obama chose Joe Biden as his running mate in part because Biden brought experience in Congress and on foreign policy that the junior senator from Illinois lacked.

Now Biden is on his own quest to find a running mate with strengths he lacks while facing pressure to make history.

The presumptive Democratic nominee vowed in March to pick a woman as his vice presidential running mate. Leaders within crucial factions of the Democratic base – black and Latino voters – say that's not enough for the standard-bearer of a party that touts its diversity and relies on the steadfast support of voters of color to win.

They're urging him to choose not just any woman but the first woman of color as a running mate on a major party's ticket.

Not only is it long past time to reward the party's most reliable voting bloc, black leaders say, a woman of color makes the most sense strategically to defeat President Donald Trump.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/elections-2020/joe-biden-vowed-to-pick-a-woman-vp-some-democrats-say-she-must-be-a-woman-of-color/ar-BB14lvO1?ocid=msn360

[Ferrets are Cool]

1. I don't know who these "some people" are but

I agree 100%

[jaysunb]

2. I think it would be a big mistake. n/t

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

3. Why?

[jaysunb]

6. Biden already has the black vote locked up. No need to pander at the cost of the election.

As much as I would like to see a woman of color as VP, if we've learned anything from the Trump era, American racism is alive and will be on full display if a non white person is on the ticket.

[brush]

10. Not so fast. The black vote for Hillary dropped from that for Obama. trump won.

Last edited Wed May 20, 2020, 11:25 PM - Edit history (1)

The black vote is crucial to Dem victories (see also South Carolina). We want to see a record AA vote turn out.

And let's be frank, the black vote is a hugely important segment of the party base and it's way past time for a woman on the ticket as it's 2020. An all white ticket does not reflect the diversity of the party and we may very well be self-suppressing our own vote by again not returning the loyalty that black voters show to the party.

[Trumpocalypse]

22. Very well said nt

[GulfCoast66]

21. Respectfully disagree. Obama won here in Florida both times.

Mainly due to an energized African American turnout.

The base of our party, especially here in the south are African Americans, especially females. Having someone with their perspective On the ticket is good for the party, even leaving politics out of the mix

[brush]

27. What are you disagreeing about? O won with a huge black voter turn out.

That's exactly what I said. The black voter turn out decreased for Hillary and trump won. See the correlation? An all-white ticket in 2016 did not bring out the black vote like it did for Obama.

We can ignore history if we want. The Dem party is about diversity. An all-white ticket is not.

[GulfCoast66]

34. I think I was replying to the same post as you. Just checked the thread and it looks like I did.

I’m in total agreement with you.

If I posted incorrectly I will delete the post.

Have a nice evening.

[brush]

36. No problem. We're on the same page.

[GulfCoast66]

38. Just looked closer. I was indeed replying to Jaysunb. Not you.

You and I are in agreement. I want an African American female on the ticket. Harris is my pick.

Biden/Harris has been my hope for over a year. I think they win Florida.

Have a great evening.

[brush]

40. I like Harris too. Abrams is strong, and young. Demings is an ex-police chief, which...

could bring in some conservative independents and buyers' remorse trumpers. I like Susan Rice's experience and connection the the Obama admin, but she'd get hit, at no fault of her own, for the Benghazi debacle.

[GulfCoast66]

46. Like them all. And agree Rice is risky.

But Harris’s experience as California AG and US Senator make her stand out to me.

I’m in Central Florida and really like Demings. But being a police chief and one term house members seems a little thin to me.

Of course, Joe has to decide who would actually make the best president. Because that is the ultimate reason for the VP. And of the ones you mentioned I think Harris wins it.

Have a good evening.

[Celerity]

25. calling it 'pandering' is really condescending, as is any assumption that Biden has the entirety

of the black vote 'locked up.' You need to go back at look at the age cohort breakdowns. Even more so for us PoC as whole.

By your logic, picking a woman of any colour is also 'pandering'. If we are to buy into your reductionist and very problematic reasoning, why not just pick a white man, as misogyny was a huge reason Trump won as well, and so why take the risk? It is also the height of presumption to infer that you can simply slap in a white woman and it is a lock simply because she is white, which is indeed what you are positing.

[Amishman]

72. Pandering is an accurate description

Prioritizing race to appeal to others of that same race, potentially placing that attribute above other qualifications. This is what we are talking about, and pandering is accurate.

I'm not fond of it, but it might be necessary. The important part is to balance that priority against other attributes and experience.

[Celerity]

74. then choosing a woman is pandering as well given this line of reasoning

So sick of this dodgy reductionist thinking. I completely disagree with you and the other poster. PoC (and women) bring perspectives to governance that whites (and men) don't, simple as that. It is tosh to reduce us to simple demographics. If you are white, then you have no clue at taproot level what is to be a person of colour in the US. (or elsewhere.)

[Amishman]

76. yes, that would qualify as well if chosen based on that factor and not overall qualification

We should choose the most qualified person who brings the most to the ticket overall, and it is wrong if we write off entire categories of possibilities based solely on race/gender/anything. Yes, those identities / backgrounds should be a factor, but only one of many.

And yes, I am a white male and I don't know what it is like to be a person of color. I can only know what it is like to be me, anything other than that is impossible. Another person also can't know what it is like to be me either.

[mcar]

30. Yeah, let's take the base of our party for granted

once again.

[GulfCoast66]

47. Thank you.

[brush]

51. And another thing. Fuck pandering to racists. They're not going to vote blue anyway..

What the hell kind of sentiment are you espousing, that we go after the white, racist vote?

[jcgoldie]

53. uhmm if you dont pick a black person because you are worried racists wont vote for her...

..that makes you DE FACTO RACIST.

[jaysunb]

60. I certainly don't mean pandering to racist.

Black people will turn out in Obama numbers for Biden. My point is it won't help with that segment of voters and it also won't help where it's needed.

[Me.]

4. It's An About Time Matter

[abqtommy]

5. I think that Joe would do well to publish his picks for his cabinet posts, including both genders

and people from every part of our human family. I hate to see us focus on only one nominee for one position but I agree with the choice of a woman in these modern times. After all, we elected a woman in 2016. There are many qualified persons to fit the description of "Woman Of Color" and not everyone will be happy with that one choice.

But give us a full slate and I think that'd be great. We need to take control of our campaign and reassure the majority of sensible people in this country that we're the best option for a government.
And by doing this our confidence will be cultivating the fear that is already present among tRUMP, the reTHUGS and their cultists. That's definitely not a bad thing...

[Withywindle]

7. I hope he does

It's not just to get the Black vote - it's to get a Black perspective. And one of his biggest weaknesses is connecting with young people, so he needs someone who brings something to the table there. There are a lot of good candidates out there - Kamala Harris seems like a very strong and sensible pick to me.

[CurtEastPoint]

19. I agree: REALLY fond of Kamala Harris. She stands out.

[Trumpocalypse]

24. There are other and better choices than Harris.

[brush]

39. Name them and why.

[Trumpocalypse]

42. Well first

Harris may not be the best choice to excite African American voters:

Harris’ record as a prosecutor — which she pitched as a strength in a potential matchup with Donald Trump in the general election, but swung back and forth between emphasizing and deemphasizing as her campaign went on — also bothered some black voters, especially black men.

https://www.politico.com/news/2019/12/04/kamala-harris-black-voters-2020-075651

But how about Val Demings of Florida. She’s from a swing state with 27 votes.

[womanofthehills]

57. Kamala has big time charisma and name recognition

Important factors

[Trumpocalypse]

58. Big deal

Will that flip a swing state? Plus she handed the GOP a prewritten attack ad by accusing Biden of being a racist during the debates.

[Amishman]

73. The other factor we need to consider is experience

The unfortunate reality is we have an older candidate in the middle of a pandemic that is exceptionally dangerous for senior citizens.

We need a VP experienced enough to be able to take over as President if a tragedy would occur. I believe that counts out Demings and Abrams. Harris passes that test better as a senator and especially as the former CA AG. Rice also does better in this area.

[Trumpocalypse]

75. That's a GOP talking point

that will help Trump.

If experience mattered in Presidential elections neither Trump or Obama would never have been elected.

Plug Demings has been in Congress as long as Harris so that argument is just factually incorrect. Plus Harris ran as a Democrat in a deep blue state. Demings flipped a Republican district in Florida .

[mcar]

77. Well said

It's to get a Black perspective.

[babylonsister]

8. I hope she is. There are a load of

sterling candidates being considered of all colors. I'm a fan of Susan Rice, but I am sure whomever he picks will work for me.

[Arazi]

9. Tammy Duckworth. War hero, POC, experienced. If selected a Dem governor chooses her replacement

[AlexSFCA]

13. great idea! And woman of color no less

Biden’s main criteria appears to be someone who can step in on day one.

[Arazi]

14. She threads a lot of needles. Plus she's charismatic and whip smart

[LizBeth]

18. +1

[Behind the Aegis]

70. You, unlike most, are coloring outside of the box.

Sadly, it is not more common.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

11. So. Harris, then. Works for me.

[Trumpocalypse]

23. She's not the only African American woman available

There are others.

[SharonAnn]

12. I think he should pick whoever he wants. It's up to him.

[mfcorey1]

15. I agree. He never should have locked himself into gender choice. Just choose a mate,

male or female, black , white, native American, Latin, Jewish and others. I will vote blue, no matter who. But if we start to fight over his VP choice, we will only fuel the candidacy of drumpf.

[doc03]

56. I think it was mistake to limit himself to a women VP. There are many men that could also

be a great running mate. I don't care who he picks I will vote for him. I just want him to pick the person who gives us
the best chance of winning.

[treestar]

67. exactly, all it got him is

yet another demand from the perpetually dissatisfied.

[LizBeth]

16. Warren, Harris, I really like Rice. But no, it does not have to be a woman of color. It should

be an opportunity for a woman. Regardless. My preference is Warren, but the Mass senate thing bothers me. My first choice for pres was Harris.

[Trumpocalypse]

26. How about a woman that puts a swing state in play

None of the three you mentioned do that.

[LizBeth]

28. I know. But Biden has his own weaknesses and I like these progressive women. Harris is more

progressive than Sanders, on paper.

[Trumpocalypse]

31. If they don't win the election

every thing else is irrelevant.

[LizBeth]

32. I am looking at excitement for youth and progressives. I think that will create an excitement across

the nation. Blue wave, from one coast to the other.

[Trumpocalypse]

37. And which of those three do that?

Maybe Warren but she won’t excite African American voters.

[LizBeth]

44. Both Harris and Warren will be capable. They are both awesomely powerful women.

Charismatic and capable during the race to raise enthusiasm. Throw in HRC and Michelle, and the people will be standing on their feet cheering. You may not see it. That is fine. But, I believe.

[Trumpocalypse]

45. Being awesomely powerful doesn't mean they'll put a swing state in play

Which is how to win an election. Plus Harris’ record as a prosecutor gives her issues with both progressives and African Americans. Warren might raise enthusiasm of progressives but not African Americans.

Why not someone from a swing state who who excites both progressives and African Americans?

[LizBeth]

49. I think Biden might have something to do with the middle states also.

Look. I am not married to a VP pick> And as I have said, the Warren senate thing in mass is a reason not to chose Warren. But I think they will bring it in so I am not concerned and would be jazzed if they picked either two.

[Trumpocalypse]

50. The point is

that there are better choices than either of the two to win the electoral college.

[LizBeth]

52. You clearly have stated your point and I have clearly disagreed, lol.

[Trumpocalypse]

55. What swing states will they flip?

[LizBeth]

59. Biden has those state swinging from what I am seeing. Are we going to keep going in circles?

[Trumpocalypse]

62. Which ones?

The only reason we’re going in circles is that you won’t answer any questions.

[LizBeth]

63. Ahead in Wisc, Michigan, Penn, Florida

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/05/17/politics/state-polls-2020-analysis/index.html

I figured you had been following along

[Trumpocalypse]

64. Polls had Clinton ahead in those states too

And we know how that turned out.

[LizBeth]

65. You didn't read the article, did you? Look. We disagree. I think Biden will pull the swing states

and I have this article that backs up my opinion. You want a further insurance of someone from the mid west. You don't know that your reasoning will bring any more votes than my reasoning there will be a blue wave across the nation including these swing states and either Warren or Harris can jazz youth and progressive.

Neither are provable.

I have answered. A number of times. I am done.

[Trumpocalypse]

71. I think that is naive and wishful thinking

which is what lost us the election in 16. The ticket needs someone who will give it a good shot to win a state like Florida. Not two people that failed to place higher than third in the primaries.

[treestar]

68. Will they vote for someone because his running mate is

from their own state?

People are more partisan than that today.

[Trumpocalypse]

69. No but it generates enthusiasm in the state

and brings more people out to vote.

[panader0]

17. It's really amazing how many great choices there are for a female VP.

Black women seem to be a very powerful voting bloc, and very reliably Democratic.
So there's that. As mentioned above, there are many women of color besides black too.
And there's some very qualified white women too.
It is a very difficult choice with many factors involved.
I want Kamala on the ticket.

[Guilded Lilly]

20. Nodding my head vigorously at every sentence of your post! n/t

[ElementaryPenguin]

29. He needs to pick whomever will be the most help defeating the dictator and saving our democracy!!

THAT'S the priority at hand!! Whatever race or gender that person happens to me.

If he's committed to a female V.P. - it must be the one who most helps his election chances.

PERIOD.

[Alex4Martinez]

33. Trump and his crime family seem most worried about Susan Rice. So, Susan Rice is my pick.

They've gone on the attack against her, they don't say much about any other VP candidates, to my notice.

[Ligyron]

35. Yes, she must have some color to her.

and be otherwise healthy as well.

IOW, as long as she's alive we'll win and probably do so in a landslide.

More and more people are getting sicker and sicker both literally and figuratively of Trump and the shit job he and his cluskerf**k Administration are doing. About the only thing they are even marginally capable of pulling off is committing crime and he will go down in history as one of, if not the most hated President in the history of these United States.

If there is any justice in this world he, Princess Sparkle Pony and the rest of his gifting family will end up in cages for a much longer time than any poor unfortunate refugee fleeing even worse circumstances to the south of us.

[peggysue2]

41. One of the problems is there is a wealth of talent from which to choose

As I recall, Biden said he would choose a woman for VP and an AA woman for the Supreme Court. I'd be fine with any of the women on his VP list. I really like Harris; she was my number 2 for Prez. But I also like Val Demings who was very impressive during the impeachment hearings and is from Florida, a state I'd love to see the Dems win.

I have a hunch that Biden will ultimately choose the candidate who is the most sympatico with his perspective, a relationship resembling the one he and President Obama enjoyed. And I think he'll need to be convinced that the final choice is capable of stepping into the cat-seat position immediately in case of an emergency.

I, too, would love to see Biden announce his Cabinet selections before the election. I think he has a rare opportunity to mentor and groom the next generation of Democratic leaders. Mayor Pete, anyone?

From what I've been reading Biden is thinking big--FDR big--to turn the country around while restoring our institutions and relationships abroad. The job is going to be massive after wrecking ball Trump & Co., another reason to have a VP on the same page and ready to do a lot of heavy lifting. Which in my mind means someone young and dynamic with tough-as-nails, hardball skills.

We shall see!

[liskddksil]

43. Joe Biden is the nominee and he should pick who he wants and everyone else can pound sand.

There's campaigns at all levels they should focus on if they want to harness their energies. How about that.

[ALBliberal]

48. Michelle Lujan-Grisham Governor of N.M.

N.M. isn’t a swing state but as a Latina she could energize Hispanic vote say in Texas and elsewhere. She’s shown outstanding leadership during the pandemic. And she’s a former Congresswoman so she has legislative experience.

But we sure would miss her here in N.M.!

[Kashkakat v.2.0]

54. "some people say" - WHO said????? Without names its just gossip. nt

[ecstatic]

61. I don't know anyone who feels that way.

We just want trump gone. Period.

In my real life discussions on the topic, with actual black people (not online trolls or BoBers), there is a fear of trump winning reelection that "trumps" any desire for more experiments.

That being said, I think Biden should have kept his options open so he could pick Cory Booker. I think that would have been a slam dunk ticket.

[treestar]

66. So he pledged to pick a woman and then some people have

to make further demands.

This falls under give people an inch, they will take a mile.

No one has ever made this pledge before. Why make further demands?

GMAFB.

[DFW]

78. I agree. Biden's pick has to be ready to be president on day one if need be. No restrictions!

He should pick the woman he and his vetting team deem best able to jump into the job immediately if the situation should warrant--AND be someone he knows, is comfortable with, and knows her way around. Flashy newbies picked for PR purposes are a huge risk (ask John McCain's ghost). The risk becomes a disaster if someone unprepared should fall into the job. Pandering to any one group at the expense of experience and qualifications to be our CIC, top foreign policy director and economist will not do the country any good. Obama was fabulous BECAUSE he had the wisdom to choose someone who COULD jump into his job if need be. He picked Biden for his qualifications, not for his color or gender. Biden himself should follow Obama's example. Their importance far outweighs her pigmentation. I am, for example, against picking Elizabeth Warren for VP, but it sure as hell has nothing to do with her being white. Same goes for Kamala Harris, and it sure as hell has nothing to do with her being a POC.