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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsI have a really dumb question
I have always wondered why the winner of our primary doesn't choose the runner up as VP. Example: Clinton with Bernie as VP? It would be the best way to rally the most Dems for the actual election. Sorry if this topic has been covered, I am new to this forum stuff and politics in general.
AgadorSparticus
(7,963 posts)Welcome to DU!
LOL Lib
(1,462 posts)Yeah I understand that could be a problem. Maybe I understate the whole situation in my own mind. It just seems that 2 adults who want to help the country could manage to set aside small differences to help us fight the repug enemy. Thanks again!
no_hypocrisy
(46,274 posts)Party bosses in smoked-filled rooms would choose the candidates to run. That's how a haberdasher like Harry S. Truman ended up as the last VP of FDR: the bosses wanted him.
The primary system adopted democracy to choose the President, but not the vice president, taking the choice away from the voters.
There is really nothing to "prohibit" the candidate from choosing the runner-up other than ego and or some back office politics that none of us would be privy to. I realize that my question was even dumber than I originally thought lol. Politics is just not as simple as what "makes the most sense."
Thanks for the response!
Ilsa
(61,710 posts)They may choose a politician from a state to shore up support for that state's electoral college votes.
The presidential candidate might want someone with extensive experience in an area where they have a weakness.
The runner-up may be too philosophically different, or may be hard to work with.
I did think about how Tim Kaine was a good choice because he helped us in Virginia. Thanks!
4139
(1,893 posts)And it did help Reagan.... it stopped most intra-Party fighting.
Unlike most primary fights republicans in 1980 was a close fight like our in 2008 and 2016.
LOL Lib
(1,462 posts)It seems like exactly what our party needed, especially given the history of how difficult it is for a party to grab a 3rd term in the WH. I get so frustrated looking back at what could have been done to keep the evil DrumpfenNazi from forever being a stain on our Nation. As they say hindsight is 20/20. I just hope that some good comes from this, like maybe the Dems improve their strategy, teamwork, and try to appeal to an even bigger majority.