O'Rourke Would Likely Pick a Woman for Veep

[DonViejo]

March 17, 2019 at 8:11 am EDT By Taegan Goddard

Beto O’Rourke “said that he very likely would choose a female running mate if he manages to nab the Democratic presidential nomination next year,” the Dallas Morning News reports.

Said O’Rourke: “It would be very difficult not to select a woman with so many extraordinary women who are running right now. But first I would have to win and there’s– you know, this is as open as it has ever been.”

He added: “It’s presumptuous for me to think about who I would select as a vice president. Right now I’m seeking the nomination.”

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https://politicalwire.com/2019/03/17/orourke-would-likely-pick-a-woman-for-veep/

[Renew Deal]

1. He probably would have to pick someone with experience

And it could be a governor

[elleng]

6. Yes, was gonna say, EXECUTIVE experience.

[hlthe2b]

2. Does anyone else find this question of male candidates about committing to selecting "a woman" VP

just a little bit (ok, a lot) condescending and truly disrespectful to women--both the highly qualified Presidential candidates and more to the women electorate? As though "a woman"... "any woman" punches the ticket and makes it fully acceptable to discount the qualified women running in lieu of the male candidates?

This isn't a suggestion that Beto, Biden, Booker, Hickenlooper, Inslee, Buttigieg, Yang, Castro, Delany, and Sanders are not candidates that SHOULD be considered and considered strongly. But, this constant suggestion that it requires a woman--any woman will do-- be pledged on the ticket in order for women to vote for them is insulting to both the female electorate and more to the highly qualified women running for the highest office.

Do I discount having a highly qualified woman on the ticket, if, by chance one of these MEN wins the nod--no of course not. But the way the proposition, the question, and not infrequently the way in which they answer keeps being put forth is just cringe-worthy and a real slap in the face to women, IMO.

In fact, with the exception of Biden, every one of these male candidates should be looking for someone with far more experience than they to balance the ticket. The fact that many of the women candidates could do so is what should be stressed and not simply the fact they happen to be women.

[CTyankee]

3. Well, there should be a woman at the top of the ticket. But that said, let us consider female

governors who are possibilities https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_female_governors_in_the_United_States

Gina Raimondo of RI is hispanic. Sila Calderon is currently governor of Puerto Rico (wouldn't that be a nice slap in Donald's face?).

I also Like Maggie Hasan NH and former governor of NH Jean Shaheen.

What do you think?

[hlthe2b]

5. I think the idea of a governor is in general, a good one. A highly qualified female governor would

be great. I haven't heard interest from any of them in running.

As we all know, women tend not to be "audacious" enough to run for the highest office without feeling substantially qualified (even if they are comparatively far more qualified) because, as we saw with HRC, they can "never be qualified enough" in both the critic's views and as often propagated by the MSM. Of these female governors, the only one with much name recognition is Jean Shaheen (and hers is still quite limited)... That may be what is holding them back.

[CTyankee]

7. Hopefully, one from this group will emerge in the months ahead.

Beto will be looking around and surely his advisors will add up the relative possible female VP picks.

Of course, that is if Beto is our candidate. My father used to say "there's many a slip twixt the cup and the lip."

[Renew Deal]

9. Is gender your first criteria for a presidential candidate?

[CTyankee]

10. I think it is. As I have said before, it is downright embarrassing that we have never had a woman

president. Think about that for a minute.

Do you think we don't have supremely qualified women who have so far announced they are running? If so, why would you not vote for her?

[Renew Deal]

12. It is embarrassing but

Gender is not my first criteria. I am not out to settle scores. I want to best candidate available. In 2008 it was Obama. In 2016 it was Hillary. I don’t know what 2020 will bring. That said, I will not vote for Gabbard and the billionaires with no experience. Other than that, I’m pretty open right now.

[CTyankee]

15. To me, this is not an issue about "settling scores." It's about considering the talent that is

running and what they would bring to the country. I won't vote for the "billionaires with no experience" either. Why do you suggest that I would?

[Renew Deal]

19. I don't suggest that you would.

I was talking about myself.

[Renew Deal]

8. I find all of the gender and race stuff to be generally negative

Even if we talk about two women on the ticket. It makes it seem like people won’t make the best choices possible, but rather they are checking boxes. It puts the judgement of the nominee into question because it make it seem like they didn’t pick the best person available. This is bad for electoral politics and specifically the Democratic Party.

Don’t believe me? Look at Sarah Palin.

[CTyankee]

13. Sarah Palin was a nominee for the REPUBLICAN ticket. Go figure.

And look who we have so far: Harris, Warren and Klobuchar. Any one of them would make a fabulous president.

I can't figure out why you even mentioned Sarah Palin...

[Renew Deal]

14. Palin was a gimmick

McCain knew he was losing and made a play for the women’s vote.

[CTyankee]

16. Yes and look how that turned out. Dem women weren't fooled.

[Merlot]

18. Yes.

Does anyone else find this question of male candidates about committing to selecting "a woman" VP just a little bit (ok, a lot) condescending and truly disrespectful to women--both the highly qualified Presidential candidates and more to the women electorate? As though "a woman"... "any woman" punches the ticket and makes it fully acceptable to discount the qualified women running in lieu of the male candidates?

[LakeArenal]

4. Both will make great VP's.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

11. But how nice of him.

[JenniferJuniper]

17. I was just about to post the same thing

How nice.

[peggysue2]

20. Booker said pretty much the same thing

All the men running are running for the top position. But they also recognize the genuine yearning for a female on the ticket. O'Rourke and Booker's statements acknowledge that fact.

Don't think that's a negative.

[MineralMan]

21. Well, before he does that, he's going to have to get nominated.

I'm not seeing that in the cards, to be very frank.