Quote:
Originally Posted by GGG
I think Kamala should be looking for her Biden
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Really, she should be looking for electoral college help. There are only in my view four viable picks - I leave out Whitmer, I don't think a two woman ticket is a good idea. I've been watching videos of how all of them present themselves. In no particular order, the options are:
1. Roy Cooper - The benefit here is that NC may be in play, but if you don't get a good convention boost, this might be a moonshot and you've passed up actually winnable states for one that you were just deluding yourself that you could win. Outside of the electoral math, Cooper comes across as a kind, decent guy, sort of a kindly older Mr. Rogers sort. Obviously this contrasts with the a-holes the GOP is running, but he is a bit boring. So this is the "big swing" from an electoral perspective while being the "safe" pick from a "character who matches the traditional VP role" perspective. I think if you're an undecided voter, you'd have a hard time disliking the guy, not sure you'd be excited about his addition to the ticket.
2. Mark Kelly - Not only does this help win AZ, but the big benefit here is that he's from a border state and this election is going to be SO MUCH about immigration. The GOP is going to try to paint the Biden admin and Harris by extension as a failure, and they're desperately hoping that the response to all their rhetoric is "you're racist". That's a losing proposition. Mark Kelly gives of a no-BS, straight shooter vibe and can speak to border issues on their merits and undermine that line of attack. He doesn't have a lot of warmth to his presentation, though - kind of the opposite of Cooper. Also one of the few options that isn't a state governor, to the extent you prefer that in a Veep.
3. Tim Walz - Walz is an interesting one because it shores you up in a state that was already "lean Harris", so the argument against this pick is that it doesn't get you anything you don't already have electorally. Does it help with neighbouring Michigan and Wisconsin? I'm not sure - probably minimally. But as far as who makes the best appearance, I think it's Walz. He has some friendly-dad-vibe warmth to him, he's very plainspoken, loves his "I grew up in a town of 400 people, I know the midwest" sort of rhetoric, and he also has a bit of fire to him in terms of the ability to be an attack dog where needed. Purely as a candidate I think he's the best option - clearly the winner of the "seems like a guy you'd have a beer with" test.
4. Josh Shapiro - If this guaranteed Harris Pennsylvania I'd say take it and run because that sort of bump would also help across the midwest, so if the Democratic strategists who are no doubt better situated to make that determination than me think he's a golden ticket to 20 EVs, then the conversation is over right there. But I just don't think his presentation works in a 2nd chair VP role. He just doesn't
immediately sound like a guy who can connect with blue collar folks in the same way that Walz, Kelly or even Cooper would have immediate credibility. He certainly can do the attack dog role extremely well if that's the goal. I just don't know that people are going to listen long enough to think "actually damn, you know what, I really like this guy". I actually think he seems like a dude who should be at the
top of the ticket eventually because if you give him some time he's very impressive.
Just my opinion. Also, a note on Andy Beshear - I initially thought he would help the Dems offset some of the Vance appeal to the southern working class initially and help win Georgia again, but actually Vance seems to have no such appeal and watching Beshear I just don't think he's ready for the national stage. It's a bit of an "aw shucks" version of Beto O'Rourke. Doesn't seem like the right pick But I freely admit that I don't know much about him.
