Let's play veepstakes!

[coopasonic]

In this timeline, I'm still not convinced he won't name Hillary.

Shut your damn mouth.

For the record: Nothing (well, not much) against Hillary. It's just the best way to lose votes with a VP announcement.

[El Guapo]

So I am still in the running, is what I am hearing.

There is that whole "it will be a woman" thing, but yeah, otherwise you have a shot!

I mean, that could be addressed. I could be the first trans major party nominee, if that's what it takes.

[El Guapo]

In this timeline, I'm still not convinced he won't name Hillary.

Shut your damn mouth.

For the record: Nothing (well, not much) against Hillary. It's just the best way to lose votes with a VP announcement.

Unless Biden takes a hallucinogen right before the announcement, it won't be Hillary.

[Isgrimnur]

So I am still in the running, is what I am hearing.

There is that whole "it will be a woman" thing, but yeah, otherwise you have a shot!

I mean, that could be addressed. I could be the first trans major party nominee, if that's what it takes.

Too bad your sports affiliation rules you out.

[El Guapo]

So I am still in the running, is what I am hearing.

There is that whole "it will be a woman" thing, but yeah, otherwise you have a shot!

I mean, that could be addressed. I could be the first trans major party nominee, if that's what it takes.

Too bad your sports affiliation rules you out.

Listen, I have my finger on the pulse of the American electorate. If there's one thing that American voters love as a group, it's Boston sports fans.

[Defiant]

That's fair. I was framing this (solely in my head) in the context of this year's event. There were indications that VP season had started early this year. And there was some noise they had narrowed it down significantly early in the process. They've been a little cagey on the whole thing so I think there has been some expectation that they were going to announce early.

I *do* think it was a mistake to announce a deadline if they weren't going to meet it - it was unnecessary (the only deadline that's important is announcing it before or at the convention).

[Smoove_B]

Unless Biden takes a hallucinogen right before the announcement, it won't be Hillary.

In this timeline, anything is possible.

[Kraken]

Unless Biden takes a hallucinogen right before the announcement, it won't be Hillary.

In this timeline, anything is possible.

Michelle Obama?

My Michigan friends think Whitmer is a front-runner. AFAIK, nobody else does.

Two things are certain: Biden will choose the woman he thinks is the safest, least controversial choice, because that's his nature; and he needs to have personal chemistry of the sort that he had with Obama. That probably rules out Warren, and possibly Harris. I don't think there's any love lost between them.

Unfortunately, I can't name anyone who meets both of those criteria. Possibly Duckworth. I guess that's where I'll put my chips.

[Max Peck]

I'll worry about why Biden hasn't announced his running mate yet if we still don't know by the time that Trump announces his own VP pick.

There's still time for Noem's Mt Rushmore gambit to pay off, and we're long past the point where Trump needs Pence to pull in the evangelical right.

[ImLawBoy]

My Michigan friends think Whitmer is a front-runner. AFAIK, nobody else does.

That's probably because of reports that she flew into Delaware and met with him at some point in the last few days. Some people are taking that as a sign that he's picked her.

[Kraken]

My Michigan friends think Whitmer is a front-runner. AFAIK, nobody else does.

That's probably because of reports that she flew into Delaware and met with him at some point in the last few days. Some people are taking that as a sign that he's picked her.

From what I've read about her, she would be a decent choice. She's shown herself to be tough and competent. Maybe too fresh and inexperienced, but I don't know her whole backstory. I consider her a dark horse, anyway.

[malchior]

It sounds like they'll be announcing it mid-week.

[Smoove_B]

Can't wait to see what Trump does or says to distract from the announcement when it's made.

[Kraken]

I'm sure they have binders full of women ready to go.

[Jaymann]

Can't wait to see what Trump does or says to distract from the announcement when it's made.

I think he is going to protect Social Security by eliminating the requirement for businesses to pay taxes to fund it.

[Ralph-Wiggum]

Spoiler:

Democratic National Convention tentative lineup includes:

MONDAY: Michelle Obama, Bernie Sanders

TUESDAY: Jill Biden, Bill Clinton, AOC

WEDNESDAY: Nancy Pelosi, Hillary Clinton, Elizabeth Warren, Barack Obama

THURSDAY: Joe Biden, Tammy Duckworth, Kamala Harris

The fact that Duckwork and Harris are scheduled to speak makes me think that neither is the VP pick...

[El Guapo]

I dunno, they're both speaking on the final night with Biden. Isn't that when the VP would also make their speech?

[Holman]

I dunno, they're both speaking on the final night with Biden. Isn't that when the VP would also make their speech?

Traditionally the VP nominee is the headliner on the second-to-last night. The presidential nominee (who doesn't appear at all prior) headlines the final night.

[El Guapo]

I dunno, they're both speaking on the final night with Biden. Isn't that when the VP would also make their speech?

Traditionally the VP nominee is the headliner on the second-to-last night.

Ah. So Hillary Clinton is the pick, then.

[malchior]

It's going to be Karen Bass. I can feel it...I knew the Scientologists had to be behind this entire nightmare we are living.

[El Guapo]

I guess I'm thinking Susan Rice now. Though I'm not sure what to make of the convention scheduling stuff anyway.

[malchior]

I guess I'm thinking Susan Rice now. Though I'm not sure what to make of the convention scheduling stuff anyway.

I've been convinced its Rice since last week but I also don't know that some tentative schedule matters.

[El Guapo]

I guess I'm thinking Susan Rice now. Though I'm not sure what to make of the convention scheduling stuff anyway.

I've been convinced its Rice since last week but I also don't know that some tentative schedule matters.

Yeah, I have no idea whether the schedule matters. That work could be on a totally independent track from the VP work, figuring that if one of the other night speakers winds up getting the VP nod, then they'll just adjust the schedule accordingly.

But, between those on the finalist list (and I'm skeptical that Karen Bass is really on the finalist list, but who knows) I think a major factor is just Biden's personal connection with each of them, which is a fundamentally unknowable X-factor from the outside.

[Smoove_B]

One of the Kardashians...still a possibility.

[YellowKing]

Ah. So Hillary Clinton is the pick, then.

Or Warren.....

Contrary to conventional wisdom that race matters for the VP pick, polls have shown Warren to be the most popular pick among black voters. And he pulls in the progressives as well. Sure there would be some blowback for not picking a person of color, but he's going to get blowback no matter who he picks - every frontrunner is flawed in some way.

[El Guapo]

Ah. So Hillary Clinton is the pick, then.

Or Warren.....

Contrary to conventional wisdom that race matters for the VP pick, polls have shown Warren to be the most popular pick among black voters. And he pulls in the progressives as well. Sure there would be some blowback for not picking a person of color, but he's going to get blowback no matter who he picks - every frontrunner is flawed in some way.

I'd love for Warren to actually be the VP. But my main concerns with her are: (1) she gives me Clinton flashbacks in the sense that she's been trashed on Fox News for so long at this point that she triggers the conservative Id of low-information center-right voters who I think might otherwise consider Biden; and (2) her Senate seat.

Also there hasn't been any buzz about her as VP for a long time, so if the Biden camp is considering her, they are keeping it solidly under wraps.

[malchior]

I put Warren at 0.1% chance - her age is a problem here.

[Exodor]

I read yesterday that it was going to be Klobuchar.

I dislike her so much I'm not even going to bother looking up the correct spelling of her name. If that's the pick I'll still vote Biden but it will diminish my enthusiasm significantly.

[El Guapo]

I read yesterday that it was going to be Klobuchar.

I dislike her so much I'm not even going to bother looking up the correct spelling of her name. If that's the pick I'll still vote Biden but it will diminish my enthusiasm significantly.

You sure that article was from yesterday? She was in the front running a couple months ago but her stock fell considerably since then, such that she publicly withdrew from consideration as VP and called for a woman of color to be picked. Which was clearly an attempt to: (1) save face personally while striking a progressive tone; and (2) tell the Biden team not to pick Warren.

[Defiant]

and (2) her Senate seat.

I've heard that since Democrats have a majority in the state Legislature, they could require the governor to pick a Senator from the same party as Warren.

For me, my only significant concern with Warren is her age - I don't think having two people in their 70s on the ticket is a great idea in a time of covid.

[El Guapo]

and (2) her Senate seat.

I've heard that since Democrats have a majority in the state Legislature, they could require the governor to pick a Senator from the same party as Warren.

For me, my only significant concern with Warren is her age - I don't think having two people in their 70s on the ticket is a great idea in a time of covid.

I *think* the Democrats have a super-majority in the MA legislature. So I'm pretty sure that they could change the process from a governor's pick to a special election which a Democrat should win. I don't know whether requiring the pick to be a Democrat would work - what happens if Baker says it's unconstitutional and ignores it? What if he picks some "DINO"?

They have switched election rules before, though ironically that's part of how we wound up with Scott Brown. Democrats changed the rules in 2004 from a governor's pick to a special election because Kerry was the party nominee and Romney was the governor. And because they didn't change it back by 2009 - 2010, Scott Brown won the special election for Kennedy's seat even though a Democrat (Deval Patrick) was governor at the time.

Anyway, given other issues with Warren I'm not sure she's worth the risk / hassle.

[Ralph-Wiggum]

It's Harris

[Jaymann]

I like this pick. Harris will be a lightening rod for the lunatic fringe, leaving Biden relatively unscathed.

[El Guapo]

I like this pick. Harris will be a lightening rod for the lunatic fringe, leaving Biden relatively unscathed.

Do you think? Of the finalists (especially vs. Susan Rice and Karen Bass) she seems the least lightning-rod-ish to the base, beyond her being a black woman.

Anyway, Harris is a solid choice. Should do well, shouldn't cause any harm, people will likely see her as being capable of stepping into the presidency if needed.

[Isgrimnur]

Y’all beat my local news app alert.

[Alefroth]

That was my hope even though it'll be tough to lose her in the senate.

[Skinypupy]

Of the potential candidates, Harris was my first choice.

Now we get to watch the conservative outrage and slander machine spin up in real time. What fun!

[Ralph-Wiggum]

Y’all beat my local news app alert.

Bam?

[Ralph-Wiggum]

Now we get to watch the conservative outrage and slander machine spin up in real time. What fun!

+/- 8 hours before Trump tweets about Harris being "low IQ".

[Isgrimnur]

Y’all beat my local news app alert.

Bam?

Indeed.