Well, nice to know Jennifer sees Stacey in the same light as I do.
Here are the 15 people with the best shot at the VP nomination
I’m Jennifer Rubin, and this is Round 44. Should you be growing weary of analysis of the horse race to become the Democrats’ presidential nominee, here’s something totally different: analysis of the horse race to become the Democrats’ vice-presidential nominee!
The Commentary
Considering how many candidates have been effectively eliminated by way of not qualifying for the December debate, there’s a growing batch of contenders for the VP slot who have already been vetted and displayed their debate and retail political skills. Moreover, according to a Politico report, Joe Biden is floating serving only one term, making his potential VP selection among the most consequential ever.
When thinking of VP picks, we can make some assumptions. First, voters don’t necessarily vote for the VP, but the bottom of the ticket can ease doubts about the person who picked them — or become a weight around their neck. Second, all but one of the candidates remaining on the debate stage are white. That strongly suggests the VP will not be white. Third, it’s rare that VPs “deliver” states as LBJ did with Texas in 1960, but in this cycle, one VP candidate just might secure a swing state and a Senate seat or two.
Opinions
Here are the 15 people with the best shot at the VP nomination
By The Ranking Committee December 13 at 9:46 AM
That candidate, of course, is Stacey Abrams, the black woman who barely lost the Georgia governor’s race in 2018 and has gone on to champion voting rights. She is a skilled speaker, as the country saw in her State of the Union response — one of the best in decades. She also put together an impressive coalition of African Americans and rural whites in Georgia, just the combination Democrats need. Granted, she is young and lacks foreign policy experience, but she would add energy and excitement to a ticket, particularly one with Biden at the top.
You’ll see below plenty more names to go around, but another no-brainer for the VP list is Sen. Kamala D. Harris. She does have foreign policy experience and fierce rhetorical skills, which many presidential nominees want in a running mate. I’ve argued she is the most versatile VP contender: able to add youth to a Biden ticket, experience to a Pete Buttigieg ticket and moderation to a Sen. Bernie Sanders ticket. And don’t count her out should Sens. Amy Klobuchar or Elizabeth Warren win; both need help drawing nonwhite voters. Besides, a ticket with two women might be just the key to maximizing the gender gap — and to driving Trump nuts.
— Jennifer Rubin
The Ranking
POSITION POTENTIAL VP PICK
1. Kamala D. Harris
2. Stacey Abrams
3. Julián Castro
4. (TIE) Cory Booker
4. (TIE) Pete Buttigieg
6. Amy Klobuchar
7. Deval Patrick
8. Elizabeth Warren
9. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (Mich.)
10. (TIE) Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (Nev.)
10. (TIE) Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (N.M.)
12. Sen. Tammy Baldwin (Wis.)
13. (TIE) Gov. Gina Raimondo (R.I.)
13. (TIE) Pennsylvania AG Josh Shapiro
15. Sen. Chris Coons (Del.)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/12/13/here-are-people-with-best-shot-vp-nomination/?arc404=true
| 