[Official] Joe 2020

This is true.

I want a VP who can step right in.

 

Exactly. He has a history of severe stuttering that he has overcome. He will deny it, but much of his gaffe-related stumbles stem from his stutter counter measures.

From a few years ago:

 

I agree with what you’re saying on experience....but just barely, which underscores my point. Just encouraging people to not get tunnel vision and to make sure you’re factoring in all variables.

If experience and results along with readiness were the only things that mattered, then I’d like you to meet: Vice President Klobuchar.

I think it’s going to be razor thin either way, and I worry about playing it too safe. I’ve said that 2-3 times now so I’ll spare you from hearing it again.

I stand by what I said, though: go bold. Conventional wisdom is dead. Trump has proven that time and time again. Voting in November, depending on the status of this virus and any legislation passed, is going to be: difficult, confusing and potentially risky. The Dems need a rockstar. Somebody that will inspire people to brave the elements, follow instructions and ensure their votes are counted. I think Abrams has that potential could really strengthen the ticket, and inspire the Black community in ways we haven’t seen since the Obama years.

I‘ll let others sell you on the idea of Kamala. She’s #1 on several lists and the betting markets for a reason, though.

I’ll say this: in the post-Clinton and Obama era, the Dems need a political heavyweight to help usher in a new era of leadership. Kamala’s potential, in that regard, is fairly evident. The total package is there: youth, looks, charisma, capable debater and fundraiser.

 

Where was all that potential during the primaries?

 

You saw it briefly. 20,000 people showed up to attend her campaign announcement. She surged in the polls after the first debate and that hit on Biden her team engineered. It was very effective and she was briefly a frontrunner.

Regardless, I’m not here to sell you on Kamala. I’m just acknowledging she’s #1 on practically every analyst’s rankings and betting sites. I can see why they’re making that argument.

 

trump campaign racist attack on Biden to play on Coronavirus fears... portrays former state governor (Gary Locke), Commerce Secratry and ambassador as a Chinese government official...

Trump campaign takes heat for ad suggesting former Wash. governor is a Chinese official

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news...sting-gary-locke-chinese-official/5128842002/

 

It's a great question. What happened with her where we saw this skyrocket to the top after the first debate when the political world was mostly introduced to her, and the drop off.

My guess is two fold - the Biden voters now are majorly a base of voters that were shopping hard for an Obama like figure, and when Kamala showed early on after that debate that she's got some cracks in her policy, and skills (which were minimal I might add), they decided to shop around a bit more with Pete, Warren, etc. I know that because I shortly after decided Warren was the best candidate and donated to her campaign.

The second issue was Bernie's folks went HARD at Kamala after the first debate. I mean really hard. Most don't recall but the oppo was coming out fast and furious with insinuations about her sleeping her way to the top, to the Copala nickname highlighting how she wasn't all that nice in the criminal justice system, etc. etc. People forget that Bernie's campaign did ALOT to go after her shortly after the first debate when she started surging which absolutely helped split the field and have them all go shopping with Pete (who Bernie's camp went after next), Warren, Amy, etc.

In the end I know part of Kamala's problems weren't entirely because of Bernie's campaign, or because of the fragmented field. She's certainly not perfect, and can come off as insincere in interviews, but then other times kill it.

FYI I actually think her version of M4A was pretty damn good, but again she was doomed to fail that debate because you are either trying to convince the Bernie M4A or bust crowd which will NEVER take anything less as an answer, or the folks that want to support an expansion of ACA. It turns out that you can't really split the baby. Looking back now, she probably would have been smarter to never sign onto Bernies M4A bill, and instead run towards the Biden voter early with a "Secure & Expand" ACA proposal.

The big question Biden's camp has to be asking now is how much weight to do we want to give Bernie's base in this decision. If the decision is about betting on a coalition of MOST of Bernie's voters, plus normal Dem voters then I think it'll be very hard to pick Kamala knowing that folks like Glynch will really feel anger about that decision. However if they feel strongly that she has the ability and talent that a Stacy Abrams or Gretchen Witmer do NOT have to be someone that is as culturally and pop culture popular as Obama was/Is, do they take the chance at putting her on the ticket for the upside affect.

If Bernie's people can warm up to her enough to still vote for Biden if she's on the ticket, that upside is hard to resist for Biden's camp. We shall see, but its a really hard choice I'm sure.

 

There was a pretty good article that I can't find right now that explained Kamala's problems in the primary...lot of it had to do with hiring family and friends to run her campaign instead of experienced professionals. She made a splash at the first debate, but her staff was not equipped to handle the follow-up. Instead of changing staff to help meet the needs of her campaign, she continued to stay loyal to certain people which cost her in the end.

 

I wasn't comparing her to Palin. I was comparing the move to the one to "be bold" with the selection of Palin. Obviously I know Abrams is infinitely more intelligent and put together than Palin. A rock is more intelligent than Palin. I'm just concerned about it backfiring as I just don't think she adds anything to the ticket. The "inexperience" argument will be strong. It will be hard to make the case that the former AG from Georgia who lost the Gov race can take over the country in a time of major crisis should anything happen to President Biden.

I haven't asked to have it any way as I haven't advocated for anyone. I honestly haven't done much in the way of researching it. Being bold is good. But being bold for the sake of being bold is dumb and will backfire.

 

Kamala isn't very authentic and lacks charisma. She was a classic "identity politics" candidate... checking the black/woman boxes but not checking the more important box of "good politician" first. Julian Castro is another example of this type of candidate.

 

Why do you see they are making that argument?

What do you think she adds to the ticket?

 

What upside is there to a Kamala pick?

What does she add?

I don't see any positives just want to know what others see as her draw.

 

Besides being young, female, black, attractive, wickedly smart, with good attack skills? While I completely understand the benefit of ticket balance and Biden will win everything she brings to the ticket (young voters, progressive voters, women voters, California voters) I also think having someone on stage who can deliver aggressive attack points would be a plus, allowing Biden to focus on being "presidential" and "a good person". She is also a safe senate seat.

That said, I would also be happy with Klochuchar, Whitmer, Lujan Grisham, and Abrams. Of those, Whitmer is probably the "helps Biden win MI". Maybe Abrams might help with GA. Klobuchar may help with purple states.

 

I like this analysis. For me personally I would love VP Klobuchar but I wouldn't put money on her. I think Abrams brings a lot to the table especially for the progressive wing. Harris has the qualities that you and others have noted but she was hammered by progressives regarding her record as a prosecutor. That is a weakness for Klobuchar combined with the fact that she has almost no appeal to the African American vote. If the idea is to unite the party I think Abrams is the choice.

 

Leaving aside the blatant racism that because Locke is ethnically Chinese his loyalties are suspect if the Trump campaign wants to play the China card Biden and surrogates should counter with all the clips of Trump praising Xi and this.


Even if Trump doesn't play the China card should be keeping these in the minds of the electorate.

 

What about the bolded adds to the ticket?

She is not well liked in any of those categories of people.

I am not knocking her credentials, I am questioning what she adds to the ticket.

What states could she possibly swing?

What constituency does she add that Biden does not do well with.

Does she excite any new voters.

All of those other people you name have clear ways to add to the ticket, I don't see Kamala adding anything.

That's entirely my opinoin and I want to know what I am missing.

 

Yeah I remember hearing about some internal issues going on but didn't exactly know what had happened behind closed doors. She had enough polling support to last till past New Hampshire, so yeah... definitely some campaign personnel issues for sure.

 

Racist? The Chinese-american gentleman is in frame for a fraction of a second. I had to watch 3x to even see him. You are grasping at straws calling that racist.

 

Biden with new student loan forgiveness proposals:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/zackfriedman/2020/04/09/student-loans-forgiveness-biden/#50f70c1b7e39

 

I just personally see an upside for her to be someone who has a package appeal to break through in a pop culture type of way that Obama did before, as did Bill Clinton, JFK (in his day), and of course Donald F-ing Trump (best known for his comparable talents Flava Flav, The Situation, and Paris Hilton). Even Boris Johnson in the UK kind of has this phenom, and Trudeau in Canada definitely has this down.

I see her as someone who can be a recognizable figure, not just in her looks and ethnicity, but her personality too. Kind of a Jackie Brown attitude.

I DO NOT personally vote on Pop Culture appeal, and think its ridiculous. However I'm not blind to the way our culture and media operate. A candidate like Amy Khlobachar, as much as I like her as a leader, could never break through with half of the American people who just don't pay attention or care.

I'm not even sure that I agree that Kamala is the best candidate or that she even really has this potential to consider as a future figurehead for the party. I'm VERY skeptical as anyone should be. But I do see enough of that potential for her to at least be considered for that upside. Having a major pop culture draw for 4 years as VP with someone who captures a ton of media attention is a huge asset for the party moving forward.

Who has the best SNL impression of all the candidates??.... By far my favorite was Maya Rudolph as Kamala. It's sad that this is how our country operates, but it's the unfortunately reality.