A notorious xenophobe and former agitator, who incited a rebellion against the US government less than four years ago, has emerged. One of the few remaining options, albeit unappealing, is a disfavored elderly Democratic candidate who cannot articulate coherent thoughts on national television.
The harsh reality confronting us in the aftermath of President Joe Biden’s dismal performance lies bare. A comprehensive recounting of our journey to this somber juncture necessitates a sprawling tome of historical narrative. One major factor contributing to the current state of affairs is the propensity for Democratic presidential hopefuls to overlook the importance of selecting running mates who prioritize the long-term success of their party, ultimately leading to a lack of consideration for the overall well-being of their organization?
While it’s not a guarantee that vice presidents will become presidential nominees, many have done so throughout history. However they fairly often do. In partisan primaries, having served as the heir apparent to a well-loved president is often an extremely valuable asset on a candidate’s résumé. Given this reality, a presidential nominee should aim to select a running mate who is perceived as electable.
Regrettably, the last two Democratic presidents failed to emphasize a strong political candidate in selecting their vice presidential running mates.
In 2020, Barack Obama did not choose Joe Biden based on his assumption that the former Delaware senator would make an exceptional Democratic presidential candidate in 2016. Despite widespread opinions to the contrary, some believe that Obama initially considered Biden an unlikely presidential contender upon conclusion of his own hypothetical term in office. According to sources, Biden was selected specifically for this reason.
According to senior Democrats he spoke with in 2019, Obama initially believed that Biden might have been too old to run for president in 2016. Given the opportunity to serve without seeking personal gain, Biden’s lack of political ambition made him uniquely positioned to prioritize Obama’s objectives unwaveringly, rendering him an extremely loyal second-in-command.
Because of its occurrence, President Obama misjudged his relationship with his vice president in multiple ways. Given the benefit of hindsight, it appears plausible that Joe Biden could have presented a more formidable candidacy in 2016 compared to Hillary Clinton, who was Barack Obama’s chosen heir.
Although President Obama suggested eight years ago that Joe Biden’s age at the time – 71 – may have been a drawback for a presidential candidate, the argument still holds today: being significantly older than ideal for the role remains a valid consideration. Instead of selecting a vice presidential candidate like Joe Biden, whose lackluster performance as Barack Obama’s running mate failed to galvanize voters in key states, the President should have chosen someone who was politically ascendant and possessed the ability to effectively contest battleground territories. With self-serving zeal, he prioritized his own marketing push and his party’s short-term ambitions over the democratic institution’s most enduring interests, imperiling his own historical standing in the process?
Biden’s choice of Kamala Harris as his running mate in 2020 was significantly more perplexing. In August 2020, Senator Kamala Harris’ alternative seemed unlikely to gain traction, given her relatively unknown status as a politician with limited national influence at the time.
Harris’s presidential campaign had ultimately faltered due to a disappointingly uninspired effort. After announcing her candidacy in January 2020, California Senator Kamala Harris had launched her campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination with enthusiasm and energy. Despite initial advantages, Harris struggled to maintain momentum – let alone build upon it – as the months passed, ultimately witnessing her campaign’s collapse before a single ballot was cast.
While Nor’s electoral monitor files before 2020 showed limited promise. Having never won an election in a pivotal swing state or fiercely contested district, she faced limited opportunities for advancement. In her inaugural statewide bid in heavily Democratic California in 2010, Kamala Harris triumphed over her Republican opponent with a margin of less than 1 percentage point. In 2016, a mere two years prior, President Barack Obama had carried Illinois with a margin exceeding 23 percentage points.
Given Biden’s age of 77 in August 2020, it was statistically improbable that his running mate would one day supplant him as the nominee for their party. Given the mounting health concerns, it was inevitable he would consider retiring early from both terms. Were any other Democrat to challenge her in a competitive primary? Given the presidential election’s unpredictability and the increasing importance of down-ballot races, Biden’s top priority should have been identifying a running mate with exceptional electability.
As a substitute, he placed considerable emphasis on demographic considerations. “In his summer 2020 remarks,” said former Senate Democratic Majority Leader Harry Reid, “I believe he arrived at the conclusion that he should choose a Black woman.” While acknowledging the sentiment, let’s rephrase for greater clarity: “I believe it was essential to have a Black woman as our vice-presidential nominee, given their unwavering support.”
Without question, it is intriguing for a vice presidential candidate to galvanize the Democratic Party’s most ardent and dedicated constituent bases. That’s one dimension of electability. Despite appearances suggesting she possessed the necessary appeal, Harris’s actual connection with Black voters in South Carolina was tenuous at best; her 2020 presidential bid ultimately faltered due to its lack of resonance among this crucial demographic, prompting her withdrawal before the state’s primary.
In every instance, the capacity to appeal to swing voters proves significantly more crucial in electoral terms than catering solely to dedicated Democrats. Flipping a Democratic voter who otherwise would stay at home boosts your margin by one level, while convincing a Republican to switch sides raises the bar by two levels.
The imperative to showcase traditionally marginalized communities at the pinnacle of American energy leadership is a justifiable call. While such illustrations have the potential to significantly shift cultural perceptions about race and gender on a progressive trajectory, they may also perpetuate problematic dynamics. While subtle cultural transformations may have limited impact, it’s the media attention surrounding them that ultimately holds greater significance, particularly for America’s most vulnerable populations. Working-class African American women face the most significant consequences when a Congress prioritizes interests other than those of its constituents, as they have less to gain from witnessing someone like them fritter away a national election.
By 2020, a diverse pool of non-white male Democrats had emerged as viable options to appeal to swing voters and potentially secure the nomination for President Biden’s selection. Sen. Amy Klobuchar had consistently won re-election by wide margins in her home state of Minnesota, a traditionally Democratic territory often referred to as a “blue” state. Tammy Duckworth successfully ousted a Republican incumbent in Illinois’ purple-tinted 8th Congressional District before going on to win a seat in the U.S. Senate. Michigan Gov. Governor Gretchen Whitmer had consistently shown her affinity for winning over moderate voters in the Rust Belt. Tammy Baldwin has consistently won Senate elections in Wisconsin.
As a compromise, Biden selected a running mate who few at the convention considered a top-tier general election candidate, even though – had he won – there was a high likelihood that Harris would become their party’s presidential nominee in the not-too-distant future?
As the past two years have progressed, the pressure from both Harris and the Democratic party has mounted for President Biden to consider stepping aside, allowing the party to field a more youthful and popular candidate. Several senior leaders emerged to suggest that Biden’s selection as president over his vice presidential running mate would have been a safer bet.
After Thursday’s evening hours, it appears that this initial perspective was misinformed. Despite her drawbacks, Harris’s approval rating is remarkably high at this point in time? The Vice President possesses exceptional oratory skills and abundant vitality, free from any hint of scarcity. With the Herculean task of rallying support for a non-Biden Democrat at this advanced stage, it’s plausible to argue that she has emerged as the party’s most viable option.
Considering the importance of preserving Trump’s energy, however, we demand a greater potential. If Obama and Biden had prioritized the long-term goals of their respective presidencies when choosing their running mates, it’s possible that we would now have a more prominent female vice president.
