The Final Round: Whom will Biden choose for his VP Pick?

Whom will Joe Biden pick for his Vice Presidential nominee? I’ll go over whom I think he will choose, based on who’s least to most likely to get the nod of the candidates that have been talked about in the last month or so. These people have also been mentioned as being on the shortlist.

Least Likely- Tammy Duckworth.

While she is my favorite candidate, I don’t think that she will get the nomination. With her excellent credentials and backstory, she is inspiring and may be the candidate to best boost turnout in November. However, the need for a Black woman in this country is critical. While Duckworth is a woman of color, Democrats can’t take the Black woman base for granted.

Furthermore, she stated that it had been some weeks since she last spoke with Joe Biden, when asked about the VP vetting process. This late, it suggests that Duckworth will not get the nod.

Next, is Karen Bass. She has emerged as the real wildcard, with not a lot of people knowing who she is. She’s the chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus, being the representative of a Los Angeles district. She was also the Speaker of the California State Assembly. She is profoundly progressive, supporting Medicare for All, the Green New Deal, and other progressive policies. Biden shouldn’t need to pander to the progressive wing, especially with the task-force recommendations. However, he does need to appeal to Kasich/Project Lincoln- type Republicans, which won’t like Bass. However, Chris Dodd, the former senator from Connecticut, is reportedly pushing for her nomination, according to an article by Politico.(@natashakorecki, @ccadelago, @MarcACaputo) . Again, she’s definitely the wildcard, and I wouldn’t be surprised if she gets the nomination.

Then, we have Susan Rice. She’s widely known for being Obama’s National Security Adviser and the US Ambassador for the United Nations. If Biden picks her, it signifies that he is focusing mainly on foreign policy, something that would be great. However, with the racial inequalities and COVID-19, it is very unlikely that foreign policy will take the driver’s seat. Furthermore, she’s not an experienced candidate, and it’s hard to see a Rice 2024 run. However, she has a very close relationship with many Washington officials, such as Obama, Susan Collins, and Biden himself.

Finally, the person who’s been the most likely pick for months now, is Kamala Harris. She’s been tested at the national level, is a smart politician, and represents the near future of the Democratic party. Even though she was tough on Biden during the early debates, she has shown that she will be a worthy pick. She’s well known and liked among Democratic voters, and has lately increased her progressive chops. Furthermore, Jim Clyburn, the man that saved the Biden campaign, said he supports Harris. She’s probably the candidate who checks the most boxes, which is why I think she’ll be the nominee.

Who do you think Biden will choose as his VP candidate?