It’s pretty clear now: Former Vice President Joe Biden will be the Democratic candidate to run against President Donald Trump.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-V.T., insists he’s not going to drop out of the race. But at this point, he has virtually no chance of beating Biden.
That means one of the biggest questions now is no longer who’s running. Instead, it’s who’ll be running alongside him.
Biden said on MSNBC that his top priority in choosing a running mate would be someone who is “simpatico with me in terms of where I want to take the country.”
But is that really the case?
Given the Democratic party’s obsession with identity politics, it’s almost certain that Biden will be not only selecting a woman – who would become the nation’s first female veep if they win – but a woman of color.
But VP picks don’t always follow the conventional wisdom; just look back to four years ago, when Hillary Clinton unexpectedly tapped Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), someone that wasn’t on anyone’s shortlist for the gig.
So where’s the buzz this year?
Kamala Harris
The 55-year-old senator from California ran for president herself, but left the race before a single vote was cast after her campaign struggled with its message and suffered from low polling.
Why he’d pick her: She’s younger, she’s a woman of color, and as a former prosecutor and former attorney general of California, she could help win over Democrats in the middle and those who lean right and want a “law and order” administration rather than the prison-emptying vows of the far left.
Why he wouldn’t: Because of her experience as a prosecutor, she’s not loved by many in the progressive wing, who believe she was too tough on crime. She also doesn’t put any states into play given that California is safely blue. And while Harris ultimately endorsed Biden after leaving the race, she was rough on him during the debates.
Stacey Abrams
The 46-year-old attorney who spent a decade in Georgia’s House of Representatives generated national buzz when she came within 50,000 votes of becoming the governor of the deep red state in 2018.
Why he’d pick her: She’s everything he isn’t, and then some. She’s young, female, black and beloved by the party’s progressive wing… and has been rumored to be Biden’s preference for vice president since he announced his campaign last year. And given her popularity in Georgia, there’s a chance she could put the Peach State into play.
Why he wouldn’t: It’s one thing to come close to winning the governor’s office in a midterm election year in the middle of a Democratic wave. But in a presidential campaign, odds are Georgia wouldn’t really be in play. And given their differences on policy – she’s much further to the left than he is – she may not even want the job.
Sally Yates
When President Barack Obama left office, his attorney general went with him. But since Trump’s pick – Jeff Sessions – hadn’t yet been confirmed by the Senate, Yates by default became acting attorney general as she was next in line at the department.
Why he’d pick her: She was on the first leftist heroes of the “resistance” against Trump, famously getting fired for insubordination after refusing to defend or enforce the president’s travel ban.
Why he wouldn’t: A career attorney isn’t exactly the most exciting choice for a vice presidential pick, and there’s no telling how she’d perform on the national stage, in speeches, and at debates.
John Kasich or Mitt Romney
Unlikely? Sure. But we live in unlikely times right now, especially in politics… and Fox News judicial analyst Andrew Napolitano believes Biden could tap a Republican to be his running mate.
Why he’d do it: Biden could present his campaign as a “unity ticket” to restore order to the federal government, vowing to work together with the GOP on issues where there’s common ground.
Why he wouldn’t: Well, for starters, they’re Republicans. And while they’re in the category of “strange bedfellows” given their united opposition to Trump, they’re not exactly on the same page anywhere else.
— Walter W. Murray is a reporter for The Horn News. He is an outspoken conservative and a survival expert, and is the author of “America’s Final Warning.”