On Saturday we launched a series of posts on the various possibilities for Joe Biden as he ponders on who to choose for the VP slot on the ticket for WH2020. The second favourite in the betting is the Minnesota Senator, Amy Klobuchar, who pulled out of her White House bid to back Biden just before Super Tuesday.

On Betfair Klobuchar is rated as a 22% chance and is in the second favourite slot for the VP nomination. There’s been a movement to her following an announcement by the Biden campaign that he and her were going to do a virtual fundraising event together with it being made clear that she is being considered seriously.

There are a number of elements that make her a good VP pick. She is 60 later in the month and that would help enormously and present a younger image to the campaign then 77 year old Biden who at times can be quite frail. Secondly she is very experienced and has been a member of the US senate for 13 years and is now in her third term. She can point to point of record of achievement during her time there and her success in elections with significant victories in each of her senate races in Minnesota – state which is marginal and could be a target for Trump in November

She did well at the start of the primary campaign coming in third in Iowa and and if it had not been for Pete Buttigieg she would certainly have done a lot better. They were both competing for the same centrist vote and both undermined each other.

She’s probably got broader appeal and certainly has more experience than Kamala Harris who is the current favourite for the vice presidential nomination.

The big thing against her is she has a record of being a terrible boss with lots of reported ructions over the years in her office. She puts this down to her high standards but there are enough people around who have been bruised by her that will keep this factor alive in any campaign. If it wasn’t for this I would make her favourite.

Mike Smithson