Biden’s VP pick: The case for Kamala Harris
The first of a look at the main options
The most lively political betting market at the moment is on who Joe Biden will choose to be his nominee for the vice presidential slot. The party convention is not due to take place until August vote but it is expected that he will make an announcement sometime before then.
What makes this more important than usual is Biden’s age, 77, and occasionally the frail way that he appears. It is is highly possible that whoever gets chosen as the VP nominee could be President. In any case if Biden goes on to win it is hard to see him going for a second term when he would be be 82. Whoever is the VP would clearly be in a strong position to compete for the top job.
Kamala Harris is a former Attorney General of America’s largest state, California, a job she relinquished when she was elected as a senator for the state 4 years ago. She has made something of an impression in the Senate with her cross examinations of several of the White House’s nominations for top positions in the government and of course the Supreme Court.
The strong thing in her favour for the VP nomination is that during the South Carolina Primary in February Biden specifically mentioned that she could be his choice. Given that he was competing very hard to maximize the African American vote in the state that might have just been something said to endear him to potential voters. But it is clear at least that he had Kamala Harris in his mind.
Not so long ago Harris herself, it will be recalled, was one of the favourites for the the presidential nomination and indeed after the first TV debate shot to favourite in the betting after an exchange with Biden that caught the attention of of the party. But that is all a long time ago go and I just wonder whether Kamala position has been diminished by the fact that she got out of the race so early and has not had quite as much of a public presence as she did previously.
She’s currently a 28% chance on Betair and is favourite. My concern is that there are others who could possibly help Biden better to win.
The other leading VP contenders will be the subject of posts in the coming days