Official Kamala Harris VP Thread

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thinking Shapiro.

Taking PA off the map will put the squeeze on Trump.

Yes but Emhoff is Jewish and I think Shapiro could alienate some in MI with his Gaza stance. Also, he can still campaign in PA if not chosen, as will Biden, so I think it will go blue.

I'd like to see her pick Buttigieg.

Buttigieg would alienate half the country. That’s a bad choice

Yes, not half by any means but it comes down to the fact that he is NOT a do-no-harm pick. In addition to bringing not enough substance to the ticket.

[Anonymous]

There would be some who would never grow to like Pete, but he will energize the rest whereas the other VO options won’t to the same extent.

[Anonymous]

I absolutely love Pete (I’m liberal) and many conservative leaning voters respect him too. But his unpopularity in the Black community means he’ll never be President or VP. His record as transportation secretary also leaves him open to excessive attacks from the right (some are unfair, but it is what it is).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She needs Pete. He’s simply the best.

Pete will be an effective surrogate regardless. But doesn't deliver anything Kamala doesn't already. He won't be the pick unless she decides they have super-special chemistry she lacks with the others. Highly unlikely.

I think he has national appeal whereas the others just bring one state. Pete is able to message like no one else and he is such a political athelete, he'll do more in the short time they have than any of the others. I think they do have personal chemistry as well and he'd be the best to rely on should she win.

Pete is very well spoken and has always seemed like a genuine soul. There is much to like about him as an individual. Unfortunately, he is no longer a mayor of a mid-size city. He is now a bought and paid for puppet of the mega political donors just like the rest of them. It's the cycle of life in American politics.

Given the hellscape that airline travel remains, he cannot make a good case for having accomplished much of importance in his current cabinet position.

Or much of importance, period.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She needs Pete. He’s simply the best.

Pete will be an effective surrogate regardless. But doesn't deliver anything Kamala doesn't already. He won't be the pick unless she decides they have super-special chemistry she lacks with the others. Highly unlikely.

I think he has national appeal whereas the others just bring one state. Pete is able to message like no one else and he is such a political athelete, he'll do more in the short time they have than any of the others. I think they do have personal chemistry as well and he'd be the best to rely on should she win.

Pete is very well spoken and has always seemed like a genuine soul. There is much to like about him as an individual. Unfortunately, he is no longer a mayor of a mid-size city. He is now a bought and paid for puppet of the mega political donors just like the rest of them. It's the cycle of life in American politics.

Given the hellscape that airline travel remains, he cannot make a good case for having accomplished much of importance in his current cabinet position.

Or much of importance, period.

I find Pete very likable and articulate but I've never been sure if there's much "there" there. Probably too soon to tell.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Someone with military experience

That would be Mark Kelly. Navy test pilot, combat pilot who flew assault missions over Iraq during Desert Storm, Astronaut who flew several missions into outer space. No other candidate can meet that level of badass.

A lot of baggage

Excuse my ignorance, but what baggage does he have? He seems a great choice, but maybe there's something I don't know. He would appeal to the macho white dudes threatened by a woman President.

No Charisma. I would be fine with him but Walz brings more charisma in that balding older man with a paunch sort of way.

I agree. I think a funny grandfatherly type who is very clear in his messaging would balance the ticket well. He also seems to best fit the do-no-harm mandate.

Tim Walz could fit that description. He’s only a year older than Kamala but looks like a grandpa. Minnesota is solidly blue. We need a VP to deliver a swing state. Maybe he can appeal to Wisconsin and Michigan.

Yeah the idea is that he'd appeal to rural and working class voters, helping shore up the blue wall and midwestern swing states. I think his granddad appearance is reassuring. But he's still 20 years younger than Biden and plenty energetic. And funny, which god knows this election cycle could use. Humor and wit deflate Trump and Vance. They have no idea how to respond.

+1 lowest name recognition of anyone on the short list but some really good qualities.

Very interesting. I think he's the only prospect with rural cred?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I absolutely love Pete (I’m liberal) and many conservative leaning voters respect him too. But his unpopularity in the Black community means he’ll never be President or VP. His record as transportation secretary also leaves him open to excessive attacks from the right (some are unfair, but it is what it is).

If Harris picks him the black community would get on board. He had Jim Clyburn’s support and he (Buttigieg) is the father of two black children. Pete would be a phenomenal ally for the black community and all of America.

[Anonymous]

Shapiro is likely a net negative. He brings PA, but his Jewish heritage and his stance on Gaza highlight the Israel/Gaza issue and not in a good way. I think Harris trying to tread a fine line in supporting Israel but taking a hard stance on the Gazan war and prioritizing getting hostages returned, while limiting violence against Gazans. Shapiro counters that message. And worse, makes the Israel-Gaza conflict a bigger part of the campaign. I think Harris is trying to make that a back-burner issue.

Buttigieg is also net negative. While many Democrats are going to take his LGBTQ status in stride, many independents, moderates and moderately leaning Republicans are not. Especially with the transgender debate, this again highlights a topic that Harris is trying to ignore/back-burner. She doesn't not want transgender rights to get back on to the short list of campaign topics. It's find on the long list, but she wants to keep it off the short list. Buttigieg would be fantastic as press secretary and/or communications director. He's truly a gifted communicator and having one of those positions which is a higher ranked/more senior position in the inner circle than his current position, would be a step up for him. In those positions, he would be a net positive to the campaign rather than a net negative.

Kelly probably has the best national profile of all of the options. His military career and his NASA careers make him a nationally known figure. His marriage to Gabby Giffords and his advocacy for gun rights is both a blessing and a curse. Fortunately, he does take the most popular stance, which is gun rights with gun controls. Everyone is entitled to guns (he is a gun owner himself who proclaims that he probably has more firearms than most Arizonans). But multi-action guns like AR-15s and devices like bump stocks that turn guns into multi-action weapons should be banned. Support for background checks, support for closing gun show loopholes. Support for registration. Support for mental health screenings. Many, many gun owners support the same. Most of the people who don't agree with his stances, are more likely to already be committed Trump voters or leaning that way. Definitely a net positive. Another good thing is that with his very, very high profile Senate campaign, he was pretty thoroughly vetted by unofficial sources (e.g. media and RNC opponents). They will have to dig deeper, but there is a lot of background already covered on him.

Beshear, Cooper, Walz are all in much the same boat. They have a lot of positives, are likely to deliver crucial swing states, but they all have relatively low national profiles. Outside of a regional recognition, they all suffer from being unknown to most of the nation. The lack of national profile can be both good and bad. They have many people who don't have preconceived ideas about them, or previous disagreements with them, but they have to be vetted much more carefully than other options. The vetting process needs to be much more thorough with these candidates because there hasn't been a lot of exposure for these candidates on a national scale yet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I absolutely love Pete (I’m liberal) and many conservative leaning voters respect him too. But his unpopularity in the Black community means he’ll never be President or VP. His record as transportation secretary also leaves him open to excessive attacks from the right (some are unfair, but it is what it is).

If Harris picks him the black community would get on board. He had Jim Clyburn’s support and he (Buttigieg) is the father of two black children. Pete would be a phenomenal ally for the black community and all of America.

I didn't realize both of Pete and Chasten's adopted kids are Black.

https://people.com/all-about-pete-buttigieg-children-8683180

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I absolutely love Pete (I’m liberal) and many conservative leaning voters respect him too. But his unpopularity in the Black community means he’ll never be President or VP. His record as transportation secretary also leaves him open to excessive attacks from the right (some are unfair, but it is what it is).

If Harris picks him the black community would get on board. He had Jim Clyburn’s support and he (Buttigieg) is the father of two black children. Pete would be a phenomenal ally for the black community and all of America.

I agree. Pete is really dynamic - he is a veteran, from the Midwest, part of the LGBTQ community, and he’s brilliant (plus a brilliant speaker), and yes, his kids are non white so I agree on the allyship piece. He also strikes me as a genuinely good person - I recall a moment in the 2020 debates when he beautifully stuck up for Biden regarding congressional hearings against hunter. I’m nervous that his sexual orientation would sadly be a political liability on a presidential ticket, but IMO hes one of the most promising young people in the party and im excited to see where he goes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I absolutely love Pete (I’m liberal) and many conservative leaning voters respect him too. But his unpopularity in the Black community means he’ll never be President or VP. His record as transportation secretary also leaves him open to excessive attacks from the right (some are unfair, but it is what it is).

If Harris picks him the black community would get on board. He had Jim Clyburn’s support and he (Buttigieg) is the father of two black children. Pete would be a phenomenal ally for the black community and all of America.

I agree. Pete is really dynamic - he is a veteran, from the Midwest, part of the LGBTQ community, and he’s brilliant (plus a brilliant speaker), and yes, his kids are non white so I agree on the allyship piece. He also strikes me as a genuinely good person - I recall a moment in the 2020 debates when he beautifully stuck up for Biden regarding congressional hearings against hunter. I’m nervous that his sexual orientation would sadly be a political liability on a presidential ticket, but IMO hes one of the most promising young people in the party and im excited to see where he goes.

The problem I see with Pete is that Indiana is mostly a lost cause. He won't get elected in his home state because it really has gone off the deep end. He has a better chance of becoming the Senator from Maryland than Indiana. VP is really his only shot at an elected office.

More likely with Pete is that he remains an executive branch high-level appointee. Perhaps takes an ambassadorship with a critical nation to build up his foreign policy chops.

He's a brilliant guy who plays well to Blue state audiences....but has zero chance in place of birth. But I guess that's the story for lots of gay people who need to leave their "home" behind.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She needs Pete. He’s simply the best.

Pete will be an effective surrogate regardless. But doesn't deliver anything Kamala doesn't already. He won't be the pick unless she decides they have super-special chemistry she lacks with the others. Highly unlikely.

I think he has national appeal whereas the others just bring one state. Pete is able to message like no one else and he is such a political athelete, he'll do more in the short time they have than any of the others. I think they do have personal chemistry as well and he'd be the best to rely on should she win.

Pete is very well spoken and has always seemed like a genuine soul. There is much to like about him as an individual. Unfortunately, he is no longer a mayor of a mid-size city. He is now a bought and paid for puppet of the mega political donors just like the rest of them. It's the cycle of life in American politics.

Just as in most places.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I absolutely love Pete (I’m liberal) and many conservative leaning voters respect him too. But his unpopularity in the Black community means he’ll never be President or VP. His record as transportation secretary also leaves him open to excessive attacks from the right (some are unfair, but it is what it is).

If Harris picks him the black community would get on board. He had Jim Clyburn’s support and he (Buttigieg) is the father of two black children. Pete would be a phenomenal ally for the black community and all of America.

Not something this ticket needs. Maybe in the future.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I absolutely love Pete (I’m liberal) and many conservative leaning voters respect him too. But his unpopularity in the Black community means he’ll never be President or VP. His record as transportation secretary also leaves him open to excessive attacks from the right (some are unfair, but it is what it is).

If Harris picks him the black community would get on board. He had Jim Clyburn’s support and he (Buttigieg) is the father of two black children. Pete would be a phenomenal ally for the black community and all of America.

I agree. Pete is really dynamic - he is a veteran, from the Midwest, part of the LGBTQ community, and he’s brilliant (plus a brilliant speaker), and yes, his kids are non white so I agree on the allyship piece. He also strikes me as a genuinely good person - I recall a moment in the 2020 debates when he beautifully stuck up for Biden regarding congressional hearings against hunter. I’m nervous that his sexual orientation would sadly be a political liability on a presidential ticket, but IMO hes one of the most promising young people in the party and im excited to see where he goes.

The problem I see with Pete is that Indiana is mostly a lost cause. He won't get elected in his home state because it really has gone off the deep end. He has a better chance of becoming the Senator from Maryland than Indiana. VP is really his only shot at an elected office.

More likely with Pete is that he remains an executive branch high-level appointee. Perhaps takes an ambassadorship with a critical nation to build up his foreign policy chops.

He's a brilliant guy who plays well to Blue state audiences....but has zero chance in place of birth. But I guess that's the story for lots of gay people who need to leave their "home" behind.

But he no longer qualifies to run for office in Indiana. They sold their home and are no longer residents. They purchased a home in Michigan because that is where his husband was born. So he could run for office in Michigan which is a battleground state. With his national profile, I could see him actually running to replace Whitmer. He would be a good candidate and would have a big head-start in name recognition and platform to anyone else in either party. He would immediately start as the front-runner. Whitmer is term-limited, so she cannot run in 2026.

If he decides to stay in federal politics, his skills would make him an excellent press secretary or communications director. Both higher up inner circle presidential staff from his current cabinet position.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I absolutely love Pete (I’m liberal) and many conservative leaning voters respect him too. But his unpopularity in the Black community means he’ll never be President or VP. His record as transportation secretary also leaves him open to excessive attacks from the right (some are unfair, but it is what it is).

If Harris picks him the black community would get on board. He had Jim Clyburn’s support and he (Buttigieg) is the father of two black children. Pete would be a phenomenal ally for the black community and all of America.

I agree. Pete is really dynamic - he is a veteran, from the Midwest, part of the LGBTQ community, and he’s brilliant (plus a brilliant speaker), and yes, his kids are non white so I agree on the allyship piece. He also strikes me as a genuinely good person - I recall a moment in the 2020 debates when he beautifully stuck up for Biden regarding congressional hearings against hunter. I’m nervous that his sexual orientation would sadly be a political liability on a presidential ticket, but IMO hes one of the most promising young people in the party and im excited to see where he goes.

The problem I see with Pete is that Indiana is mostly a lost cause. He won't get elected in his home state because it really has gone off the deep end. He has a better chance of becoming the Senator from Maryland than Indiana. VP is really his only shot at an elected office.

More likely with Pete is that he remains an executive branch high-level appointee. Perhaps takes an ambassadorship with a critical nation to build up his foreign policy chops.

He's a brilliant guy who plays well to Blue state audiences....but has zero chance in place of birth. But I guess that's the story for lots of gay people who need to leave their "home" behind.

But he no longer qualifies to run for office in Indiana. They sold their home and are no longer residents. They purchased a home in Michigan because that is where his husband was born. So he could run for office in Michigan which is a battleground state. With his national profile, I could see him actually running to replace Whitmer. He would be a good candidate and would have a big head-start in name recognition and platform to anyone else in either party. He would immediately start as the front-runner. Whitmer is term-limited, so she cannot run in 2026.

If he decides to stay in federal politics, his skills would make him an excellent press secretary or communications director. Both higher up inner circle presidential staff from his current cabinet position.

Good assessment. I could definitely see him following Whitmer.