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Edited by Mrph1 on Nov 30th 2023 at 11:03:59 AM

Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#323351: Aug 11th 2020 at 1:39:30 PM

Sadly Duckworth was always an outside bet.

The other ones frequently mentioned (Mayor Bottoms of Atlanta for example) lacked national name recognition and the needed experience to be President (maybe in 2024 or 2028 but not earlier).

I would not be surprised if Susan Rice wasn't already being considered for a key Cabinet position.

Edited by Rationalinsanity on Aug 11th 2020 at 5:41:38 AM

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
Hodor2 Since: Jan, 2015
#323352: Aug 11th 2020 at 1:40:19 PM

Yeah. I don't know enough about Rice to say whether she would in practice be a good VP (and of course, Republicans are going to attack Harris).

But yeah, Rice seems like a bad choice to the extent that a VP is a possible successor.

She also has some kind of Hillary Clinton-esque faux scandals. Most literally in the case of Benghazi, but she's also connected with that made-up Trump accusation of Obama wire-tapping him.

As an Illinoian, I would have also liked to see Duckworth chosen. That being said, I tend to lean towards favoring the VP choice being an "also ran candidate".

Edited by Hodor2 on Aug 11th 2020 at 3:43:04 AM

tricksterson Never Trust from Behind you with an icepick Since: Apr, 2009 Relationship Status: Above such petty unnecessities
Never Trust
#323353: Aug 11th 2020 at 1:43:40 PM

@ Septimus Heap:I actually think it's McConnell. Without Senate backing Trump is too incompetent to have gotten this far and Turtleboy was fucking with things back in the Obama days. Otherwise we'd have Garland on SCOTUS

Edited by tricksterson on Aug 11th 2020 at 4:47:26 AM

Trump delenda est
LSBK Since: Sep, 2014
#323354: Aug 11th 2020 at 1:43:58 PM

Besides her general record being spotty Harris has some bad stuff with trans rights right? Has she acknowledged/apologized for that?

PresidentStalkeyes Eats moldy bread and flies into windows from United Kingdom of England-land Since: Feb, 2016 Relationship Status: Do you like me? (Yes ⎕ Definitely ⎕ Absolutely!!! ⎕)
Eats moldy bread and flies into windows
#323355: Aug 11th 2020 at 1:44:27 PM

Okay I'll admit, when 'Rice' kept getting brought up without mentioning her first name, I initially assumed it was referring to Condoleezza Rice. :V

Those sell-by-dates won't stop me because I can't read!
AzurePaladin She/Her Pronouns from Forest of Magic Since: Apr, 2018 Relationship Status: Mu
She/Her Pronouns
#323356: Aug 11th 2020 at 1:45:15 PM

[up][up] She "did", but she shunted responsibility immidiately after saying she wouldn't and refused to say if she actually felt bad and would do things differently now.

Edited by AzurePaladin on Aug 11th 2020 at 4:45:28 AM

The awful things he says and does are burned into our cultural consciousness like a CRT display left on the same picture too long. -Fighteer
Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#323357: Aug 11th 2020 at 1:47:11 PM

Harris' record is shit but her she's been progressive in the Senate, not as far as actual leftists like Bernie or Warren but not a moderate. I'm unenthused but it could be worse.

"Einstein would turn over in his grave. Not only does God play dice, the dice are loaded." -Chairman Sheng-Ji Yang
Forenperser Foreign Troper from Germany Since: Mar, 2012
Foreign Troper
#323358: Aug 11th 2020 at 1:47:31 PM

Meh, I still don't like her very much.

But hey, I am willing to give everybody a shot. Biden himself has surprised me quite a bit in a positive way since he has been confirmed to be the presidential candidate, previously he was extremely wishy-washy.

Certified: 48.0% West Asian, 6.5% South Asian, 15.8% North/West European, 15.7% English, 7.4% Balkan, 6.6% Scandinavian
AlleyOop Since: Oct, 2010
#323359: Aug 11th 2020 at 1:50:34 PM

A little disappointed, considering she has a known spotty record on several areas including the especially hot topic of law enforcement, and I think she'd be more useful as a Senator or Attorney General, but eh, not the worst. I'm glad it's not Warren though, as much as I respect her I think she's more valuable either in the Legislative Branch or in the Cabinet.

Edited by AlleyOop on Aug 11th 2020 at 4:56:05 AM

Lightysnake Since: May, 2010
#323360: Aug 11th 2020 at 1:50:57 PM

I've said before that some of the most forward-moving presidents we ever had were never ideologues.

SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#323361: Aug 11th 2020 at 1:51:13 PM

No, Evil Turtle appointed these judges, but the specific tactics/strategy is on the judges.

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
GoosefromWikipedia (Experienced, Not Yet Jaded)
#323362: Aug 11th 2020 at 1:51:15 PM

Somebody already vandalized Harris's Wikipedia article for her by moving it to an attack name.

tricksterson Never Trust from Behind you with an icepick Since: Apr, 2009 Relationship Status: Above such petty unnecessities
Never Trust
#323363: Aug 11th 2020 at 1:51:25 PM

She hits all my criteria: Significantly younger than Biden, to his left but right of Sanders and a WoC.

Cue claims that she's not "American enough" because both her parents are immigrants although to me that pretty much defines the American Dream.

Trump delenda est
Lightysnake Since: May, 2010
#323364: Aug 11th 2020 at 1:56:42 PM

When Harris was DA, incarceration numbers went down. She instituted a restorative justice program called Back on Track. She helped to end the gay panic defense.

There are criticisms, but it's far from the worst choice and a lot of the "spotty" prosecutorial record falls apart on scrutiny, like the truancy stuff.

Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#323365: Aug 11th 2020 at 2:00:10 PM

She's pretty damn normal on foreign policy to, though I suspect her focus will be domestic (as Biden already has hundreds of foreign policy experts on his pay roll).

She's not overly confrontational (she supports tightening the White House's ability to engage militarily without Congressional approval) but she's no isolationist.

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
Forenperser Foreign Troper from Germany Since: Mar, 2012
Foreign Troper
#323366: Aug 11th 2020 at 2:00:19 PM

My biggest issue with her was the whole "upholding wrongful convictions" stuff.

Certified: 48.0% West Asian, 6.5% South Asian, 15.8% North/West European, 15.7% English, 7.4% Balkan, 6.6% Scandinavian
ironballs16 Since: Jul, 2009 Relationship Status: Owner of a lonely heart
#323367: Aug 11th 2020 at 2:01:39 PM

Part of my view with the Harris pick is that it also shows Biden in a good light, as she hit him hard during that first debate over the busing issue - and yet he still picked her as his VP. It shows that A) he's willing to let bygones be bygones, B) he respects her despite their differences, and C) he now has a VP pick who will absolutely hold someone's feet to the fire over injustices. For people that want a "return to normal", that's a damned solid ticket.

"Why would I inflict myself on somebody else?"
Lightysnake Since: May, 2010
#323368: Aug 11th 2020 at 2:07:11 PM

@Foren: Some of those 'wrongful convictions' may not have been. Especially the guy who molested a child. Having worked cases like that, the "oh, the mother said the child was a liar" argument didn't sway me since I've seen that happen with DNA evidence.

Fourthspartan56 from Georgia, US Since: Oct, 2016 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
#323369: Aug 11th 2020 at 2:20:12 PM

Meh, I still don't like her very much.

But hey, I am willing to give everybody a shot. Biden himself has surprised me quite a bit in a positive way since he has been confirmed to be the presidential candidate, previously he was extremely wishy-washy.

Definitely, I'm not super fond of her either.

Ultimately I think if Harris gives a convincing repudiation of her prior record then she could become a decent if not outright good VP. I don't know what odds I'd give it but as you said if Biden can prove to be surprisingly decent then surely someone who has less distance to cover could do it too.

If nothing else this choice is a sign that Biden recognizes and accepts that the Democratic Party has moved left-ward.

Edited by Fourthspartan56 on Aug 11th 2020 at 2:22:06 AM

"Einstein would turn over in his grave. Not only does God play dice, the dice are loaded." -Chairman Sheng-Ji Yang
Silasw A procrastination in of itself from A handcart to hell (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: And they all lived happily ever after <3
A procrastination in of itself
#323370: Aug 11th 2020 at 2:21:36 PM

[up]X3 I’ve seen a supposed quote of “I want the person who questions me on matters of race.” floating around, which is a dam good justification.

[up] It’s worth recognising that Harris’ record generally consists of her being one of the most progressive people in elected office, she’s been one of the most progressive senators.

Harris is as far left as you can be while operating within the system, any further and you end up either not winning or being an outsider like Sanders or Warren.

Edited by Silasw on Aug 11th 2020 at 9:25:10 AM

“And the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael “If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ Cyran
Lightysnake Since: May, 2010
#323371: Aug 11th 2020 at 2:24:04 PM

Trump' first attack video is out.

They're attacking Harris for... promising and expansion of health care and repealing tax-cuts during a pandemic.

Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#323372: Aug 11th 2020 at 2:24:32 PM

If he's willing to pick the one person who came closest to derailing his primarry run, that's a good sign.

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
PhysicalStamina i'm tired, my friend (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Coming soon to theaters
i'm tired, my friend
#323373: Aug 11th 2020 at 2:26:00 PM

Is it wrong to say the right is in full Good Is Bad And Bad Is Good mode?

i'm tired, my friend
CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#323374: Aug 11th 2020 at 2:26:19 PM

I'm very happy and very much want Harris as President in 2024.

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
ShinyCottonCandy Everyone's friend Malamar from Lumiose City (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Who needs love when you have waffles?
Everyone's friend Malamar
#323375: Aug 11th 2020 at 2:29:04 PM

[up][up]Not at all. Reminds me of 2018, when the democratic senator up for reelection for my state ran ads that sounded like what you'd expect to be attack ads against him, while the attack ads against him were almost complimentary.

My musician page

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