Sharon Kuruvilla: So Politics Bluesky: If Kamala runs, who should her VP nom be?

So Politics Bluesky: If Kamala runs, who should her VP nom be?

Biden

it would be interesting to basically see the messaging there "i think it's time to take a backseat to my effective vice president, Kamala Harris"

comma Hunter

Hillary. Obviously. Then Kamala suffers "an accident" within 100 days.

Beshear. Not strong enough to be risked on a substitute campaign, good record, complementary to her experience. Harris-Shapiro is probably a stronger ticket, but Shapiro's probably better off being saved for 2028/2032. Roy Cooper also a good choice for same reasons.

Not too strong to be risked*

I’m saving my Shapiro for a 6-4-2 parlay on the 18 Justice Supreme Court; or in case my normal detergent doesn’t this get this extra trumpy stain out.

A 2-point bump in NC isn't worth making a conservative southern governor the presumptive Dem nominee in 2032! And a going from losing KY by 26 to losing it by 20 is *definitely* not worth it

Roy Cooper will be 75 years old in 2032. No way anyone wants to rerun this nonsense anytime soon.

What’s the maximum age for a potential candidate then?

Too old: Clinton 2016 (68 y/o), Biden 2020, 2024 (77, 81 y/o), No mention of age in the press: Trump 2016,2020,2024(70, 74, 78 y/o), Bernie 2016, 2020 (74, 78 y/o)

in other words it's entirely a function of how you look on camera and whether you give the Times enough access

If Biden drops out, I think anyone 70 or up is going to get Biden comparisons for the foreseeable future. I would guess that any candidate who can overcome that is a strong candidate on the merits.

So basically, the age cap would be mid 50s. Maybe 56 at the oldest?

Yeah, it's only relatively recently that former VPs were seen as "presumptive nominees." They used to just be plain types who wouldn't hurt the ticket and might offer some help in one region or another. Cooper fits that bill. He'd be a placeholder.

I wouldn't take that bet

If we can't muster a better candidate than Roy Cooper in 2032, that's our problem

the universe with two terms of Vice President Cooper is probably a universe with two terms of Governor Stein and there’s a better 2032 candidate right there

Cooper not jumping in the 2020 fray when 20+ other Democrats did kind of shows that he's not really interested in the White House.

Cooper is just an odd case because it feels like he's been successful enough down here that he ought to be running for something, but it's not at all obvious what that would be. I guess a Senate seat in '26?

I think being a US senator is probably a nicer gig than being a Dem governor with a veto-proof and clinically insane GOP state legislature, but I'm not sure about that.

He's too conservative to be a Dem presidential candidate and the timing is all wrong. Anything else would be a demotion. State Supreme Court?

Newsom. As a Californian I see this as an exceedingly tidy way to rid ourselves of him

But yeah would be a dogshit ticket and a terrible idea for many reasons but …

I guess she could claim DC as her domicile for the purposes of filing?

Or he could move away!!!

Beshear. Any random white man outside of Calif and the administration will do, but a Dem governor from a state in that region will balance well.

Mark Kelly, Andy Beshear, or Roy Cooper.

Given the entire conversation we're having right now it's worth remembering that if shes wins her VP is the presumptive next candidate so I definitely do not want a conservative southern governor for the job

As for Mark Kelly, we also don't want to open up a Senate seat in a purple state

Katie Hobbs would appoint his replacement, who wouldn't have to run for reelection until 2026, I believe.

Ok Scott Kelly

I don't think Cooper would run for president. Beshear might. So that offers the difference between the two. But then we're looking at 2032 at the earliest, so I wouldn't game it out that far.

Beshear is running for pres next cycle. He’s already started with some of the early primary states and showing up to get his name out there.

I have a hard time imagining any politician taking the VP slot and not running for prez after

The on point critique of the will he / won’t he speculation being the parvenue of wealthy white guys is the parlor game of concocting the perfect blend of a VP candidate that checks every box to beat Trump (*ahem* Tim Miller).

I think Cooper would have the juice but I also think Robinson would use his LG powers to go full Ceaușescu if he lost

Not sure what you mean. I'm only offering Cooper as a suggestion if Harris runs while Biden remains in the White House. She obviously can't ask him to leave office before 2025, or we'd get Robinson.

If Harris/Cooper and and won, Cooper's term as governor would end on December 31, 2024, anyway, and either Robinson or Stein would be sworn in on January 1, 2025.

But isn’t the LG the acting governor whenever the governor’s out of state, which a national campaign would require him to be?

I mean, it's not like Cooper has stayed in North Carolina for these four years. Robinson hasn't tried anything yet.

Fair enough, I just keep thinking of how much less concerned I am about another Jan. 6 if Trump loses without the home field advantage

Pritzker, maybe

^this is the only possible correct answer. def the large rich boy from illinois.

Buttigieg

pete4change

Steve Bullock, Andy Beshear, one of the Castro twins, or Shawn Fain

my criteria for choosing here: - from a red state (implies I can remember their state) - provides some sort of demographic contrast to Harris - not otherwise engaged in doing something else that it'd be dangerous to remove them from - a name that I don't have to remind myself about who it refers to

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