Biden's Running Mate

Val Demings

It's getting to the point now that pundits are handicapping who Joe Biden will pick as his running mate, even though Bernie Sanders has not dropped out of the race (officially--unofficially he's toast). Biden helped out by eliminating half of the possibilities, stating definitively that it will be a woman. CNN's Chris Cillizza published his first set of rankings, and they go like this:

10. Michelle Lujan Grisham, governor of New Mexico
9.   Keisha Lance Bottoms, mayor of Atlanta
8.   Tammy Baldwin, Wisconsin senator
7.   Stacey Abrams, candidate for Georgia governor
6.   Tammy Duckworth, Illinois senator
5.    Catherine Cortez Masto, Nevada senator
4.    Gretchen Witmer, Michigan governor
3.    Elizabeth Warren, Massachusetts senator
2.    Amy Klobuchar, Minnesota senator
1.    Kamala Harris, California senator

I've also read that Biden's allies are urging him to tap Klobuchar or Harris, presumably because they have endorsed him and have a high profile, having been in the race for president themselves.

Biden will not be asking my opinion, but I would strongly suggest he pick a woman of color. Klobuchar brings a lot to the table, but has zero excitement factor. She's the distaff version of Tim Kaine--confident but bland. I think picking a white woman won't be enough. That lets out Whitmer, even though Michigan is a crucial state, and Warren, who I don't think should be ranked that high if at all. She's too close in age to Biden, and while she might coax back any disaffected progressives, I don't think it would be a good fit.

Abrams and Bottoms are both intriguing choices, from a state that Democrats long to have in play, Georgia. But both are probably too wet behind the ears, having no foreign policy experience. If Biden picks a black woman, it would probably be Harris, who is also Indian-American, although Cillizza leaves off a name I see mentioned, Congresswoman Val Demings of Florida. She brings an interesting background to the table--she was a policewoman and commissioner of police. She represents the Orlando area, and if Biden can win Florida Trump is doomed.

Grisham and Masto are Latinx, which would be a first, and Baldwin, while white, is gay. Wisconsin is also a key state for Biden, and Pete Buttigieg did knock down a few obstacles for gay politicians, but is the country really ready for a lesbian vice-president? I'd like to think so.

Perhaps the most qualified is Duckworth, who is Asian-American and is a combat veteran, having lost two legs in battle. Illinois is not really in play, but she might be appealing on a national basis, given her background. She also earns points for giving Trump the nickname, "Cadet Bone Spurs."

Biden will have a lot of time to think about this and will have his arm twisted by many. Joe, if you're reading this, go with Demings. I think she would bring a lot of juice to the race.