So, there were a lot of questions about who would possibly challenge Harris for the democratic nomination if it were to go to an open convention. However, it doesn't look like anyone has jumped in. If anything, all of her potential serious competition has endorsed her, probably because they want that slot themselves.
Who would I want as VP? Oh, someone progressive. Bernie ideally. Maybe Andrew yang. You know me. I know, not gonna happen.
Ok, realistically? Based purely on policy, maybe Gavin Newsom? He's the other dem who kind goes in that pioneered "left of center but not full on leftie" lane that the dems are experimenting with. But I doubt it would be him. He's from California, which is a liability for two reasons. First, Harris herself is also from California. But also, because his brand of politics is kind of unpopular. He's been too involved with DEI initiatives in his own state, as well as giving stuff to illegals, to be a serious candidate. So let's cross him out.
Who are we now thinking of? Well, I think based on political reasons, it's gonna be someone from a swing state we need to win, and to "balance the ticket" they're probably gonna be the most boring centrist white male possible. Mark Kelly and Josh Shapiro are floated here and I kind of....cringe. I dont want that type of politician on the ticket. Again, I want the centrist wing of the party to just ride off into the sunset and realize it isn't 1992 any more. I mean, keep in mind, just as harris is the heir apparent after Biden stepped down, whoever Harris picks is the NEXT heir apparent. So I really don't want some loser here.
Honestly? I think Tim Walz would be good for my own preferences. And Minnesota kinda is a swing state and could help swing other states like Wisconsin and Michigan. JB Pritzker is considered low key progressive by some, he's in Illinois. I don't see either of those being really REALLY floated though.
I know Roy Cooper of NC has been floated too. But he's kinda in the Mark Kelly/Josh Shapiro category to me of "makes sense but UGH".
Another one floated is Andy Beshear of Kentucky. But I just saw him on CNN tonight and he was doing the blah blah blah unity and bipartisanship crap thing. Ugh. I hate those kinds of dems. I really do. I dont want unity with the GOP. Unity with GOP in its current state is unity with evil. F that.
Pete buttigieg is floated too. He could possibly work. Still he is kinda centrist too. But there could be worse options out there. Some thing about not doing it to play it safe with not choosing the gay guy. Again, everyone is so hung up on identity. Normally it's like "we got all these boring white guys what about someone black or a woman", now we got a black woman and everyone is talking about playing it safe with a literal boring white guy. Buttigieg is too spicey given his gayness apparently. Ugh, who cares? Can't we just pick people based on merit? As a boring white guy, I don't wanna be DEIed into office either. Just choose who's best.
Gretchen Whitmer, I know I crapped on her in the past, but I have warmed up to her lately and actually think she meets the whole swing state thing. But again, "cant have two women on the ticket" they say.
So....let's be honest, who we're probably gonna get: Josh Shapiro, Roy Cooper, Mark Kelly, Andy Beshear
Who I would rather get (among semi realistic options): Gretchen Whitmer, Tim Walz, JB Pritzker
I was gonna do a purity test on ALL of these guys weeks ago, but I got half way through and got bored, and let's face it, most democrats are so generic you could just copy and paste them and not notice any difference. I like a little pizazz with my politics. A little populism, a little progressivism. Boring and centrist is NOT my forte, and the options are trending boring and centrist to offset a progressive black woman. Ugh, i hate the identity aspect of politics, I really do. I am 100% merit based, and 100% policy based. I do yield a bit to electability when we're losing as badly as we are, but it doesn't stop me from having a bad taste in my mouth when we set up the future legacy of the democratic party to be boring and centrist. The reason I've been being so gung ho on Harris is because she's the least boring and least centrist realistic option we have.
Then again maybe it won't matter. Because if Harris is it, she's it for 8 years. Assuming she serves 2 terms, the dems will hold the white house for 12 years straight. And whatever boring centrist they put up will probably lose to the republican. Keep in mind, the only time you got a long drag of uninterrupted one party rule is during realignments. And there's only been 2 times in american history one party has controlled the white house for more than 12 years at a time. First, from 1860-1876 going from lincoln through reconstruction, and second from 1932-1952 during the new deal era.
Even if the dems are successful in maintaining a realignment here, this could very well look like the reagan-bush years where 2032 looks like George HW Bush in 1992. So idk, maybe it won't matter. If Harris loses in 2024, the entire biden-harris line of progressivism is done and we will almost definitely see centrists in our future. 2028, well, harris gave it a good shot, but yeah, her VP is done. 2032, her VP runs, and loses due to being an uninspiring democrat in an era of change. It happens.
So maybe it won't matter.
Still, I can't help but have my preferences and I'm not liking the potential heir of the Biden-Harris lineage of politics being assumed in 2032 by a flat out centrist. That's like going from Obama in 2008 to Hillary in 2016. It's a downgrade and they're gonna lose badly. Again, the whole point of me being so gung ho on the Biden-Harris lane of politics is to slowly pull the democrats' politics left. I understand we aint gonna necessarily have some major FDR moment like Bernie Sanders at this point, but if we can pull each successive dem administration further and further left, that's an alternative. At least we're getting somewhere.
Again, maybe I'm overthinking it and it won't matter, but yeah, that's what I do.
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