by Pa Rock
Citizen Journalist
Bernie Sanders apparently left the Democratic race this morning, clearing the way for Joe Biden to claim the Democratic nomination for President. Biden, who has been the presumptive nominee for several weeks, can now begin moving about with more of an official air. There will be an election in November, the Democrats will try to defeat Donald Trump in that election, and Joe Biden will be the Democratic horse in the race.
Joe Biden was not on my short-list of favorites for the Democratic nomination - nor was he even on my long list - but I will suck it up and vote for him in November. My primary concern is Joe's age (he will be 78 this November), and the fact that he has been a denizen of Washington, DC, for nearly half a century - and has a very long record with lots to defend. But I will vote for him anyway.
I am also concerned that Biden doesn't seem to have the fire in his belly that will be necessary to defeat Donald Trump. Trump is bellicose and he fights dirty. Someone seems to be advising Joe to present himself as the polar opposite to Trump - calm, cautious, thoughtful, presidential - all of the things Trump isn't. And yes, that would be a wonderful way to govern, but can he get elected picking daisies while Trump blows down buildings? I'm skeptical.
But I will vote for Joe.
I'm sure that Biden is biding his time and will turn up the rhetoric a notch or two when the race begins to heat up. But tapping on the thermostat may not be an effective strategy against a flamethrower.
Presidential candidates used to try and stay above the fray by selecting running mates to do the street-fighting, and that is likely Biden's plan. He has already announced that he will choose a woman for his vice-presidential nominee - and that opens up room for some really amazing women to move into the national spotlight. One who leaps to mind is Elizabeth Warren, the senator from Massachusetts who is known for her bold ideas on how to manage government and its relationship to society. Another is Kamala Harris, a former prosecutor and current senator from California who also has a steel-trap mind and an engaging character. Both would be superb candidates who would very complementary to Biden's current penchant for aloofness.
But, from a political perspective, Biden should win Massachusetts and California regardless of who is on his ticket, so some would argue that he needs to find a running mate from a battleground state. Enter Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, stage left. Whitmer hit the national press last week when Trump singled her out for one of his sexist affronts by referring to her dismissively as "that woman from Michigan" and said that he had instructed Vice President Pence not to return her calls.
So, if Whitmer has some of that belly fire that Biden seems releuctant to show, she might make a decent candidate for veep. Of course, Warren and Harris have both shown their fire - over and over - and both would pulverize Mike Pence in a debate (although debates are not a given yet for 2020), and both would drive Trump nuts.
Gretchen Whitmer would be a gamble.
But regardless of how Old Joe decides to play it, he will have my vote.
Citizen Journalist
Bernie Sanders apparently left the Democratic race this morning, clearing the way for Joe Biden to claim the Democratic nomination for President. Biden, who has been the presumptive nominee for several weeks, can now begin moving about with more of an official air. There will be an election in November, the Democrats will try to defeat Donald Trump in that election, and Joe Biden will be the Democratic horse in the race.
Joe Biden was not on my short-list of favorites for the Democratic nomination - nor was he even on my long list - but I will suck it up and vote for him in November. My primary concern is Joe's age (he will be 78 this November), and the fact that he has been a denizen of Washington, DC, for nearly half a century - and has a very long record with lots to defend. But I will vote for him anyway.
I am also concerned that Biden doesn't seem to have the fire in his belly that will be necessary to defeat Donald Trump. Trump is bellicose and he fights dirty. Someone seems to be advising Joe to present himself as the polar opposite to Trump - calm, cautious, thoughtful, presidential - all of the things Trump isn't. And yes, that would be a wonderful way to govern, but can he get elected picking daisies while Trump blows down buildings? I'm skeptical.
But I will vote for Joe.
I'm sure that Biden is biding his time and will turn up the rhetoric a notch or two when the race begins to heat up. But tapping on the thermostat may not be an effective strategy against a flamethrower.
Presidential candidates used to try and stay above the fray by selecting running mates to do the street-fighting, and that is likely Biden's plan. He has already announced that he will choose a woman for his vice-presidential nominee - and that opens up room for some really amazing women to move into the national spotlight. One who leaps to mind is Elizabeth Warren, the senator from Massachusetts who is known for her bold ideas on how to manage government and its relationship to society. Another is Kamala Harris, a former prosecutor and current senator from California who also has a steel-trap mind and an engaging character. Both would be superb candidates who would very complementary to Biden's current penchant for aloofness.
But, from a political perspective, Biden should win Massachusetts and California regardless of who is on his ticket, so some would argue that he needs to find a running mate from a battleground state. Enter Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, stage left. Whitmer hit the national press last week when Trump singled her out for one of his sexist affronts by referring to her dismissively as "that woman from Michigan" and said that he had instructed Vice President Pence not to return her calls.
So, if Whitmer has some of that belly fire that Biden seems releuctant to show, she might make a decent candidate for veep. Of course, Warren and Harris have both shown their fire - over and over - and both would pulverize Mike Pence in a debate (although debates are not a given yet for 2020), and both would drive Trump nuts.
Gretchen Whitmer would be a gamble.
But regardless of how Old Joe decides to play it, he will have my vote.
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