(Washington) Elderly, white and moderate Democratic candidate, looking for a dynamic young running mate, preferably black, for a term likely to become for her the ideal springboard to stay in the White House.
Published on 25 July 2020 at 9 a.m. 04
Michael Mathes
France Media Agency
Near 97 election days of November 3, the choice of the candidate for the post of vice-president, who will accompany Joe Biden on the “ticket”, is of particular importance, the former senator from Delaware having admitted that he would be “a candidate of transition” who could preparing the ground for a new generation of Democratic leaders.
To 76 years, the former Vice President of Barack Obama knows he would be the oldest president ever elected and that speculation about his health, mental or physical, is rife. If his form were to decline, he assured that he would not run again in 2024 . Above all, in the event of death, the vice president would rule the country until the next election.
Joe Biden has already pledged to choose a woman – who would be the first in history to hold the post if she wins – and, with the recent protests against racism, many Democratic officials have asked him to choose a woman of color.
Will he choose the Democratic senator, candidate against him in the primary, Kamala Harris? Or former Obama national security adviser Susan Rice?
PHOTO TOM WILLIAMS, CQ ROLL CALL ARCHIVES VIA AP
Kamala Harris dropped out of the Democratic nomination contest in December.
PHOTO CAROLYN KASTER, ARCHIVES ASSOCIATED PRESS
Susan Rice was Security Advisor for Barack Obama.
The name of progressive, white senator Elizabeth Warren has also been put forward, to please the left wing of the party, but her age (25 years) could be an obstacle to his candidacy. “Joe” could also turn to Asian-born Senator Tammy Duckworth, a former military man who lost her legs in Iraq and may appeal to a more moderate electorate.
PHOTO DAVID BECKER, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE ARCHIVES
Senator Elizabeth Warren
“I think Biden does not yet know who he will choose,” said AFP Joel Goldstein, a specialist in the vice-presidential function at the law school of the University of Saint Louis.
The Democratic convention, virtual because of the pandemic and probably without a joint photo between Mr. Biden and his running mate, is scheduled for 15 at 20 August, and the name of the latter expected in early August.
“The main question is: will the candidates for the post be ready to play their role on the national scene? “
On the beaten track
In national polls, candidate Biden is ahead of President Trump, especially in key states like Florida, Pennsylvania or Wisconsin, which allowed the Republican billionaire to win in 2016.
A rather comfortable position therefore for Joe Biden, who does not count on his choice of running mate to breathe new life into his campaign as the Republican John McCain had done in 2008 with Sarah Palin.
A glance in the rearview mirror of History reminds us that 11 of 18 last Democratic running mate were elected to the Senate, like Biden in 924.
Advantage Harris, Warren or Duckworth then?
PHOTO SAUL LOEB, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE ARCHIVES
Tammy Duckworth became the first member of the Senate to have a child during her tenure, in April 2016.
Not so sure. The elected Val Demings, who participated earlier this year in the investigation of the impeachment trial of Donald Trump in the House of Representatives, has an interesting profile, she who was the first black chief of police in Orlando , in Florida.
PHOTO PATRICK SEMANSKY, ARCHIVES ASSOCIATED PRESS
Representative Val Demings
The name of Karen Bass, head of the parliamentary group bringing together black representatives, also comes up, as does that of the mayor of Atlanta Keisha Lance Bottoms.
PHOTO CAROLYN KASTER, ARCHIVES ASSOCIATED PRESS
Representative Karen Bass
Two Hispanic women are also mentioned: the governor of New Mexico Michelle Lujan Grisham and the senator of Nevada Catherine Cortez Masto, the first “Latina” to sit in the Senate.
In an interview with CBS News last month, candidate Biden explained that his running mate should be “totally” in tune with her political philosophy, but also “ready to become president from day one” of a country ravaged by a health and economic crisis.
“I think that for Biden, being ready is the number one criterion”, explained in July Alyssa Mastromonaco, one of the leaders of the White House under Obama.
“I don't think he can afford to pick someone off the beaten track.”
In any case, the stated objective of the Democrats being to oust Donald Trump from the White House, the choice of the potential vice-president risks only moving the voting intentions for Joe Biden in a very marginal way. .
But the choice of a moderate candidate, recalls Joel Goldstein, could end up pushing the undecided or anti-Trump Republicans into the arms of the Democratic candidate.
