Biden’s VP Remark
In New Hampshire yesterday, Biden was asked if he would pick a Republican as VP. Here’s his answer, ALL of his answer:
“The answer is I would, but I can’t think of one now. I’m serious. Here’s what I mean. Let me explain that. You know, there’s some really decent Republicans that are out there still, but here’s the problem right now, with the well-known ones — they’ve got to step up. Whomever I would pick were I fortunate enough to be your nominee, I’d pick somebody who was simpatico with me, who knew what my priorities were and knew what I wanted to do. We could disagree on tactics but strategically we’d have to be on the exact same page.”
Predictably, Biden haters went apeshit, especially those pushing for unelectables like Buttigieg and Warren. I didn’t find his answer particularly controversial, and you’ll recall that McCain considered bringing a Dem on as VP in 2008. If he had, instead of screwball Sarah Palin, he could have very well beaten Obama and be known as the late President McCain. I believe that Biden is playing this campaign perfectly, going for the middle who went with Trump in 2016.
To those on the more left side of the party, repeating Republican talking points: Take a breath…he’s not playing to the Medicare-for-all-free-college-no-oil-for-nobody crowd. He’s playing to everyday Americans who want a decent person in the White House who’s not a criminal and can speak to them. And a reminder – he even said he couldn’t think of any Republican to fill that role. While Buttigieg, Warren, Sanders, Steyer crowd navel gaze and debate the finer points of granular health policy, Biden is running for President of Everybody which is a winning strategy.
I have believed from the beginning that Biden is the right person at the right time for America right now. He’ll be a one termer, so needs to pick a strong VP who can step up in 2024, but in spite of all the sniping from his left amplifying differences, he’s on the right track playing to a much broader audience. Everyone else needs to relax. Support your unelectable if you must to make your statement and make primaries more expensive. We don’t have much longer to shake all this out and get down to beating Trump, which should be the ONLY goal.