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ACTUALLY, JOE BIDEN HAS PLENTY OF TIME TO ANNOUNCE VP. The Democratic National Convention — such as it is — will start next Monday, August 17. Although much has been made of Biden’s deliberative process, he’s not late, and he’s not off schedule, judging from past conventions. But the time is nearing.
The 2008 Democratic convention began on Monday, August 25. Barack Obama announced his choice of Biden as VP on Saturday, August 23. The party’s 2016 convention began on Monday, July 25. Hillary Clinton announced her choice of Tim Kaine on Friday, July 22. That means Biden should announce his choice by this Friday or Saturday.
Of course, Biden’s pick is more important than Obama’s or Clinton’s. Why? Because he’s so old. If elected, Biden would be by far the oldest president ever to begin his time in the White House: 78 years old on inauguration day. Ronald Reagan was 77 when he left office after two terms. Underlying all the commentary about the significance of Biden’s pick is the realization that, given his age, his VP might be more likely than others to ascend to the Oval Office.
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So Biden’s age gives extra import to the cliché that the vice presidential choice needs to be ready to serve as president on day one. That alone made the Rep. Karen Bass boomlet look a bit weird. Bass, chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, excited the left-left wing of the party with her history of down-the-line progressive positions, plus oft-expressed admiration for Fidel Castro’s Cuba. (Here’s the celebration in The Nation, “Progressives Are Rallying Behind Karen Bass for VP.”) But what was the point of putting her on the list?
And what of Susan Rice? Well, she’s the only one among the most-often mentioned VP candidates who has never been elected to anything. Of course, Donald Trump had never been elected to anything before he won the presidency, but that’s probably not an example that will excite Democrats. On Rice’s side is the fact that she is also the only one among the top candidates who has actually worked with Biden; she was national security adviser and UN ambassador in the Obama administration when Biden served as vice president. It’s well known that Biden values a personal connection, something he has with Rice but does not have with other candidates. Still, it’s not clear that that will be enough.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren is said to be still in the mix. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer also met secretly with Biden. But whatever their merits, the question about both is whether the Democratic base, in today’s environment, will be ready to accept an all-white ticket. It’s hard to imagine they will.
Which brings the story to the person who has always been at the top of the lists: Sen. Kamala Harris. The senator from California is the least exciting choice because she has been the clearest choice for so long. But now, it’s time for Biden to choose, and after all these months it seems likely he’ll go with Harris.
Some Democrats are worried about the choice, whoever it is. Why? Because it will bring attention to Joe Biden. Those Democrats would much rather the spotlight, and negative press coverage, remain on President Trump. “At a minimum, the decision will shift the force of the campaign — at least temporarily — away from Donald Trump’s turbulent president onto Biden himself,” the Associated Press reported. “That’s not a place many Democrats are comfortable given Biden’s proclivity for gaffes and the persistent lack of excitement behind his candidacy.” That’s not exactly a vote of confidence — from those in the candidate’s own party. No VP choice will fix that.
