Now that Democrats have settled on two old white men as their final options for the nominee, some members of the party are requesting a consolation prize in the form of the vice presidential pick. This demand is hardly surprising given the reaction to Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren dropping out of the race last week. Almost immediately, “misogyny” was blamed as the culprit behind her departure. Demanding that a female, preferably an African American, be added to the final party ticket may work to soothe hurt feelings within the party itself, but it won’t do much to change how the electorate decides. In addition, it’s a purely political and foolish maneuver.
Both Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and former Vice President Joe Biden are nearer to 80 than 70. This truth would be concerning on its own, but as we know, there are other reasons to feel a sense of apprehension. Last October, Sanders suffered a heart attack while on the campaign trail. Though he claims he is healthy enough to run for and take on the role of president, voters on all sides have a right to worry. His opponent, Biden, may not have suffered any public health setbacks, but as the campaign continues on, there are questions about what seems to be his declining mental state.
As with any nominee, the vice presidential choice serves as a foil to the president. Sometimes, there is purely a difference in personality as evident in the chemistry between President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence. Other times, it is to balance the age, race, or gender of the presidential nominee as was done with Barack Obama and Biden or John McCain and Sarah Palin. While Democrats seem focused on checking off the gender and race box with whoever is chosen as running mate, there is more at stake than they care to admit.
With age and possible infirmity as threats to a Sanders or Biden presidency, it’s a very real possibility that the vice presidential choice may be called on to step up temporarily or permanently and fill the role of commander in chief. This requires that Democrats start thinking about the gravity of the running mate situation.
Among the suggestions for a possible female running mate are Sens. Kamala Harris of California and Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, and even failed Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams. Some (Harris and Klobuchar, for example) are expected given their background and own high-profile presidential campaigns, and others (Abrams) serve as nothing more than posturing to please the Democratic masses.
Abrams is known for serving in the Georgia General Assembly and losing the gubernatorial race to Republican Brian Kemp in 2018. Since her loss, she has made a name for herself by claiming she is the rightful governor of the state of Georgia despite all evidence to the contrary. That Abrams’s name is floated in the realm of possibility shows that the Democratic Party desires diversity no matter if it means sacrificing experience, aptitude, and seriousness. By placing female and black at the top of the list of requirements, Democrats plainly show that their focus is “wokeness” above all else.
Whether voters pay attention or not, a nominee’s running mate is of great importance. Usually, we see the vice president in the background, carrying on the work of their boss. But it must be remembered that they are but one heartbeat away from the most powerful office in the land. With so much on the line, everything other than race and gender should be the deciding factor.
With two elderly men vying for the chance to be the nominee for president, it’s time for Democrats to be realistic. But instead of being honest about their current situation and the mental and physical state of their candidates, they are once again focused on playing politics. First and foremost, they’d rather satisfy a party that is reeling from a “sexist” and mostly monochromatic primary season. In the short term, this may calm tensions among their own, but it neglects long-term consequences. And should Sanders or Biden become president, any age or health-related repercussions will be felt by an entire nation.
Kimberly Ross (@SouthernKeeks) is a contributor to the Washington Examiner’s Beltway Confidential blog and a columnist at Arc Digital.
