By January, we could have a female vice president.
Joe Biden vowed to choose a female running mate if he wins the nomination during Sunday’s Democratic debate. And Bernie Sanders declared that his “strong tendency” is to choose a member of the fairer sex as well — but only if she’s a “progressive.” Hesitant to make as strong of a commitment as Biden’s, Sanders reassured viewers: “There are progressive women out there,” he promised.
There are plenty of qualified women who deserve a shot at the vice presidency. The problem is that Biden, specifically, seems less interested in the accolades of female politicians and more concerned about checking a box on the Left’s inclusivity checklist. Biden has even admitted that the primary reason he wants a female vice president is that there has not yet been a female vice president.
Women certainly deserve more political representation. But Biden has done a disservice to his future running mate by emphasizing her gender rather than her accomplishments. Now, whomever he chooses, whether it’s Amy Klobuchar, Stacey Abrams, or Sally Yates, will be seen as the most inclusive option, rather than the most accomplished.
Biden could have easily picked a female running mate without making a big show of his inclusivity. Instead, he made a premature commitment that undermines his future vice president and her successes, all in an attempt to appease the woke Left, many of whom will never be satisfied anyway. He is treating the vice presidency like it’s political capital to be leveraged, hoping that with a woman by his side, the female constituency will flock to his campaign come November.
This is patronizing and even a bit insulting. Both Biden and his running mate must earn our votes. And as it happens, we understand that there’s a lot more to being a good president than gender.
