While Biden made it clear a few months ago that he would choose a woman, there now seems to be great support for him to choose a black woman, who makes history (she was never a black woman on any party’s national map), while sending a very clear message to black community that he not only understands the importance of their nomination, but also believes they need a major voice in his White House.
(Biden’s “you’re not black” gaffe, while not nearly as important as nationwide protests over police brutality, also plays a role in this budget.)
With that in mind, I’ve made big changes in this week’s vice president rank. Now most likely all the women are from African American. And Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, whom I ranked as the second most likely woman to elect, is arguing vigorously this week amid questions about her Minnesota Attorney General record before she was elected to the 2016 Senate. .
These rankings change weekly, so if your favorite isn’t ranked where it should be – or not on the list at all – it’s always next week. Speaking of which, here it is last week’s rankings, Necessary Warnings Michelle Obama: The former first lady is not on this list because she has never shown interest in being a politician. To do so, she would immediately jump to the top of this ladder.
10. Gina Raimondo: If you believe a) that Biden will have a self-identifying moderate in his last VP group and b) Klobuchar and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, who suffers from
more self-healing wounds this week, are moving in the wrong direction on this list, then the governor of Rhode Island can fill that niche well. (I have long believed that Biden will be moderate in his last three; I’m not sure I mean that anymore.) Raimondo focused on politics has won praise from
loves conservative columnist George Will, and showed a willingness to make difficult decisions in the office.
(Previous rank: Not ranked)
9. Amy Klobuchar: The issue of Minnesota senator records in her time in the early 2000s as chief prosecutor in Hennepin County (Minneapolis) was constantly shaken during speculation by the VP. But the death of George Floyd turned that record, which many black leaders consider too pro-police, into a top-notch problem.
And it’s very hard to see Biden taking such a risk by choosing Klobuchar given the mood within the Democratic Party right now. (Previous rating: 2)
8. Tammy Duckworth: While the Illinois senator doesn’t get as much buzz as some of the names above her on this list, her profile matches any of them: a helicopter pilot in Iraq, she lost both legs and used one arm when she was shot down. She was elected to the U.S. House and Senate of Illinois. She also gives her voice in the days since Floyd was killed in Minneapolis: “George Floyd’s death was unnecessary and heartbreaking,” she wrote on CNN on Monday. “It was a tragedy – but frighteningly, it wasn’t an anomaly.” (Previous rank: Not ranked)
7. Stacey Abrams: U an
Op-ed published Thursday in the New York Times (no, no
that one), Abrams argues that the best way to react to Floyd’s death is for people of color to register to vote and do so in November.
“Voting is the first step in a long and complex process, painful but vital,” the former minority leader in the state of Georgia wrote. Wise words – and those that suggest she is ready to be guided by the critical import of all minority communities. (Previous rating: 9)
6. Susan Rice: If Biden wants to select a woman with the most experience in foreign policy and national security issues, there is no doubt that Rice is at the top of that list – he served as a national security adviser and U.S. ambassador to the United Nations during the Obama administration. But she also carries luggage – mostly
her statements after the attack on Benghazi, Libya and her January 20, 2017 email to Michael Flynn.
(Previous rating: 7)
5. Michelle Lujan Grisham: Lost due to a flood of news over the past week, the fact is that Nevada Senator Catherine Cortez Masto has taken herself off the VP. The move leaves Louis Grisham, the governor of New Mexico, as the most positioned Latino in the VP mix.
(Other names like Texas Reps. Veronica Escobar and Sylvia Garcia still seem like a long hit to me.) Lujan Grisham is also
he stepped up his criticism of Trump and his response to Floyd’s death.
(Previous rating: 8)4. Elizabeth Warren: Like I said, I think it is very it is likely that Biden chose black women to be his racing counterpart. If not, the senator in Massachusetts probably has the best chance because she was loved by liberals and her election can be seen as an attempt to unite the Democratic Party. (Previous rating: 3)
3. Val Demings: Even before Floyd’s death and constant weaning from her, this Florida House member received rave reviews about her potential as a teammate for Biden. But now consider what Demings would do with the map: A black former police chief of a large southern city (Orlando) who knows
issues within the law enforcement community in relation to the intimate brutality of the police. (Previous rating 5)
2. Keisha Lance Bottoms: Speech by Lance Bottoms last Friday night, amid violent protests in Atlanta the moment, She was compassionate. Hard. And deeply human. I have been the mayor of Atlanta on my list almost since the beginning of the VP process, but I was never sure he would break through to the highest level. Boy, didn’t I make a mistake (Previous rating: 6)
1. Kamala Harris: Because of everything that has changed on the list this week, the position of California senator is not. If nothing else, Harris now seems even more likely to be a 55-year-old generation younger than Biden, but she also has a wealth of experience – as a California attorney general and senator – that we know are Biden’s values. (Previous rating: 1)
