Biden His Time – Day 2
I guess somebody released a trial balloon because this story from a few days ago is getting more play today:
Close advisers to former Vice President Joe Biden are debating the idea of packaging his presidential campaign announcement with a pledge to choose Stacey Abrams as his vice president.
Why it matters: The popular Georgia Democrat, who at age 45 is 31 years younger than Biden, would bring diversity and excitement to the ticket — showing voters, in the words of a close source, that Biden “isn’t just another old white guy.”
Clinton strategy of utterly ignoring the Upper Midwest could have worked if she got African Americans out to vote – which she didn’t. Biden obviously wants to avoid that and perhaps thinks that announcing Abrams early would be a way to consolidate some part of the African American vote early.
It could work. As I mention on the Beto thread, Biden is the choice of many Dems who worry about “electability.” They are comforted by the fact that most voters associate Biden with Obama, not with his earlier “tough on crime” racism. Putin, naturally, will be working hard to change that but having Abrams on the stage will make Putin’s job a little tougher.
So he’s practicing what should be called “blackwashing.” I don’t know about you, but I just love it when politicians treat us like morons.
He’s just another white guy.
Agreed, just another corporate loving old, did I mention old?, white guy. And I agree with Alby, this is the proverbial “black washing” and a hyper obvious move if he does it.
Yes, but blog readers aren’t the audience for this.
Abrams is super popular so if this audacious move happens I’m thinking it could be a net positive for a campaign that looks to be in need of a fast start.
“I’m voting for a presidential candidate I don’t particularly like because I like his VP pick” — Nobody, ever.
Proof that Stacy Abrams really doesn’t want to be VP. At least not in 2020.
Please show me how she (or any other minority group woman) benefits from carrying the briefcase of an old white guy for the next year and a half.
Passing up a chance to make history by being the first woman of color VP* isn’t an opportunity that comes around every day.
*trigger warning for people who don’t like “first person of color” to do something justifications.
Jason,
You could be right about her motivation (or her desire for recognition) but only in Delaware could you think she’d be making the right call in hitching her wagon to an old horse.
Jason,
You could be right about her motivation (or her desire for recognition) but only in Delaware could you think she’d be making the right call in hitching her wagon to an old horse.
Today’s new wrinkle is that Biden advisers are floating the idea that he’ll promise to serve only one term. Jeet Heer of Talking Points Memo explains why that’s a terrible idea.
https://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/bidens-desperate-gambit
I can understand why Biden, who appears to be completely at a loss as to how to run his campaign, would want to bring Abrams on board.
But I can’t see why Abrams would ever be a party to this. She has a bright future. Why she would risk the enmity of pretty much EVERY up-and-comer in the Party is beyond me. I hope she either runs for President or runs for the Senate.
Plus, I’m totally confident that people will see this for what it is: A gimmick designed to prop up someone who has no chance of hanging onto frontrunner status once he decides to run.
The fact that he’s floating this, along with his floating the ‘only one-term’ meme, tells me that this lead balloon is going down, and going down FAST. Which is why I’m still not convinced that he will run.