Harris, if she ends up as nominee, would most likely pick a white male Midwestern running mate. Maybe Michigan senator Gary Peters. I'm sure there are others I can't think of off top of my head.
In 2020 Biden was about my 6th choice in primary but he was right candidate at right time. Not only had Trump botched COVID, and it was new so even most competent person would have made mistakes, he was totally without compassion. Since pandemic hit high population states first he was inclined to do nothing, they hadn't voted for him. His concern was how pandemic affected his re-election. Talked of inhaling bleach, said don't socially distance, pack churches Easter. Never visited people, never expressed compassion because he has none. After drama and chaos, Biden was steady, a bit dull, empathetic, competent. It was his moment.
He has done a good job with some exceptions, slow response to Gaza. He is a good person who doesn't deserve dissing. But looks like it's no longer his moment.
And reiterate, to dump Biden and bypass VP for someone white would be political suicide.
Harris is the smart choice if Biden steps aside/is forced out. She basically continues the Biden stance and campaign on every issue, and even on his worst night at the debate, Biden scored big against Trump on policy.
I suspect Biden even will campaign for her. He's always been a team player.
Next to Michelle Obama, Kamala Harris is Trump's biggest campaign challenge. Although his base would be fine with it, non-MAGA Trump supporters like suburban women or African-Americans might see Trump's typical ploy of personal attacks against political opponents as bullying, and it would quickly wash away any inroads he might have made with those communities.
Conversely, not being aggressive with Harris might dowse a bit of his fanatical base's enthusiasm. Trump has a very small needle to thread and almost will need a major Democratic screw-up -- not out of the question, BTW -- to win.
Harris brings the age/cognitive ability issue firmly onto the Democratic hand to play. Trump knows this. There was a reason he didn't jump to use it after the debate; he's just as susceptible to it being used against him. Now it will be, along with Putin, Roe, Project 2025, Jan. 6, Stormy Daniels, E. Jean Carroll, conservative SCOTUS activists, COVID policy failings, enabling hate speech, inability to build the wall he promised and infrastructure, impeachments and felony convictions.
I figure the Dems will coalesce quickly around Harris and her VP (who will either be from the Northeast or Midwest to cover that base), and it all will be taken care of before the convention. After all, the biggest thing is she's not Trump and she's competent. Her favorability is about the same as Trump's but her disapproval rating is much lower. Once she's out there talking, I think left or centrists concerns will diminish.
There are reasons J.D. Vance is reluctant to debate her.
She's a nightmare for Trump. Maybe not my ideal choice or they way I'd like to have seen it play out, but she serves the purpose to keep a lunatic out of the Oval Office again.
