The Case for Kamala Harris: Vice President Just Isn't That Important of a Position

[lapucelle]

in our federal government.

https://web.archive.org/web/20200702103759/https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2020/07/kamala-harris-vice-president-case.html

So said Slate's resident Karen Susan Matthews, before trying whitewash her meaning with this updated subtitle:

The Case for Kamala Harris
Harris never really nailed it as a candidate for president, but she can be a forceful and compelling presence.

According to Matthews:

Kamala Harris has achieved the ideal stature for serving as vice president, a job that is not as big of a deal as everyone is making it out to be right now.

Her elevation to the office would be neither above her nor beneath her.

But the principal reason Harris is the right candidate for the job is simply that the job isn’t all that important.

Like the California junior Sen. Richard Nixon, she could grow into a more plausible president if needed. She’s not so vital, though, that she would be sacrificed if she ended up serving in the backup role for four years.

Why overthink it?... It’s embarrassing that America has never had a woman serve as vice president, but that doesn’t make the job all-important. Harris is precisely good enough for it.

https://web.archive.org/web/20200702103759/https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2020/07/kamala-harris-vice-president-case.html

https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2020/07/kamala-harris-vice-president-case.html

[comradebillyboy]

1. I stopped reading Slate, Salon and Huffpo back in 2016.

Those make believe progressives do noting but slime good Democrats.

[lapucelle]

3. Matthews tried to disappear the original...

[comradebillyboy]

6. I just wonder if HA Goodman wrote this using

"Susan Matthews" as his pen name. The comments are the kind of garbage I might expect to see in r/WayOfTheBern or ChapoTrapHouse on reddit.

[NurseJackie]

11. That's an excellent question. Very insightful.

[ismnotwasm]

18. Hey, you could be right!

[Me.]

5. Same Here

The racist writer couldn't hold a candle to Senator Harris who I hope is the choice because she is strong, brave, intelligent and can be trusted.

[Tetrachloride]

2. 100 % disagreement: "not that important"

1. The odds of President Joe Biden having medical issues are there. Joe knows this. Hence, careful vetting and covering all contigencies.

2. The sheer number of vital issues has never been this large ..... and will never get smaller.

3. If I were president, the real chief of staff is the vice president. Chief of staff can be hired, fired, re-assigned. The VP is in an eternal hotspot.

4. There are many many good choices for the normal Chief of Staff position. Vice-President position has higher criteria.

[LuvNewcastle]

16. I agree.

It's more important now than ever. Biden knows this, which is why he's taking his time. The VP has to be just the right person who will give the ticket a boost but not suck all the air out of the room. It's a delicate decision.

[soothsayer]

4. Damned with faint praise

[lapucelle]

9. "It's not that important a job" and "Harris is precisely good enough for it"

is about as dismissive as it gets.

[bobbieinok]

7. Veep quite important considering Biden's age!

[Trumpocalypse]

24. Biden is fine

Stop repeating a GOP talking point.

[peggysue2]

8. What an insulting piece

Kamala Harris is good enough?

Nothing like a stab in the back before we get started. Plus, the idea that the VP slot is unimportant (no better than a bucket of warm piss) might have been true back in the day. But with the major challenges we're facing at the moment, Joe Biden will no doubt delegate a number of responsibilities to his VP as Obama did during Biden's VP tenure, as well as prepare his choice for the catbird seat in the event of an emergency.

I'm guessing Ms. Matthews is no fan of Harris and took this opportunity to beat her over the head.

Faint praise, indeed.

[lapucelle]

10. Matthews appears to be an E Warren partisan. I wonder how Warren feels

about being used in this manner by this writer.

[George II]

12. Those excerpts give me the tone of the article, which doesn't appear to be complementary.

Pretty obnoxious and dismissive attitude, like Ms. Matthews has any accomplishments herself?

[MyOwnPeace]

13. The position IS important

immediately, and, thinking for the party, setting up the most likely candidate when the current president either steps down or is stopped after 2 terms.
When Joe wins whoever is his VP has to be considered the number one candidate from Joe's own party to replace him.

[OAITW r.2.0]

14. We are going to need 2 Presidents to deal with the Trump disaster.

I hope Joe focuses on repairing our international image while the VP works with a Democratic House/Senate to pass legislation to address the domestic mess that Republicans have created.

[xmas74]

15. I've thought about Harris many times recently

She would make a fantastic veep. The question is: does she really want it? What if she was offered AG?

In any other time I'd say she'd be great at veep and it would put her directly in line for another run at president. But AG? She would be a force of nature and I suspect everything we need in that office right now. I'm sure she's definitely considering both positions because I'm sure she knows either could be on the table for her.

[lettucebe]

17. Who recalls Biden saying he wanted a VP that could be President from Day 1?

Seems that limits his choices, and Harris is certainly ready to be president

[CTyankee]

20. Jeez, compared to what we have now, she and Biden are effing geniuses...I like her, tho and I

think this might just come down to chemistry between Joe and his VP pick. Susan Rice is probably safer in that regard, while also being outstanding in every other regard! But given Joe's age and medical history, we gotta take a really hard look at his VP pick.

I trust that Biden can make the right choice and we can be happy with it!

[Trumpocalypse]

25. All nominees say that

about their VP choice. Nothing new.

[Mr. Ected]

19. I think Joe's got the stamina to go the distance, but...

In truth, in his VP choice, the question is whether that candidate is true presidential material, savvy, experienced and prepared to take the reins at a precipitous and fateful moment in American history. To me, Kamala Harris is the top pick because of her stature. Would I prefer to see her as AG? Yes, actually I would, but the stakes are too high at the moment to not have our best replacement in place should, God forbid, Joe step down. For some reason, she didn't have the appeal-factor in her run for office, but naming her VP circumvents the popularity contest aspect of it and awards her for her comprehensive grasp of politics should she ascend to the presidency. I trust her more than anyone else, save Joe. We have a lot of great Democrats in the pipeline, but Kamala is basically plug and play, and the rest still need a bit of seasoning. A President Harris may well have the panache to win re-election in 2024 if that was the play.

Hey, but what do I know? Just one person's opinion.

[CTyankee]

21. Yes, indeed. If Joe decides he can safely step down in 2024, I would be thrilled to see her be our

first woman president. Joe will burnish his reputation for all of history with the selection of what will become the first woman president of the U.S.

That is an exciting thought. I have granddaughters who deserve this turn in the history of their country!

[GulfCoast66]

22. The right is scared to death she will be the pick.

It recreates the Obama coalition which won twice here in Florida.

Plus, and many may disagree with me, she had a law enforcement background and although very far to the left is not necessarily perceived that way.

I’ve wanted the Biden/Harris ticket for over a year.

And she has tremendous experience and intellect if called on to take over the presidency. Goodness forbid.

[betsuni]

23. I wonder why they think she's "not of the left."

Last time I checked she was the second most progressive senator.

[lapucelle]

26. Harris is still second...

https://progressivepunch.org/scores.htm?topic=&house=senate&sort=crucial-lifetime&order=down&party=

[betsuni]

28. I guess because she didn't say the magic words "Medicare for All" she isn't progressive

and her positions are "muddled," reality be damned!

[lapucelle]

29. Yvette Clarke (NY-9) who just won her primary is pretty high up on the House side.

She has the second best progressive record for a NY representative.



https://progressivepunch.org/scores.htm?house=house

[Skittles]

27. ? whoever it is may be the presdential nominee in four years

so YEAH the job is IMPORTANT

[brer cat]

30. Very insulting

and makes me wonder if racism isn't behind it.

[Buckeyeblue]

31. I think Bill Clinton made the VP role more important

And presidents since then have leaned more on their VPs.

[PunkinPi]

32. This trash piece is misogynoir and nothing more. nt