Susan Rice. I believe the VP candidate we need at this moment in time is Susan Rice...

[SKKY]

...and I say that as a staunch Kamala Harris supporter. I just think AMB Rice is better suited to, if need be, assume the presidency. Kamala would be just fine, but AMB Rice has the "it" I have been looking for, and I that I think we need as a country.

[TreasonousBastard]

1. Perhaps, but I still think her talents would be better used at State.

[jpak]

2. I agree, she is a Tigress

Pity the GOP fools

Yup

[SKKY]

11. Either Rice or Harris will eviscerate Pence in a debate...

...As much as I like Kamala, and I am a HUGE fan of Kamala Harris, I just think Rice has the "it". I don't know exactly what "it" is, but Rice has it.

[jpak]

22. They both have it

Yup

[maxsolomon]

3. We had a thread on this last week.

It was thoroughly debated.

[alittlelark]

4. I agree 100%

She is brilliant.

[RGTIndy]

5. The one demographic that Biden is soft with is progressives

Susan Rice is talented and qualified, but she isn't going to excite progressives, at all. The only real question to ask about a QP choice is, "Will it help us win?"

[questionseverything]

13. i think warren is the best choice to help us win,she does excite progressives

but I think rice is a far better pick than harris because rice is associated with Obama, has experience with leaders around the world and cause she wasn't the "top cop" anywhere

I think the only problem with rice is she has never run for office, she isn't a politician (altho that could work in her benefit)

[pnwmom]

26. She was made one of the scapegoats for Benghazi. She withstood multiple investigations

and did nothing wrong.

But the question would be whether her Benghazi connection could be a drag on the ticket.

[questionseverything]

29. generally i feel like the vp spot should be taken by someone that has won a state wide election

shows they can successfully campaign and compete

not sure rice has the bs gene pols need...she is so straight forward ( I admire that about her personally, just trying to think of what will help us win)

I feel like voters that might consider a biden/rice ticket know the Benghazi thing was always bs but you are correct, we do not want any drag on the ticket

[misanthrope]

31. Every time the word "Benghazi" emerges, the words "Russian bounties" should follow soon after

Laying down for Putin vastly eclipses the Benghazi flap.

[oasis]

53. +1,000,000 x 1,000,000

[Bettie]

54. The media has forgotten about the Russian Bounties

but you can bet they'll rehash Benghazi forever.

[misanthrope]

55. "Bounties beat Benghazi"

"Bounties beat Benghazi"
"Bounties beat Benghazi"
"Bounties beat Benghazi"
"Bounties beat Benghazi"
"Bounties beat Benghazi"
"Bounties beat Benghazi"
"Bounties beat Benghazi"
"Bounties beat Benghazi"
"Bounties beat Benghazi"

[Bettie]

63. Only if the media covers it

and they won't.

They need a horse race and that means hamstringing Democrats.

[StevieM]

67. There is nothing to rehash. The Benghazi inquiry was nothing but a pack of GOP lies. (eom)

[JI7]

35. Anyone who isn't supporting Biden already is not a Progressive

[RGTIndy]

42. Young people and idealists can still vote

I think a certain previous moderate candidate took the “vote for me or you’re an idiot” approach to progressives and it didn’t exactly excite those people to vote.

[JI7]

43. Sanders ? yeah, he was supposed to have young voters but they didn't come out to vote for him

Doesn't matter how old they are or whether they are idealists or whatever the fuck. AFter everything that has happened if they aren't supporting Biden now they are just shit on the same level as MAGA Trump Trash. They certainly are not progressives.

[RGTIndy]

44. I'm not sure your political strategy is sound.

The idea is to win an election. The best way to do that is to get broad support from as many voters as possible. I’m going to go out on a limb here and suggest that telling voters they are “shit” might not garner their support.

[JI7]

45. If they support Trump they are shit and they certainly are not progressive

[RGTIndy]

46. Who is talking about Trump supporters, other than you?

I’m talking about former Sanders supporters and young voters on the left. Making an overture to that voting block can only help Biden’s chances. But if you think taking them for granted and calling them idiots is the way to win, Mark Penn and Robbie Mook may have a consulting job for you.

[JI7]

47. Sanders must have taken them for granted because the didn't come out to vote for him

[RGTIndy]

51. I'm not trying to start some Sanders v Biden pissing match

That ship has sailed. Let it go. I'm not sure if you have a point or you are just itching for a fight.

[Dem4Life1102]

49. Very true

Most progressives and former Sanders supporters will vote for Biden.

Unfortunately there is a very small minority of what I like to call "woke white dudes" who never will. Just take a look at these two:
https://twitter.com/DavidAgStone
https://twitter.com/Michael30604525

They spend more time attacking Biden than Trump. Now I don't think it is accurate to call them either progressives or liberals. They really don't care about issues, if they did they wouldn't want Trump re-elected. This all about them wanting to feel morally superior to everyone else.

[LanternWaste]

56. More of those stellar math skills, eh?

[Dem4Life1102]

65. Math???

[Nictuku]

6. Agree 100%

[kentuck]

7. She's going to be the Secretary of State.

Would be my guess.

[blitzen]

8. Ditto! n/t

[blitzen]

9. And, she will relentlessly expose and harass Trump re: Putin. n/t

[Sherman A1]

10. She seems to be the one who is most

qualified in my opinion.

[roamer65]

12. I am ok with either Susan or Kamala.

What’s the alternative?

[SKKY]

15. Stacy, Val, Keisha...

...we've got option. And good ones. Really, we have an embarrassment of riches. I just think Susan Rice is what we need right now.

[yellowwoodII]

14. I Heartily Agree

I disagree with the idea of choosing candidates because of their gender or color, but Biden has already said that he will choose a woman, so that's done.
My first choice would be Elizabeth Warren because of her intelligence and experience, but there is a lot of pressure to choose a person of color. Of the available candidates, I would choose Susan Rice not only because of her personality and intelligence but mainly because of her experience at the national level. She could "hit te ground running," as the say.

[SKKY]

16. Yep! 150% agreee with you.

[StarfishSaver]

19. In a vacuum, choosing candidates because of their gender or color may not be advisable

But this isn't a vacuum. We're operating within a context of nearly 250 years of no one but white men ever being elected to the position and only two women ever even being nominated. In such an environment, it is not enough to just stop discriminating and expecting the playing field to suddenly even itself because we say so. it is necessary to disrupt the history by making a concerted effort to pick a women of color.

[lamp_shade]

17. Yup.

[musclecar6]

18. Either Susan or Kamala

Would do a great job. Kamala has better name recognition as she was out there campaigning during the primary, so she’s got that going for her.

[moonscape]

20. Rice is definitely my 1st choice. She's level, smart,

experienced, gracious, calm ... I'll cry for happy if he chooses her.

[Trumpocalypse]

21. The goal is to win the election

Everything else is irrelevant if the ticket doesn’t win.

Can Rice help win any swing states?

Will Rice attract more progressives to the ticket?

Won’t having Rice on the ticket give the GOP an excuse to bring up Benghazi again?

Remember the VP choice is not about the “it” you’ve been looking for, but about someone who gives the ticket the best chance to win.

[Iggo]

23. Rice. Harris. Abrams. Demmings. Lance Bottoms.

Don't mind me.

Just passing through.

[Drunken Irishman]

24. Susan Rice doesn't bring anything new to the table that doesn't already exist with Biden.

I was 100% on the Rice bandwagon a year ago but now I think Biden needs someone who's been elected and can excite a good amount of the base.

I also fear Rice will be hit hard by two issues:

1) Her son is a huge Trump supporter and is advocating for his reelection.

2) Benghazi. We joke about it being a nothing burger but it clearly had an impact on Hillary's campaign in 2016. We don't need it to be an issue in 2020.

[SKKY]

27. Well, I think the GOP spent so much time pinning Benghazi on Clinton...

...that I think almost anyone else is pretty much inoculated from it. Now, about Rice's son. I had no idea.

[Trumpocalypse]

37. All the GOP has to do

is show Rice on the Sunday shows saying the Benghazi attack was caused by a video. I believe she went on several of them to do so. And then end the ad with the tag line “Can Americans trust Susan Rice?”. That will be devastating to the ticket.

[2naSalit]

28. Well, get over those things, they're red herrings.

I think calling up those topics as dis-qualifiers is BS. Her son is an adult free to make his own decisions, that he opposes her political views shows that she does not lord over his freedoms. The Benghazi thing is so small compared to what has been going on in the past three years it's hardly worth mentioning on a political stage.

Yes, I know that the low info crowd might try to make these a thing but I get the feeling the vast majority of voters will not give a rat's ass about those two puny little issues you think will be her undoing.

But keep bringing them up, I'm sure someone at fux nooz will be happy to get the ball rolling.

[Drunken Irishman]

30. No.

Sorry but I want to win this election and the #1 priority for the VP candidate is to do no harm. That's the realistic threshold for a VP candidate and the last thing we need is a VP candidate whose the story for things that aren't directly related to the campaign.

I could just see it now: "And here's Susan Rice's son on why you should not vote for her and Joe Biden..."

It's bad optics.

Biden needs to pick someone who brings something to the ticket. Rice doesn't bring anything to the ticket that Biden already doesn't bring.

[Trumpocalypse]

38. Good points

[Kahuna]

36. The factor in her favor is that she DOES HAVE some of what Biden has...

That's what a 77/78 year old president needs. No training wheels.

[GulfCoast66]

25. Respectfully I can't agree. Too easy for the republicans to recycle attacks.

I’ve wanted Biden/Harris even before Joe declared. They will win Florida. Win Florida the gig is up.

It will be the Obama coalition on steroids.

[SKKY]

34. I get your concerns, no doubt, but I think Benghazi has been sufficiently pegged to...

...HRC that I honestly believe everyone else is pretty much inoculated from it.

[Trumpocalypse]

39. Rice went on Sunday shows to say the attack

was caused by a video. She is in no way inoculated from it. That is just naive thinking.

[Awsi Dooger]

32. This site has a severely inflated view of Kamala Harris

That has been ongoing since the Kavanaugh hearings. Get rid of it. It is not the real world and potentially detrimental in 2024. We cannot afford to have another personality challenged female atop the ticket.

Harris does not come across as authentic. When her name surfaces in conversation even people who I didn't think would be familiar with Harris tend to frown and have either a negative or unimpressed reaction.

The criteria needs to be white swing voters, not our base. Persuasion will always massacre turnout in terms of relevance.

How can we be afraid of Benghazi? The voters would laugh. Didn't you insist this was the fault of someone else?

The son would be some shock value in the early days. Big deal. This choice potentially has 12 years of consequence. Susan Rice is far superior to Kamala Harris.

[USALiberal]

33. Why should I trust some of your friends? Nt

[MrsCoffee]

62. Exactly. nt

[MrsCoffee]

61. Get rid of your own attitude.

We cannot afford to switch the narrative away from Trump's failures. Benghazi, benghazi, benghazi. Fair? No, but it is what it is.

Your anecdotes aren't the real world. Harris is very authentic and connects with the people. She is gonna be VP.

Your backhanded swipe at amazing Democratic women is disturbing though. Personality challenged indeed.

[Maxheader]

40. It's taken 8 years..

For me to kinda understand Joe..I really only glimpse at the potential

vp picks..But they need to be smart ..common sense and for the people.

Imho...

[Mr. Ected]

41. Susan Rice will be our next Secretary of State

And after the pummeling of our allies by the Trump administration over the past 4 years, we need a SoS that will rebuild bridges and mend fences. Who else but Ms. Rice?

Sorry, but Benghazi will be a thorn in her side - and our side - for time immemorial amongst the propagandists on the right. Remember that Hillary's emails were enough to convince many independents to vote for Trump. We don't need to take that chance, especially now. We need to WIN. Then let Joe stock his cabinet with the finest talents in the most efficacious positions. No elections wherein the candidate is subjected to lies and accusations, just appointees. Then they can scream BENGHAZI all they want, it'll be too late.

[DFW]

48. The VP candidate we need is whomever Biden thinks he is most comfprtable with

This is not a McCain/Palin desperation choice forced by time constraints. Joe Biden is vetting a roster of candidates, and will have talked to all of them extensively by the time he makes his choice. He will have consulted exhaustively about the pros and cons of each of them by the time next month rolls around, and will have consulted extensively as well with Obama about the process that led to his own (very successful) choice as VP. I have my preferences among the choices left (I, too, would not have made the gender limitation, but I'm not the nominee, either). But as long as it's neither Kamala Harris nor Elizabeth Warren, I can live with any of the others.

[In It to Win It]

50. I feel like if Biden chooses Rice, they would make Benghazi an issue again

[NNguyenMD]

52. VP Picks rarely change the course of an election, usually

Which is why candidates by and large go with who they want to partner with the next 4-8 years.



Bush picking Cheney did not have strategic electoral value. John Kerry picking John Edwards is the most recent Democratic nominee making a strategic move with the VP pick. That went nowhere.

Obama picking Biden was based on chemistry, mutual understanding and respect. Did not move the needle as far is the polls.

McCain picking Palin was a strategic move that fell on it's face, his team should have been smarter about getting. It generated some news headlines, but did not stop him from getting trounced by Obama in Indiana of all places.

Romney picking Paul Ryan is characteristic of Mitt Romney, uninspiring and bland. Did not get him any closer to winning Wisconsin in 2012.

Trump picking Pence I would say was strategic in shoring up the evangelical vote. I am not sure if it was the deciding factor and what happened in Michigan, Pennsylvania, Florida and Wisconsin.

Hillary picking Tim Kaine was not a strategic move to move the polls in any particular region. She chose him because she wanted him to be her VP because she respected him and enjoyed working with him. Would it had been any different had it been Elizabeth Warren or Bernie Sanders? Possibly, I am not sure. But there were many other factors that lead to her loss that is better left to another post.

So my guess is that Joe is going to see that his coalition holds together regardless of who he picks, and will go with who will support his agenda and who he can work with and trust.

[tritsofme]

57. Can't agree, I don't think she would be a good choice.

Aside from the sideshows of Benghazi and her son, she is not well known nationally (except for controversy), has no natural constituency, and no real experience in domestic policy. Biden doesn’t need a running mate to shore up his foreign policy gravitas, it is already one of his greatest strengths.

I think Kamala Harris or Tammy Duckworth would both make much stronger candidates.

[Highway61]

58. I'm with ya!

eom

[Sancho]

59. Susan Rice is a great asset, but not for VP or President...

...at least that's my view.

There's plenty of room in a Democratic administration for talent, and Rice will be there.

[grizzyboy]

60. I'd still go with Warren.

Get that progressive bloc down

[SKKY]

64. I get the appeal, but let me ask you a question...

...do you think Warren will bring out the over 1 million Obama 2012 voters who stayed home in 2016? I'm not sure. I say that with full awareness that I probably align with Warren more than any other candidate. But, the pragmatist in me tells me we need to get back to baseline, and then move forward to a more progressive agenda once things have cooled down. Plus, we have a lot of work to do to rebuild our relationships overseas. Susan Rice, as VP, is well equipped to handle that.

[bdamomma]

66. Presidential Biden

VP pick is supposed in August.