If Sanders wins the nomination, I don't see how his VP can be anyone but Warren. [View all]

[Music Man]

I have a few reasons for my thinking:

1. The Sanders movement has garnered an atmosphere of ideological purity. Nothing in Sanders' nature tells me his tack will be to pick a moderate to "balance the ticket" but someone who at least approximates his policies (i.e. Warren). Sanders' centerpiece proposals (namely, Medicare for All) are departures from the typical Democratic platform, and I can't envision him choosing a running mate who has been directly critical of his most distinctive ideas.

2. Similarly, Sanders would be 79 when elected, and whether we want to think about it or not, the possibility of him dying or becoming incapacitated in office is quite real. Someone of Sanders' politics being elected is rare, and I am confident he and his advisers want someone of similar thinking to carry out his work. Though Warren would be 71, it is a difference, and she more than anyone else has the shared philosophy, smarts, and government experience to fight for his agenda.

3. After Hillary Clinton's loss, and after nearly 250 years of male chief executives, I think there would be disappointment with an all-male ticket. You can't have *every* minority group represented in a group of two candidates, but two white men would feel like a step backward. I could see Julian Castro being considered (he was anyway with Clinton). Some discussion of Stacey Abrams, as well, from many people, but I have a hard time seeing people getting excited about someone who just lost their last race.

4. Above all, Warren is a strong, quick-witted fighter, with progressive bonafides. The prospect of her going head-to-head with Mike Pence would be exciting. She is a pick that would fire up Democrats.

Reasonable minds can disagree, of course. Other qualified VP's are out there, and there is undoubtedly the charges of "most liberal ticket ever" with which to contend. But when I think most logically, I don't see how it can be anyone other than Warren.