Blog Credo

The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary.

H.L. Mencken

Saturday, August 8, 2020

Veepstakes and 2024

David Greenberg notes the history of Vice Presidential selections tends to lean heavily towards winning the election. Because of his age and own experience Biden wants a ready out of the box vice who can take the job immediately. There have been some terrible political calculations - Andrew Johnson remains my choice as worst non-Trump president - and Biden seems unlikely to pluck Karen Bass, as an example, just to win over Berners. Whitmer hasn't been governor long, but then Harris hasn't been in the Senate long. Lance Bottoms has only been mayor for a short while.  Warren probably has the thickest resume. Although picking Hillary Clinton would be hilarious.

The broader question is whether Biden is considering ruling himself out for re-election in 2024. I personally think it will depend on the electoral landscape, but I wouldn't rule out him stepping down BEFORE 2024 if the virus is under control, the economy is surging and peace rules foreign affairs. Let Harris or Warren or Whitmer or Rice benefit from incumbency.

Apparently, he's made his decision, so that will help us figure out his plans for re-election (should he win in November). 

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