Thoughts on Tammy Duckworth as VP?

[Music Man]

Decorated veteran. Her sacrifice for this country is well known.
Daughter of an immigrant.
Experience in the House and Senate.
Extremely well-spoken and intelligent.
Good on all the important Democratic issues: Health care, gun safety, abortion rights, smart foreign policies.

Heck, Joe Biden has had good luck running with people from Illinois I know some people will say we don't need Illinois, but I don't believe geography matters much. Bush didn't need Wyoming when he selected Cheney. Obama didn't need Delaware. On the other hand, Kerry lost North Carolina despite having Edwards on the ticket. Romney lost Wisconsin despite having Paul Ryan. I think victories depend ultimately on the overall narrative the ticket creates and the environment surrounding the election.

Biden-Duckworth does have a good ring to it.

[Aristus]

1. 100% behind it.

She'll be an excellent choice.

[Arazi]

2. She's my 1st choice

[HDSam]

3. Duckworth

is my preferred VP candidate.

[whistler162]

4. Don't forget she is also a

a descendant of someone who fought in the American Revolutionary War.

[Music Man]

6. Not if you ask Mark Kirk! :)

Quite possibly the dumbest remark I've heard on a debate stage, and that's saying something.

[Progressive Jones]

5. She'd be great, seriously, but as an Illinoisan, I say, "No Way! She's Ours!" LOL nt

[ProfessorGAC]

22. But, Congressionally A Safe Pick

Pritzker would appoint a D to fulfill the balance of her term.
So, the Senate dems are at no risk of losing ground.

[Progressive Jones]

48. Great point. OK, we'll give her up for the good of the nation. NT

[struggle4progress]

7. I like it

[tritsofme]

8. I see no possible downside, she would be very strong.

[JHB]

9. I'm still leery of a sitting senator giving up her seat

This applies to all the potentials.

[jcgoldie]

16. No worries about that in Illinois

I love Duckworth and she would be a great choice but my first choice right now is Val Demings.

[Blue_true]

46. A democratic governor, backed by a democratic Legistlature, would replace her.

[Music Man]

10. Not to reduce someone to just a list of characteristics,

But I believe it is also important for Americans to see people with disabilities in leadership roles. Not since Franklin Roosevelt have we seen an American leader use a wheelchair. Many institutions are terrible on accessibility, and it will be nice to see this issue become front and center.

[druidity33]

17. Not to mention a new mom! K&R, nt.

[SheltieLover]

19. Very true!

And I wonder whether veterans would vote for her on ticket, or do the "I'd never vote for no woooooman?"

[Calma]

55. Yes

I'd vote for a woman, and there are a lot of left veterans.

[Dream Girl]

11. That would be a great way to encourage African American turn and regard black women for all

They’ve done for the party.

[Music Man]

23. Yeah, the hell with Asian-Americans, right?

Tammy Duckworth expands representation. As a person of color and the daughter of an immigrant, her selection absolutely fulfills the values of the Democratic Party and honors a group that is marginalized.

I would love to have presidents who are black, Hispanic, gay, atheist, female, and on and on. But you get only two people on a ticket, so not every quality gets to be represented every time.

Biden's African-American options are Kamala Harris, Stacey Abrams, and Val Demings. They all have pros and cons. Kamala Harris has baggage as a prosecutor and may reinforce a perception that the Democratic Party is "coastal." Stacey Abrams has never won a statewide election. Val Demings hasn't either, is still new to politics, and has her own questions to answer with regards to police brutality during her time as Orlando Police Chief.

I love them all, but Biden's top priority is a woman who is prepared to do the job on day one, and that may not be Harris, Abrams, or Demings in his mind. It may be, but I'm sure he's not going to select an African-American candidate simply to pander. He will do what's right in his heart and what's right for the federal government.

[Dream Girl]

28. So a black candidate is pandering? They are "not qualified " I've heard before

I would prefer an African American woman. I’m not crazy about the military back either. Biden would be nuts to chose Tammy. Talk about a slap in the face to the most reliable, loyal group of Democratic votes. Duckworth would depress African American turnout and we would see a repeat of 2016.

[Music Man]

37. I didn't say selecting a black woman in itself is pandering.

Stop putting words in my mouth.

Biden said his number one priority is selecting someone who is ready to go on day one. From my outside perspective, and in my extremely humble opinion, the only African-American woman in the conversation who meets that benchmark is Kamala Harris. I just don't see it with Abrams or Demings.

Thus, for Biden to choose someone whom he believes is not ready or a good fit with him but who is African-American would, indeed, be pandering. John McCain tried a stunt with Sarah Palin, who was not ready for a national campaign let alone the presidency, and it backfired spectacularly.

And no, I'm not comparing Harris, et al, to Sarah Palin. I'm comparing the concept of selecting someone ill-suited for the vice presidency when it contradicts with the candidate's own stated priorities.

Also, I can't tell if your concern is that you want African-American representation or you're concerned about turnout. Because Joe Biden has not had a problem with African-American turnout. Thus, there may be other qualities he's wanting to balance. There's no way you can argue, empirically, that Duckworth would "depress" African-American turnout.

Finally, in reference to your other comment, saying "Tammy Duckworth--wtf?" is so far off base. She had two legs blown out of the sky. She has kicked ass in her congressional and Senate races. She has been a major player in the past several years, from media appearances to convention speeches to work on lots of legislation, working at the state and federal levels, etc. To talk about Duckworth with a tone of "Where the hell did this person come from?" is bizarre.

[Dream Girl]

38. Kamala was Distric Attaney in SF, Attorney General for the State of California and has been in

senate for 4 years. I know Tammy was a war hero but that is not qualifying for me.

[Progressive Jones]

49. Harris is my choice. Duckworth is great. She's a great Senator for my State.

Harris has very valuable legal and legislative experience.

[marmar]

40. But I would argue that Kamala Harris has a much higher profile than Duckworth.

And would be better on a debate stage.

[PunkinPi]

59. Kamala Harris is the daughter of a South Asian immigrant. nt

[oasis]

33. Biden vowed to nominate an AA woman to the Supreme Court. That

position holds at least equal prestige and is a lifetime appointment.

[Dream Girl]

35. I feel like people are tying themselves in knots to argue against a black, female VP.

Tammy Duckwork? wtf.?

[oasis]

36. I never got the impression anyone here is arguing against a black

female VP. Sen. Duckworth is not my first choice but there are many positives in her favor.

[Arazi]

42. She's a WOC (and disabled). Wtf?

[Dream Girl]

56. I think you're playing dumb

[BannonsLiver]

52. What's wrong with Duckworth?

[aeromanKC]

12. 4th choice

Harris, Demings, Grishom

[Miigwech]

13. She would be a great choice. Poor Biden, so many great women

to have to choose from .... when he can only choose one! I am sure Biden is having a really hard time about now. He will make the right choice in the end.

[kimbutgar]

14. I like her and when she is attacked by the classless MF45 it will piss off the military and horrify

More people.

[shenmue]

15. Maybe

[Freddie]

18. Excellent choice

Shoots down their BS about Dems not being “patriotic” or “serving our country”.

[Dream Girl]

29. You mean like John Kerry?

[SMC22307]

20. Trump thinks he has the military vote sewn up. I would LOVE...

for him to be crushed by Duckworth.

[OutfWatr]

21. Tammy Duckworth as VP

I see the downside. Tammy brings no votes, virtually unknown outside her state. Same problem Hillary had with Tim Kaine. Everyone I know when he was announced as running mate: "Who?" Took me awhile to remember his name. The wisest choice is someone who *adds* millions of votes. National recognition. Warren brings the progressives and Bernie votes, millions that weren't there for Hillary in 2016. This I believed was best choice to bring in votes. Now there is a lot of pressure to choose a black woman. Harris would be great as AG, as would Warren. Stacey Abrams, perhaps, she has energy, dont know how many recognize her. But I wouldn't be asking "who"?

[BannonsLiver]

53. It won't be Warren

We’re not going to willingly surrender a senate seat in a year we may take it back. It’s a tough break, but that’s the reality of it. She would be a fine choice.

[Celerity]

24. she would be great

[essme]

25. Demings and Duckworth

are my top two choices-- I would love either one of them.

[grantcart]

26. As a family of Thai Americans we are proud of Sen. Duckworth but

The times are calling for Senator Harris to be the VP.

She is a stronger campaigner and more ready to be VP.

The country is begging to wash the stench of the civil war, the Confederacy, Jim Crow and every thing related to the legacy of slavery away.

Harris can help move that along like no other candidate.

I really can't see anyone but Harris at this point.

[Dream Girl]

32. Val Demmings might be even better in that regard. A daughter of the South

Blue class background. Her dad was a janitor. Kamala is the daughter of a Jamaican and Indian immigrant. Nothing wrong with that but don’t really speak to the the legacy of slavery thing. African Americans have constantly being leaped frogged by immigrant..even black immigrants from African and Caribbean, even Obama lack American American heritage those he passed. It seemed African American women are truly the bottom of heap.

[grantcart]

43. Are you suggesting that Dr. Donald Harris didn't descend from slavery?

I am not aware of any non slavery migration of Africans to Jamaica where even the indigenous population was forced into slavery.

[Dream Girl]

50. He not grow up under Jim Crow segregation in the Jim Crow south

[grantcart]

63. So you are not only discounting the slavery legacy of millions of black

Americans whose family migrated from places like Jamaica, Haiti, and other places but also all of the legacy for those who (like both Pres and Mrs Obama) didn't grow up under "Jim Crow segregation". Gotcha. California, Illinois, New Jersey, none of these count either, right?

[PunkinPi]

65. +1 nt

[iamateacher]

27. She's my #1

She is very qualified.

[ananda]

30. No problem at all!

Tammy would be great!

[bluecollar2]

31. Prefer her as Sec. Def....n/t

[Trumpocalypse]

34. Biden helped shore up Pennsylvania

Which the Obama was very worried about at the time.

Duckworth would be a great VP. But not sure she would excite African American turnout.

[Arazi]

41. Why wouldn't she? She's a WOC

[nsd]

44. She's not African American.

[Trumpocalypse]

47. Exactly!

[maximusveritas]

51. So we have to have an African American on the ticket from now on?

This kind of thinking is just wrong in so many ways.
For one, it is insulting to African American voters to say we are pandering to them and consider them to be so racist that they won't vote for someone who is not the same race as them.
The Presidential primary showed that isn't true as they supported Biden over African American candidates.
To dismiss a candidate because of their race is racist.

[Trumpocalypse]

58. Yes

African Americans did not come in the same numbers they did in 16 that they did for Obama in the 2 previous elections. That is a fact.

[PunkinPi]

62. It's about maximizing turnout and realizing representation matters.

Poll: Black woman running mate favored for Vice President Biden

African-Americans say they will be more enthusiastic about voting for Joe Biden if he selects an African-American woman as his running mate for vice president, according to a new survey conducted by Northwestern University’s Center for the Study of Diversity and Democracy (CSDD).

The online survey, conducted May 27-31, interviewed more than 2,600 African-Americans about their views of the 2020 presidential election and their preferences for Biden to select an African-American woman as his running mate.

“The reality for Biden is that he needs to do everything that he can to maximize African-American turnout and selecting an African-American woman as his running mate looks like a big step in that direction.”

https://news.northwestern.edu/stories/2020/06/poll-black-woman-running-mate-favored-for-vice-president-biden/

Voters Increasingly Likely to Prioritize a Person of Color as Biden’s VP Pick

Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden is facing more pressure to pick a woman of color as his vice presidential running mate as racial issues rise to the forefront amid nationwide demonstrations for the increasingly popular Black Lives Matter movement.

A new Morning Consult/Politico poll found 29 percent of registered voters said it was very or somewhat important for Biden to pick a person of color as his vice presidential nominee, up 7 percentage points from an April survey, while the share who said it was not important fell 5 points to 48 percent. Both polls surveyed roughly 2,000 registered voters each, with 2-point margins of error.

The shift was not driven by black voters, as roughly 2 in 5 already prioritized putting a person of color on the ticket. Rather, white voters have become more likely to say it’s important for Biden to pick someone who isn’t white — with that number rising 7 points to 26 percent since the April 10-12 poll.

Biden has already pledged to choose a woman to join his ticket, and has faced calls to pick a black running mate. The list of potential choices is said to include Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) and Rep. Val Demings (D-Fla.), as well as Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and her fellow Georgia Democrat, Stacey Abrams.

The protests sparked by the alleged murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer last month have increased that pressure. Aimee Allison, founder and president of She the People, a group that advocates for women of color in politics, said the moment begs for a black woman’s leadership.

“Joe Biden needs to inspire historic turnout among communities of color to win in November and needs a police accountability and racial justice champion on the ticket,” she said in an email. “It is clear that a Black woman on the ticket is not only strategic for the campaign, but is the missing link in guiding the country through this crisis.”

http://morningconsult.com/2020/06/10/biden-running-mate-black-lives-matter-polling/

[mentalsolstice]

39. As a person with a disability, we often sit on the sidelines!

My heart breaks every time I see racism, homophobia, and sexism. However, as a minority group, we’re left out of political discussions. Yes, we suffer at the hands of law enforcement and the justice system. We’re underemployed and the education system fails us. And I don’t want to get into accessibility or hiring practices. The whole vote by mail debate affects us greatly. Although I’m ambulatory there’s no way I could stand in line like Georgians did yesterday.

Persons with disabilities are and will always be the forgotten minority group, no matter the color of our skin, gender, and sexual orientation.

And within our group there’s a pecking order in terms of why you’re disabled.

I’ll just leave the discussion here.

[Blue_true]

45. She would be a solid choice. nt

[BannonsLiver]

54. From my POV they all come with some negatives

Warren would mean giving a senate seat to the GOP.

Demings is a former police chief which could play both ways with some people at this point.

Harris for whatever reason didn’t connect with black voters in the primary but also seems like the best long term play as a successor to Biden among the group being considered.

I don’t believe Abrams meets Biden’s criteria for being ready to be president on Day 1.

Duckworth isn’t a dynamic speaker.

That said, she’s got a great story, has been a pretty vicious critic of Dump and is a POC. In short she’s as good a choice as any of them.

[muriel_volestrangler]

57. She would be great, but the "ring" that "Biden-Duckworth" has in the UK

is, for entirely unrelated reasons, slightly comic:

Tony Lewis: Cricket statistician of the Duckworth-Lewis method dies aged 78

Tony Lewis, the mathematician and statistician who co-devised what became known as the Duckworth-Lewis method for settling weather-affected limited-overs matches, has died at the age of 78.
...
Around the same time, an Irish pop group formed by Neil Hannon of The Divine Comedy and Thomas Walsh of Pugwash - calling themselves The Duckworth Lewis Method - released two cricket-themed concept albums in 2009 and 2013.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/52134570

Any pairing of 'Duckworth' with another name is going to conjure this up with any cricket fan.

[raccoon]

60. Sure works for me! NT

[Vinca]

61. I really like her, but I'm leaning more toward Val Demings at this point. She seems

to be the right person at the right time. Trump plans to do his law and order schtick in the campaign and slobber all over the cops. How can he use it as a talking point with Demings who was a police chief? That, of course, isn't the only reason. She's incredibly smart and knows the problems we're dealing with right now inside and out and from both sides. I could support Duckworth as Sec. Def., but in all honesty we need all the senators we can get and I wouldn't want to lose her there. Nothing happens if we don't have a majority in the Senate.

[Happy Hoosier]

64. She'd be a great choice, if she wants it, and...

If it wasn’t basically a lock that Biden is gonna pick a black woman.