So, who will be Bernie's running mate?

[TheCowsCameHome]

The more I see and hear of him, the more I like him.

I think this guy is the real deal.

[TheNutcracker]

1. he sure is the real deal. votets know it too

[bvar22]

2. Elizabeth Warren?

What a Dream Team, but
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
...we couldn't afford to loose both of them from the Senate.

[mythology]

5. I think selecting Warren runs the risk of appealling to the same demographics

They are both good with getting the liberal wing of the Democratic party, but I would probably opt for somebody like Julian Castro or maybe Cory Booker.

I want to clarify that I don't think Sanders has a legitimate problem with minority voters who currently are supporting Clinton's campaign, but to win in the general election we need to maintain both the turnout and the margin of victory with minority voters. Not that nominating a minority is a surefire way to get their vote (see Palin, Sarah not turning out women voters for the McCain campaign), but it would I think help to energize those constituencies and be able to help bridge the current gap between the policies he's campaigning on and how those policies could be useful for helping raise the socio-economic status of minority groups.

Conversely, I think Clinton would be better served with a VP like Warren to help with her trouble among the more liberal wing of the party. Again, not that I think she wouldn't get the majority of that voting bloc, but she also needs to be aware of maintaining the Democratic enthusiasm that Obama tapped into for margins.

Of course being from Massachusetts, I don't exactly want to lose Warren from the Senate as we somehow wound up with Scott Brown for a couple of years.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

28. Castro fine, but please not Booker.

Booker seems to be a great guy in general, but politically reminds me of Harold Ford.

[appalachiablue]

38. Castro has been mentioned lots by HRC fans here lately, so he may be taken. Heard he's gone DLC,

but don't know if that's true. I was stressing the importance of him on the 2016 ticket last winter but few agreed then. Booker has much charisma and smarts, but is Private Equity, WS.

[Maedhros]

32. Booker is far too Third Way. [n/t]

[appalachiablue]

37. Yes, private equity, finance. Julian Castro has been mentioned much by Hillary followers lately.

And I've read he's gone DLC but don't know if that's true. Odd, b/c I was stressing how it was impt. for him to be on the ticket for 2016 several months ago, but few agreed then. I'd like to see Rep. Barbara Lee of CA, for one.

[awoke_in_2003]

20. No. If we lose Sanders in the Senate

Warren will still be needed there. We don't need a Corpadem taking her place

[dirtydickcheney]

3. Sherrod Brown... obviously I'd like Elizabeth Warren

But if she didn't want to run for President I just don't see her wanting to become VP.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

29. Waste of Brown.

Really, we don't need to strip the Senate of multiple good Dems at once. Grab someone from the House or a mayor or ex-governor or somesuch.

[JaneyVee]

4. Barbara Lee, definitely.

[TM99]

6. I agree.

She would be an awesome choice!

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

31. Yup.

While I don't think Bernie is going to keel over, he is of an advanced age, and I really do want him to have a VP I'd be comfortable with having as President if something did happen to Bernie. Lee would do nicely.

[Luminous Animal]

9. Aren't you a Hillary supporter? Because Barbara Lee (one of political heroes) is the anti-Hillary in

so many ways.

[JaneyVee]

19. I'm a Bernie supporter and Hillary defender.

I will enthusiastically vote for whoever the Dem nominee is. I don't view politics as Bernie vs. Hillary, I am firmly anti-Republican party. Republicans are the enemy. We are lucky to have such great candidates, and may the best candidate win.

[Trajan]

34. I appreciate your sentiments on this thread

I guess it is best for me to just shut up ...

((( slinks away quietly, confused, but in a good way, I think )))

[MuseRider]

27. I also think she would be

a wonderful choice.

[ram2008]

7. I know it won't happen, but I'd like to see Huntsman

A republican who should actually be a Democrat.

Solid executive experience as Governor of Utah and left office with >75% approval rating

Pro same sex marriage, immigration reform and recognizes the need to combat climate change.

Worked under President Obama as ambassador to China.

Solid fiscal record, brought prosperity to his state.


And he also seems like a decent, down to earth guy with a nice family. Would definitely send a message that the campaign isn't about party but about getting things done for the people again. Not to mention it would make Republican heads explode, and would certainly take away from the 'radical socialist' label thats been thrown around. Electorally, this pick would probably be the best.

Realistically though if Sanders did somehow manage to get the nomination he would probably go with O'Malley, Webb or Clinton.

[Luminous Animal]

10. What kind of immigration reform? And were does he stand on Social Security? Single payer?

[ram2008]

13. Not sure where he stands on Single payer

I'm sure he's probably against Single as are most politicians including Obama and Clinton.

Here are his positions on immigration, pretty moderate and inoffensive:

http://www.ontheissues.org/2012/Jon_Huntsman_Immigration.htm

[Luminous Animal]

14. Actually. As a candidate against Hillary, Obama acknowledge that single payer was

the best option.

[ram2008]

15. Interesting

He should've started off with single payer on hisHealthcare reform, maybe then we would've been negotiated down to a public option instead of the mandate.

[bvar22]

21. That is ironic,

because Obama passed Hillary's Plan for Health Insurance Reform.... Mandate to purchase private Insurance for every American with NO Public Option.

Do you remember the debate where Obama eviscerated Hillary's "Health Care Plan" and explained WHY mandates do NOT work, and the need of a Public Option "to keep them (Insurance Cos) honest"?

Obama: "If mandates worked, all we would have to do is mandate that everyone buys a house
to end the homeless problem."[i/]

[elleng]

12. Governor O'Malley has all the attributes you listed for Huntsman.

O'Malley's MY preferred nominee this time around, and I'd HOPED the repugs would have gone with Huntsman in the past to let us see a rational repug.

I don't see clinton taking the second chair to Senator Sanders, but I could be wrong.

[appalachiablue]

39. For SoS maybe?

[Luminous Animal]

8. I want Barbara Lee. BrotherIvan suggested her and they are a great fit.

Barbara Lee is not in my district but she is across the Bay and I donate to her campaign every time she runs. She and Bernie have campaigned together on issues (I was lucky enough to catch them at the SF Library). They are a great fit ideologically and temperamentally.

She is brave and true and consistent.

[BrotherIvan]

16. +1 Barbara LEE!!!!

A woman with integrity and guts. She would be such a wonderful running mate and could bring a giant state for Democrats (though there isn't much problem with that).

[bvar22]

22. +2

Barbara Lee was the ONLY vote (NO) against Invading & Occupying Afghanistan
to catch a handful of Saudi criminals camping out on some Warlord's land.

At the time I thought, "Well, at least we have one."

[BrotherIvan]

24. Her integrity is a great light in the political system

And since I think the primary will come down to honesty and integrity, she is the perfect choice.

[BrotherIvan]

25. I can't take credit for it

I think it was Sabrina who mentioned her name first! Perfect.

[Maedhros]

33. Barbara Lee would be great! [n/t]

[sadoldgirl]

11. If Jill Stein became a Democrat I think

that she would be a great fit as well. We share much more
with the Greens than with the third way.

[lovemydog]

17. It's rare but not unprecedented for a candidate

to announce a running mate before winning the nomination. I can't remember who has done it in the past, hopefully some good minds here can cite some examples.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

35. There was a lot of speculation in 2007 in DU about running mates

[lovemydog]

42. Yes, it's fun to speculate.

I'm sure he'd pick someone great. Barbara Lee would be amazing. There's other outstanding choices too.

I'm just wondering if there's any historical precedent for picking a running mate during the campaign. For an underdog it could be a dramatic move that could shake things up.

[JI7]

18. Grayson or Kucinich

[bvar22]

23. Feingold?

I would like that.

[99Forever]

26. Feingold, first choice for me.

Grayson, second. Al Franken, third. (Although I would hate to not have him as our Senator.)

[arcane1]

30. Obama? Hillary?

[Trajan]

36. I cannot believe nobody had mentioned him

But Robert Reich would be very suitable from a political perspective ... But, he had the same problem as Warren - two Bernie Sanders liberals may not have the synergism that a slightly different candidate might have ...

Nevertheless, Warren, Reich, Lee, O'Malley ... I like them all ...

[greendog]

40. Yoko Ono?

[jmowreader]

44. Not eligible. You have to be a natural-born citizen, and she's naturalized

[greendog]

46. OK, maybe Bill Kreutzmann or Jim Nabors?

[jmowreader]

47. Are they active in politics?

[greendog]

48. I'm sure they watch it on TV.

[RobertEarl]

41. O'Malley or Webb

They are in the game. Clinton even.

[zappaman]

43. Steve. n/t

[jmowreader]

45. How about Steve Beshear?

Steve Beshear is governor of Kentucky, and a centrist Democrat.

He is pro-coal, which kills him in a lot of our eyes - but coal is a major employer in Kentucky so his support for it almost goes without saying. He is also pro-green energy, pro-choice, EXTREMELY pro-Obamacare (google Kynect), good on jobs, good on guns, and able to win elections in red states. I think he's our guy, if he'll do it.

http://www.ontheissues.org/Steve_Beshear.htm

[MineralMan]

49. One thing at a time. First, he has to win primaries.

Nobody announces running mates this early.