THE PRAIRIE EDITOR: Kamala

Having recently admitted to readers that my track record
for predicting vice presidential nominees has been
hit-and-miss, I find that my guess for this cycle was, early
and often, the right one --- California junior Senator Kamala
Harris ---and I think my reasoning for it was correct, i.e,
she was the only “safe” choice.

Once Joe Biden pledged to pick a “woman of color,” all roads
for his decision led to Ms. Harris. More than a dozen other
figures came up in the process, including a few non-black
women, but once it seemed that Biden was leading in most
polls, the need for a surprise “Hail Mary” running mate
evaporated. The remaining major stumbling block was
compatibility, and that seems to have been resolved in part
by the good relationship Senator Harris had years ago with
Mr. Biden’s favored son Beau who is now deceased.

Ms. Harris was not the favorite of any single group or wing
in her party, but was the person least opposed by all the
factions, and having been, briefly, herself a serious presidential
candidate, most easily answered the prime 2020 question of
who voters would most accept having the stature to assume the
presidency if it were necessary.

After that question, the vice presidential choice recedes in
most presidential elections, and that now seems likely again
in November, 2020.

Senator Harris is smart, sharp-tongued (as Biden knows, once
notably having been her target), and will do the vice presidential
candidate tasks required. She brings no geographical advantage
since California overwhelmingly votes Democratic. For the next
week or so, her record in office and personal vulnerabilities
will be examined. Then attention will return back to the
presidential candidates.

There is at least one “but” in his traditional process. It goes  
back to the prime 2020 vice presidential question: Does the
nominee convince voters she could adequately assume the
presidency if it is necessary?

Kamala Harris has less than three months to answer that
key question.

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Copyright (c) 2020 by Barry Casselman. All rights reserved.