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CTyankee

(63,771 posts)
Thu May 21, 2020, 09:17 PM May 2020

I keep coming back to Witmer and Susan Rice...

for Biden's vp pick: Witmer for her obvious governing skills and midwestern appeal and Rice because of her outstanding past service in foreign policy and being possibly the first female African American to succeed to the presidency. Either would outstanding.

So which is the better choice, given where we are now and given that we cannot know what lies ahead in the campaign?

14 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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SMC22307

(8,088 posts)
1. I think Whitmer's plate is a little full.
Thu May 21, 2020, 09:24 PM
May 2020

Pandemic, economic collapse, Flint, dams bursting, evacuations. But who knows.

CTyankee

(63,771 posts)
2. Yes, you are right. She can't leave her people in such distress. We wouldn't want a VP and possible
Thu May 21, 2020, 09:39 PM
May 2020

president to do that...

SMC22307

(8,088 posts)
4. That's how I look at it. It's going to take a lonnnng time...
Thu May 21, 2020, 09:42 PM
May 2020

for Michigan to recover and I don't see her leaving her post. But again, who knows how it will go. Rice worries because it will be Benghazi! 24/7. I'd rather just start with as clean a slate as possible...

Bradshaw3

(7,455 posts)
5. Susan Rice is great, but ...
Thu May 21, 2020, 09:45 PM
May 2020

... she's never run for office before as far as I know. She's smart, experienced, and has shown she can talk to the average voter. But it might be taking a chance with someone who has not been in the fray before.

CTyankee

(63,771 posts)
6. But she did have to make decisions in how she handled her job with the Obama Administration...
Fri May 22, 2020, 08:28 AM
May 2020

as National Security Advisor and ambassador to the UN. That's a pretty impressive resume, IMO.

Nobody running for president for the first time has had experience as a President (excepting those who became president the first time due to death of the president). But we know that our team will have a good a candidate as possible (in terms of past experience close to the presidency).

Another point worth considering: She reminds people of the Obama Administration, those days when we felt safe and not afraid because of a President whose lunacy is on display every single day he is in office. In normal times that wouldn't be as stark as it is now.

I think it's really down to the sanity issue, one we didn't have to deal with before but do now...

Bradshaw3

(7,455 posts)
7. My point wasn't that she isn't qualified
Fri May 22, 2020, 12:37 PM
May 2020

As I said she is great and of course she is qualified. My point was that she has never run for office and that requires a different set set of skills that she may or may not possess. As 2016 showed, the most qualified person does not always win.

CTyankee

(63,771 posts)
9. 2016 was then and this is now. I think people are scared to death of what crazy thing Trump will
Fri May 22, 2020, 01:02 PM
May 2020

do next. I thought Bush was bad but I didn't think he'd be as scary, bad as he was. Trump is insane.

I agree with you about ordinary times like 2016, but Trump is a mortal threat and yes, a cool head with good decision making skills is what everybody but the most rabid fringe want.

Bradshaw3

(7,455 posts)
13. Your points don't relate to what I posted
Fri May 22, 2020, 03:05 PM
May 2020

Being a cool head in a cabinet meeting is not the same as being on the campaign trail. That is all I'm saying - that running as a candidate is different than serving as an official. It's just as simple as that.

And your point about what people want or that 2016 will definitely be different certainly isn't proven. Come November the results may very well be similar to 2016 and we need every vote we can get. I prefer someone whom we KNOW has successfully run and won an election.

CTyankee

(63,771 posts)
14. Well, I was saying that it is my belief that lots of voters are scared shitless so your point, while
Fri May 22, 2020, 08:05 PM
May 2020

well taken in normal times, might not be on top of voters minds this election. I could be wrong but that is my belief.

I agree with you that we need every vote and can't take anything for granted. I think the Dems need to be seen as rational and not erratic, given the awesome powers that the President has. The closest parallel I can see is the Goldwater candidacy when "In your heart you know he's right" became "in your guts you know he's nuts."

CTyankee

(63,771 posts)
10. my husband predicts it will be her. I just love her and you are right about her being smart. But
Fri May 22, 2020, 01:04 PM
May 2020

she's not had a lot of experience at higher levels of government. May not be a bad thing but I think this is not her time.


But my husband has excellent political predictive skills so there's that...

CTyankee

(63,771 posts)
12. I thinkk people trust her. She has a level head and a way of talking that doesn't take the top of
Fri May 22, 2020, 01:42 PM
May 2020

your head off...people need a calm, steady person in charge...

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