BIDEN VEEP?

While Biden isn't yet the nominee, people are already talking about who he might tap for his vice president. There are a few schools of thought:

1. Do No Harm
This says pick a nice boring centrist--someone no one will disagree with--like maybe Tim Kaine again? Someone younger without any serious baggage and and without any serious upside. The thinking here is (a) no one votes based on the bottom of the ticket (b) given Biden's age, you want someone who can take over the job without being scary, and (c) Biden has something of a glide-path so it's his game to lose. Don't lose it by picking Sarah Palin.

2. Unity Ticket!
The Democrats are ripped asunder--or almost asunder. If Biden trounces Bernie then you need to extend an olive branch to the Bernouts! Or ELSE!! The Omnivore has been told it--or else. If you think that BernieOrBust guys won't vote for you without someone they lurve on the ticket--then give them, well, Sanders? Or someone a lot like Sanders. Maybe they'll come back to the fold!

3. Historic Making
Pick someone like Stacy Abrams (a black woman) who would be a historic first, well positioned (not so much, but hey) for 2024, and so on. This would theoretically add excitement to the campaign! Of course it's also a (Sarah Palin) risk if you pick based on criteria of historical first instead of solid credentials.

The Picks!!
Herein The Omnivore gives you some VEEP-PICKS to chew on. Chew, reader--CHEW!!!

Stacy Abrams or Kamala Harris - Picking a woman POC is probably Biden's best choice since it "makes good" on the Obama coalition promise (that Biden is kinda-sorta like having Obama back a very, very little bit). In any event, both of them are state-level politicians for real states (unlike, uh, Alaska) so they are not wild-ass bizarre choices. It is very likely that Kamala Harris knows who won World War II, for example.

BERNIE SANDERS --AND-- ELIZABETH WARREN!! Okay, he can't really pick them both--but what if Sanders divorced his wife . . . married Elizabeth Warren . . . and then promised to have her at every public gathering??? Or what if he just picked Sanders? Or just Warren??

Uh--no. Firstly while picking Sanders isn't the "better get a food-taster" choice that any Republican picking Ted Cruz would be, Sanders is no-how, no-way going to play second Banana to anyone. Warren is the kind of pick that people who think they know a lot about politics but really don't would choose. Yes: she . . . sort of mends fences . . . but not really. Sanders voters won't be swayed by her--and while Warren would be fantastic in the Veep debate, it isn't clear what besides that she brings to the table.

Klobuchar or Mayor Pete. No. While they are valuable allies--and did themselves proud by organizing around Biden when the chips were down, neither one is going to turn the Biden Ticket into something else. They do bring some historic excitement but black turn out is key and they don't bring that.

Mitt Romney. Watching everyone's head explode would be kind of fun until we had to clean up the mess. As much as The Omnivore would find this a pop-corn level event, it cannot and should not happen. Just think of it though?  Mmmmmhhmm (note Romney wouldn't even get reluctant Republicans, however since he's the wrong kind of religious and is widely vilified in GOP circles right now anyway. If "reluctant Republicans" won't vote for Biden, they may as well wear the red hat).

And the surprise pick is . . . wait for it . . .

Michelle Obama! Yeah, that's right--you just gasped. If Biden picked Michelle as his running mate and she were up for it, it would be biggest hail-mary move in electoral history. It would generate throngs of excitement. Democrats would swoon--Republicans would rasp. Bernie Bros would leap from tall bridges. It'd be a spectacle of, as they say, rare device.

Unfortunately with Biden posting Bernie-Crushing poll numbers in Florida, unless he has a heart attack in his Biden-Bernie debate, he would be foolish to choose a hail mary move like that.

The Omnivore hates to make predictions so have at it, readers.