And … Does Vice President Even Matter?
OK, if we want to play the breathless presidential politics game that cable television of all stripes continues to serve up, maybe we should be concentrating on whom each leading candidate would choose as vice president. Hey, it’s a harmless-enough game, if irrelevant.
Still, we’re constantly being reminded that both Donald Trump and Joe Biden, far ahead of any competitors more than a year before any general 2024 election, could prove to be, er, unavailable upon attaining a victory from a country that may want neither.
Could it be that the most important political decision we face is about who could inherit the White House job in the event of death or detention?
It’s a long way from where we are to the betting-line options for an election winner. But that seems not to halt or even limit much about the open, daily speculation of how a potentially convicted and imprisoned Trump could serve in office or whether the slightly older Biden might simply die or pass into ungovernable senility status.
That brings us to the equally nutty commentary about who might have to step in – and, of course, how comfortable, or not the House Freedom Caucus or the progressive Squad might be with the choice.
Biden already has Vice President Kamala Harris in tow, with no suggestions other than from critics that he would ask her to step aside. But since Trump has shown only disdain for the Mike Pence who he thinks turned on him at the critical moment, the doors are wide open as to who can toady best to the Don.
Job Requirements
Candidates would have to be constantly vocal on behalf of the boss, quick to sarcastic attack on the political enemy of the day and prove very good on television. Candidates would have to be appropriately supportive of the presidential messages and the ability to hide too much independent thought about alternative solutions.
It might be nice to think of choosing a vice president who could prove a leader, but let’s stop kidding – this is about politics and loyalty.
In private talks, no doubt, at least Trump’s choice would have to declare personal loyalty to the level of committing violations of law in any attempt to make Trump the permanent ruler of the land. Trump wouldn’t want to have a mob gather again to threaten to hang a dissenting vice president.
Biden’s choice would have to promise not to do or say anything too embarrassing enough to draw yet more congressional threats of impeachment.
Kamala Harris has more or less fit that bill, though run the risk too often of seeming irrelevant to whatever legislative or political efforts Biden and his Cabinet have in mind. Until recently, Harris has been seen as mostly a functionary, relegated to showing the flag in various places of conflict without presenting too many ideas that can take hold. Her role in negotiating with Mexico and Central American countries over immigration practices has been ineffective, and she was less influential than Biden himself at reaching out to settle Senate stalemates over spending, policing, voting rights or other disputed issues.
In the last year, she has taken strong and noticeable roles in pushing back against limitation of abortion rights and the welter of culture war issues promoted by Republicans. She seems most comfortable as an attacker than a creator of solutions.
Still, Democratic governors in California, Michigan and Illinois coyly suggest that they fully support the president’s reelection, they also make clear that they all are capable of running national campaigns in the event that Biden feels he must step aside for age-related reasons. And advisers like transportation secretary, Pete Buttigieg, Sen. Amy Klobuchar and others keep letting us know that they like being asked to dance. Sen. Joe Manchin, who’s considering separating from Democrats altogether, wouldn’t want to suffer a demotion.
And Biden himself has yet to show that he is grooming (indoctrinating? Teaching?) Harris into a more effective leadership role.
Finding a Trump-a-Like
Among the Republicans, for months, the pundits were promoting the idea that Arizona’s Kari Lake, who acts like a Trump knock-off in continuing to question her own election losses and speaking out daily about Biden’s faults, might well be Trump’s idea of an ideal slate mate. That enthusiasm seems to have capped over, well, a general lack of public enthusiasm.
This week, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, reminded all during an interview in which she bashed her Republican Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp for believing the 2020 election was legit that she would be available for a Trump Cabinet post, adding, “Is it possible that I’ll be VP?”
Could he consider Stephen Miller, his immigration whisperer, or now-Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders or one of his congressional stand-ins like Rep. Elise Stefanik? Why stop there, perhaps we need someone who actually is a listed co-conspirator in his criminal indictment from Fulton County.
Trump himself has indicated that he might be looking at some of the rivals who plan to debate next week even if he can’t find the time or interest to participate in a televised Republican standoff for vice-presidential material. That will fade as soon as each suggests that there are issues at hand that have nothing to do with the Trump defense on 91 criminal indictments.
Pence obviously is a non-choice, as are Ron DeSantis and Chris Christie. Nikki Haley thinks Trump is too old, Sen. Tim Scott thinks Trump is too negative, and businessperson Vivek Ramaswamy seems to be reserving a place for the future. Former Gov. Asa Hutchinson and current North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum need to attract voters before they can expect Trump to remember their names.
No, Trump is more likely to pick someone from TV who speaks about him as often as possible in as golden terms as possible. It’s the only measure that counts.
It could be that apart from all else facing Trump, the reason to vote against him could revolve around a bad choice to replace him if those jail doors close.