The big political news today is that Hillary Clinton picked Tim Kaine of Virginia as her running mate. This move seems to involve a lot of political triangulation... Kaine was the governor of a Southern swing-state, he speaks Spanish fluently, and comes across as someone who personally espouses moderately conservative values but upholds moderately progressive government policies. He's not a liberal firebrand, but he has fought on the behalf of the disadvantaged as a youngish lawyer.
He comes across a lot like Joe Biden, who I tend to like... I sorta wish she had named Biden as her running mate. There are no term limits for Vice Presidents, so Biden would be eligible for the office. While 'President for Life' is a clear-cut signal of a failed state/banana republice, 'Vice President for Life' is merely comical... I think Biden would fit nicely in the role.
...but he has fought on the behalf of the disadvantaged as a youngish lawyer.
ReplyDeleteAnd more recently, he's fought hard for big bankers. The appeal to Hillary is obvious.
And I can't help but remember that Sanders' past in civil rights was dismissed by Hillary surrogates as no longer relevant just a couple months ago.
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I'm not convinced the VP is in any way (save one big one) important. He really won't help electorally - they typically don't - and he'll work hard as a good soldier to carry out HER policies. VPs can argue for particular policies along with the other members of the cabinet and advisers, but once the President specifies a position or direction they all fall in line. For the same reason that anything Clinton did as SecState was Obama's orders, not her choices, the VP doesn't have much policy leverage.
ReplyDeleteOf course, there is that ONE thing. She'll be 69 when elected, and that means at some point we could end up with President Kaine. At that point, his ideological history and policy positions would begin to matter a great deal more....
I was going to suggest a drinking game where you take a drink every time Thunder says 'banksters', but it occurred to me that no human could survive that level of alcohol intake...
ReplyDeleteHaha... Yes, no matter who wins the Presidency.
ReplyDeleteThere's not much we can agree on in this country, but can't we all just agree that Joe Biden is sticking around regardless of how the election goes.
Vice President for LIfe!
As long as it wasn't Cheney or Lieberman, I don't care.
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