I think Biden did an excellent job choosing Kamala Harris as his VP. She unifies the party along ideological, racial, and gender lines. She can step in and would likely do a superb job as President if the need arose. She is an accomplished debater and can play a strong role attacking President Trump during the campaign, while also being able to withstand the abuse and harassment that is likely to occur when she does. She had the best tax plan of any candidate in the Democratic primary and is well informed on all the issues currently facing the country.
Now that I've said all those nice things about her, we can also look at potential drawbacks from the choice. Realistically, California is a safe Democratic state and choosing Governor Whitmer would have provided the greatest electoral advantage since she could help Biden win Michigan. Susan Rice had the most experience on foreign policy and perhaps would have been better prepared to handle that portfolio of issues if required to serve as President. Becoming Biden's VP also sets that person up to become the next Democratic presidential candidate in 2024 (if Biden decides to serve only one term) or 2028 (if Biden decides to run again), and Kamala positioned herself a little too far left on health care issues for my taste during the primary, where ideologically I'm more of a moderate and would prefer someone more like Senator Klobuchar to succeed Biden if he wins.
Despite these concerns, choosing Senator Kamala Harris is a historic, well considered, and superb choice for VP. I look forward to her having the chance to serve as VP if Biden wins the Presidency, and believe she brings a lot to the ticket, both in terms of her campaigning skills and a well thought out tax plan that should have gotten a lot more attention in the primary.
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