Clinton VP news LATEST: Podesta now calling the losers to tell them its not them

[fenrir]

Well, I think Warren would work well as Clinton's running mate. She's not Sanders. She's a loyal Democrat and she tows the party line.  She stays on message. I wouldn't worry about her going "rogue" or whatever.

I don't think there's any danger that she'll go rogue, stray off-message, or be unprofessional or anything. She definitely checks the boxes of being an effective, loyal attack dog who stays on message.

What I'm imagining is Warren upstaging or outshining Clinton with her strategy of naming names and calling for fiery justice against the private sector, which would, at worst, undermine Clinton in the process, or at best, awkwardly highlight a divide between New Democrats and the Warren-Sanders wing of the party even when the strategy is to unify it. That's tough to pull off without one of them compromising or tempering their rhetoric, and Warren is not Warren when she's not going after banks and big business.

[Bull Moose Base]

Guys, can you please take this dumb debate somewhere else?  Trying to keep up with the VP news here.  

Booker, Brown, Kaine, and Perez not responding to questions about whether they’re being vetted:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/clinton-is-vetting-three-for-vice-president--and-is-still-studying-a-longer-list/2016/06/21/548fedc0-37cb-11e6-9ccd-d6005beac8b3_story.html

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That story also mentions something which hadn’t really occurred to me before, and I now feel like an idiot for not thinking of it earlier: It’s not just Massachusetts that provides for a special election within a few months if there’s a Senate vacancy.  New Jersey does too.  Booker himself was elected in a special election after Lautenberg’s death.  So if Warren being picked is on the table because her seat could be filled by special election within a few months, I guess the same applies to Booker.

You're no idiot!

When Lautenberg died, Christie called a special election for October 2013 to keep Booker's senate turnout away from his own gubernatorial re-election the following month. Democrats criticized Christie for wasting money, while Republicans criticized him for wasting a chance to appoint a replacement for the remainder of Lautenberg's term i.e. with a 2014 election.

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It sounds like 2 laws conflict but Christie could this time try to appoint a replacement for the rest of the term i.e. until the 2020 election.

http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2013/06/christie_outlines_special_elec.html

Meanwhile in Mass, Harry Reid and Democratic lawyers found a Massachusetts loophole that they believe allows the clock to start ticking on 150 days after Warren merely announces her intention to resign. So if she did that next month, the special would have to happen before the end of 2016.

In short, Booker isn't all that safe a pick as far as senate control is concerned.

EDIT: I will be shocked if it's not Kaine.

[Attorney General, Senator-Elect, & Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

^ The problem with that is if Warren loses the vice presidency in November, she would be in a position of awkwardly withdrawing that resignation, possibly having to run in the special election to keep her seat. What I've heard is more likely is that she would announce the resignation on the day after the presidential election; which puts the special election deadline at April 2017, which probably means the primary for it would be in February.

[Green Line]

Warren would be a big mistake.  Hillary is going to lose a lot of moderates like me if she goes that route.  Kaine would be much better.

[SUSAN CRUSHBONE]

trump is a literal fascist and goes against everything i stand for, but if clinton picks a vaguely left-wing veep candidate, that's almost even worse

*nods*

[Mr. Morden]

Becerra says he hasn’t been notified by the Clinton people that he’s under consideration:

http://www.wbrc.com/story/32278936/the-latest-becerra-says-hes-not-being-vetted-for-vp

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[BuckeyeNut]

Thought: People are bullish on Kaine because McAuliffe can appoint. McAuliffe is toxic now, and whoever he appoints could easily go down '18 given 1: How close Warner's re-election was in '14 and 2: Their proximity to McAuliffe. I still think Kaine is the top prospect, but it's a wrinkle.

Is there anyway that Virginia could just go straight to a special w/o an appointment?

[Mr. Morden]

Thought: People are bullish on Kaine because McAuliffe can appoint. McAuliffe is toxic now, and whoever he appoints could easily go down '18

I'm pretty sure the special election would be in 2017, not 2018.

[BuckeyeNut]

Probably worse?

[Gass3268]

Read today that Kaine is very weak on the issue of choice, another negative for him. Bump him down the list.

[Attorney General, Senator-Elect, & Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Read today that Kaine is very weak on the issue of choice, another negative for him. Bump him down the list.

He's basically identical to Biden: Against it in his personal life but isn't going to make it illegal for everyone else.

Kaine does support the existing ban on partial birth abortion and parental notification, but this isn't really much of a difference from Clinton. Take a look at this question from one of the town halls during the primaries:

BAIER:  I want to ask you about a question I asked Senator Sanders.  Do you think a child should have any legal rights or protections before its born?  Or do you think there should not be any restrictions on any abortions at any stage in a pregnancy?

CLINTON:  Well, again, let me put this in context, because it's an important question.  Right now the Supreme Court is considering a decision that would shut down a lot of the options for women in Texas, and there have been other legislatures that have taken similar steps to try to restrict a woman's right to obtain an abortion.

Under Roe v. Wade, which is rooted in the Constitution, women have this right to make this highly personal decision with their family in accordance with their faith, with their doctor.

It's not much of a right if it is totally limited and constrained.

So I think we have to continue to stand up for a woman's right to make these decisions, and to defend Planned Parenthood, which does an enormous amount of good work across our country.

BAIER:  Just to be clear, there's no -- without any exceptions?

CLINTON:  No -- I have been on record in favor of a late pregnancy regulation that would have exceptions for the life and health of the mother.

I object to the recent effort in Congress to pass a law saying after 20 weeks, you know, no such exceptions, because although these are rare, Bret, they sometimes arise in the most complex, difficult medical situation.

---------

She hasn't detailed what she means by "late pregnancy regulation" - is it the last 10 weeks, the last five??? - but it's clear she doesn't support allowing abortion throughout the entire pregnancy like some democrats do.

[Mr. Morden]

Politico says that “Democratic allies and operatives close to the [Clinton] campaign” are calling Kaine the frontrunner:

http://www.politico.com/story/2016/06/kaine-rises-to-top-of-clintons-veep-list-224702

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[Sir Mohamed]

Kaine is very solid and would be a good pick, though I prefer Castro. But Kaine is second.

[This account no longer in use.]

Frankly, I don't see why anyone would prefer Castro the empty suit. Warren seems like the obvious 'good choice', while Franken and Becerra are the most underrated.

[kyc0705]

Kaine wouldn't be a campaign-killing choice, but his selection isn't a particularly inspired choice. Out of the three, I think Elizabeth Warren would be my personal favorite, but overall, I'm disappointed that Xavier Becerra and Al Franken were never serious contenders.

[Illiniwek]

Kaine wouldn't be a campaign-killing choice, but his selection isn't a particularly inspired choice. Out of the three, I think Elizabeth Warren would be my personal favorite, but overall, I'm disappointed that Xavier Becerra and Al Franken were never serious contenders.

[PeteB]

It will be Kaine. Castro is just too green and brings nothing substantial to the ticket. Warren is just a poor fit with Clinton and would skew the ticket too much to the left. Having a more moderate ticket is a sure way to keep Trump to less than 40%.

Once Sanders throws his formal support behind Clinton, Kaine will be chosen.

[Likely Voter]

Kaine is the default choice. Anyone besides Kaine means one of two things...
1. They found a major liability with Kaine in the vet
2. They feel they have a major area of vulnerability that only another nominee can fill (like shoring up AAs with Booker, Latinos with Perez, Bacarra or Castro or Liberals with Warren, etc.).

[fenrir]

I'd be shocked if it weren't Kaine. He fits the profile of a Clinton VP beautifully: loyal friend, confidant, winner of multiple Virginia races, not exactly liberal but "evolves" on issues (eh).

Booker is closer to Castro than the other options when it comes to experience. I can't imagine he'd ever seriously be considered; I don't get it. Why not just go with Castro at that point? A Clinton running on the Obama legacy does not need help with the AA vote. They need to take advantage of this election to permanently [further] re-align Latinos and moderate suburbanites by successfully tying the Republican Party and its brand to Donald Trump.

Agree that it's a shame Becerra isn't being taken more seriously and that he is underrated. He was probably my top pick. He could help out with said realignment. It seems like Castro would only be a Hail Mary pick at best, if the polls plummet and Trump picks someone competitive.

[President Johnson]

Frankly, I don't see why anyone would prefer Castro the empty suit. Warren seems like the obvious 'good choice', while Franken and Becerra are the most underrated.

I agree. Hope she picks him. I can't wait for Big Don to troll him. I'm just thinking what nickname he will get from TRUMP. "Empty suit Julian" would be funny. Or "Lightweight Castro", though lightweight is already used for the great senator from South Carolina who frequently got zero in the polls before the dropped out.

[RogueBeaver]

Cotton: I'm not being vetted.

[Suck my caulk]

It will be Kaine. Castro is just too green and brings nothing substantial to the ticket. Warren is just a poor fit with Clinton and would skew the ticket too much to the left. Having a more moderate ticket is a sure way to keep Trump to less than 40%.

Once Sanders throws his formal support behind Clinton, Kaine will be chosen.

A large part of the Democratic base is already skeptical of Clinton, and elections are won by exciting one's base to come out and vote. It is certainly possible Clinton/Kaine will win (with maybe 51%, but certainly not 60% as you say), but it seems likely than if Clinton excites the base by picking Warren, Brown, or Perez, for example.

[PeteB]

It will be Kaine. Castro is just too green and brings nothing substantial to the ticket. Warren is just a poor fit with Clinton and would skew the ticket too much to the left. Having a more moderate ticket is a sure way to keep Trump to less than 40%.

Once Sanders throws his formal support behind Clinton, Kaine will be chosen.

A large part of the Democratic base is already skeptical of Clinton, and elections are won by exciting one's base to come out and vote. It is certainly possible Clinton/Kaine will win (with maybe 51%, but certainly not 60% as you say), but it seems likely than if Clinton excites the base by picking Warren, Brown, or Perez, for example.

Your reasoning would be very sound if her opponent was ABT (anyone but Trump).  With Trump, the Democratic base is already mega-motivated and will come out, even if they have to "hold their noses" while voting for Hillary.  That extra 1-2% that Warren or Castro may bring would be useful but is not really critical.  On the other hand, the presence of a non-moderate mainstream VP could turn off many more centrist voters who are willing to forego the GOP for Clinton, because of Trump.  Or to put it in a sports parallel, Trump is in a no-win position - why would you give him an opportunity to try and develop a counter-play, by portraying the Democratic ticket as a left wing thing (with Warren) or as pandering to an "unqualified" minority member (with Castro)?  Besides, if I was Clinton, I would get the left wing support from Bernie, in exchange to a policy concession (free or reduced fee College?).

[Suburbia]

Castro brothers are not ready to be vice president and president right now. Maybe in 2020 or 2024. We'll see. Both of them are moderate Democrats.

[Mr. Morden]

Lewandowski says there are no more than four names left on Trump's veep list:

http://www.politico.com/story/2016/06/lewandowski-trump-vp-list-down-to-no-more-than-four-224748

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