Biden Promises Female Vice President; Harris, Klobuchar Now Tied at +200 Odds, No Men on the Board
- Sunday’s Democratic Presidential debate saw Joe Biden announced his intention to select a female Vice-President
- Former presidential candidates Kamala Harris and Amy Klobuchar are +200 co-favorites to be his VP candidate
- Analysis of all of the odds, predictions and picks can be found in the story below
During Sunday’s Democratic Presidential debate in Phoenix, Joe Biden dropped some knowledge on the folks when it comes to his choice for Vice-President.
The Democratic frontrunner in 2020 election odds announced that his running mate would be a woman.
The announcement has led to some changes in the Democratic Vice-Presidential odds: the entire field is now comprised of women, and Kamala Harris has caught up to Amy Klobuchar. The pair are now +200 co-favorites. Both ran against Biden for the Democratic Presidential nomination.
2020 Democratic Vice-President Odds
| Candidate | Odds |
|---|---|
| Kamala Harris | +200 |
| Amy Klobuchar | +200 |
| Stacey Abrams | +400 |
| Elizabeth Warren | +600 |
| Hillary Clinton | +1000 |
| Michelle Obama | +1400 |
| C. Cortez Masto | +2000 |
| Tammy Duckworth | +2000 |
| Nina Turner | +5000 |
| Tammy Baldwin | +5000 |
| Tulsi Gabbard | +6600 |
Odds taken March 16th
Last week, Minnesota Senator Klobuchar was the +150 favorite to be VP.
Just two women have stood as part of an Presidential ticket as the Vice-Presidential candidate – Geraldine Ferraro (1984 Democrat) and Sarah Palin (2008, Republican). Both lost.
The Case For Harris
A clear and obvious alignment between Biden and Harris has developed. She endorsed him for President. A number of her former donors and strategists have boarded the Biden train. Wall Street execs who previously worked with the California Senator to aid her fundraising efforts are now doing likewise for Biden.
https://twitter.com/JuneSummer1/status/1239358852006465538?s=20
Harris is a powerful debater. Biden got a taste of her go-for-the-jugular style in an early Democratic debate. She went after him for his record on desegregation of schools in the 1970s.
Imagine what she could do to current VP Mike Pence in a debate?
The Case For Klobuchar
Klobuchar was the early favorite largely because of her Midwestern roots, which would provide fortification to the Democratic ticket in the so-called flyover states. Klobuchar also endorsed Biden shortly after dropping out of the race.
Bit of a Freudian slip…while stumping for @JoeBiden just now in Grand Rapids, MI @amyklobuchar says she “couldn’t think of a better way to end my candidacy than join the ticket…” to big applause. She quickly corrected to say “join the terrific campaign of Joe Biden” pic.twitter.com/axoOR1cX9D
— Amanda Golden (@amandawgolden) March 7, 2020
Klobucher campaigned strongly for Biden on Super Tuesday. At the time, she stated she was proud to join Biden’s ticket. Was that a slip of the tongue? Does Klobuchar already know something?
Best Value Bet
It’s difficult to visualize a pairing of Biden and Elizabeth Warren (+600). In fact, Warren could wind up as Senate Majority Leader. That could be her most important role should the Democrats reclaim control of the Senate during the 2020 election cycle.
NEW: @JoeBiden's campaign confirms that he has reviewed @ewarren’s bankruptcy plan closely, and is endorsing her proposal, as he said in his IL town hall.
That's a significant shift, as the proposal would largely undo the 2005 bankruptcy bill the two clashed over in Congress.
— Molly Nagle (@MollyNagle3) March 14, 2020
Stacey Abrams’ odds improved from +600 to +400. She came close to becoming the first African-American woman to win a Gubernatorial race. Abrams narrowly lost in Georgia in 2018. Abrams also turned down a chance to run for the Senate in 2020. Her presence on the ticket could help the Democrats break through in the Republican-dominated Deep South.
And Biden’s Vice-President Will Be . . .
Harris makes the most sense, and for a lot of reasons. There’s that old saying that the Vice-President is a heartbeat away from the Oval Office. When the Presidential candidate is 77 years old, that’s not just a saying. It’s a fact.
It’s also entirely possible that Biden will be a one-term President, making his choice of VP all the more vital.
Looking at all the names, Harris makes the most sense. Klobuchar simply doesn’t carry the kind of credentials that Harris brings to the role.
When @JoeBiden told me last week he was considering choosing a woman VP, he emphasized that it could be an African American woman.
Debate coverage @MSNBC 10pm tonight.
— Lawrence O'Donnell (@Lawrence) March 16, 2020
She’s proven her mettle during Senate hearings, and on the debate stage. Harris served as Attorney General of California.
Biden indicated that he’d want his administration to reflect what America looks like today. Two 60-something white people on the Presidential ticket? (Klobuchar turns 60 in May.) That wouldn’t fit the bill.
Pick: Kamala Harris (+200)
An industry veteran, Bob literally taught the course on the history of sports at Elder College. He has worked as a Sports Columnist for Postmedia, appeared as a guest on several radio stations, was the Vice President of the Society For International Hockey Research in Ontario, and written 25 books.
