Biden VP: Tammy Duckworth

Who??? 

The Illinois Senator would be a good pick. 

She sends a message, and the right one. She represents immigration, inclusion, and patriotism.

Senator Tammy Duckworth

There is a school of thought that the Vice Presidential pick is essentially irrelevant to the presidential election. The theory is that the VP can only hurt you, not help you. First, do no harm.

That points Biden toward choosing someone non-controversial.  A surprise or kerfuffle equals harm, because, after all, Biden is the candidate of low drama and normalcy. That would lead Biden toward someone credentialed, someone who sends the message of Biden's solid competence. Therefore, ho-hum is better than pizazz. 

There is a risk that a high energy, high charisma VP would actually send an unfortunate message, one that diminishes Biden by the comparison. For example, Elizabeth Warren overshadows Biden on every scale of energy, charisma, intelligence, and ability to articulate a message. Choosing her would be making Trump's case that Biden is diminished and a puppet. 

Stacey Abrams has the same problem--way higher energy and sparkle--but may behelped by the fact of her thin resume. Biden falls into an understood archetype, the wise old experienced guy, and Abrams is the able student, bringing brains but not yet experience, an aide de camp; Hamilton to Biden's Washington. 

Tammy Duckworth is in the sweet spot. She is qualified by her offices. She is a person of color. She doesn't represent a position in the culture war over race and immigration; she represents a peaceful transition in that war. She lives it. She doesn't fight it.

Tammy Duckworth has the right biography. She is the daughter of a US serviceman, born in Thailand (and therefore a natural born US citizen by law, just as was John McCain). She is mixed race White and Asian. She went to public universities, became a helicopter pilot and lost two legs when her helicopter was shot down. She served in the House of Representatives and now the US Senate. She just had a baby, at age 52. She is interested in veterans. She has mainstream Democratic politics. 

This blog has a theory that the marginal voters who actually decide elections choose on the basis of intuitive connection--their guts--and not on policy agreements. They take a look at the candidate and decide whether that candidate understands them and people like them.

A corollary of that theory is that by election day people will know at most seven things about a candidate, and that would include the VP. People will see her in the wheel chair, see her legs, hear her story, see she has been in the House and Senate a while, and then decide how they feel. Yeah, she would be a good VP. Or not. 

Trump is attempting to make the election about real patriotic Americans, normal Americans, White Americans under siege by outsiders. Duckworth appears to fit the profile of that outsider enemy but is not at all frightening. She confounds Trump's attack. 

There is something phony and staged about Trump's flag-hugging, and Bible hoisting. He is understood to be making a show of patriotism. She represents authentic patriotism.

The mask issue is appearing to be a growing problem for Trump. He branded himself as refusing to wear a mask, which positioned him, as it is now understood, as someone who led people to demand the right to spread the virus. This week that position became untenable. Duckworth represents a reproach to that, too. Trump won't wear a mask for his country; she lost her legs for it.

Trump tweet

I perceive her injuries to be a huge positive, a message of genuine service. I could be wrong. It is possible that, when it comes down to quick impressions and gut feelings, the marginal American voter, both men and women, actually admire beautiful feminine perfection more than they do service, or at least service that involves a disfiguring injury. Melania Trump is a babe; Ivanka Trump is a babe. Trump shows them off.

Tammy Duckworth is a disabled veteran. 

Donald Trump tweeted a photo of Melania in his 2016 battle against Ted Cruz, contrasting it with an unflattering photo of Heidi Cruz. That message was direct: Look at how hot my wife  is. Look at who I screw. Don't you wish. Trump shows off beautiful, immaculate Melania, pouting for the camera, and Ivanka continues to appear in public perfectly put together, hair, lipstick, skin, shoes, body hugging dresses, enhanced breasts, money. The perfect life.

The Duckworth choice carries a risk. Maybe a male candidate like McCain or Dole can have a war injury and succeed in politics (though both lost their elections) but their injuries were largely hidden from view, under suit jackets. Nearly all the people we see on TV are physically attractive, even the extras in the background, and certainly the main characters. Americans want pretty people on TV. Trump communicates that he is a winner and America is a winner, with flags and beautiful women. Trump has proven to be in touch with his audience. I may not be.

It is possible that American voters actually prefer a Melania Trump to Tammy Duckworth as an image of American greatness. If we are going to see a lot of Duckworth, we may want her to brighten our spirits, not remind us that war is hell.

Still, I think Tammy Duckworth would be a good choice.