kamala's vp pick: the "weird" & "mean" strategy shakes up 2024 race

who will join harris as vice president at the democratic convention in august?

tl;dr: kamala harris needs a vp for the august 19-22 democratic national convention. we're breaking down top veep contenders, including pete buttigieg, tim walz, and andy beshear. plus, why calling republicans "weird" and “mean” might be the winning 2024 strategy.

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Photo by René DeAnda on Unsplash

alright mi gente,

grab your cafecito and let's dive into the political telenovela that is kamala harris' search for a 2024 running mate. with the democratic national convention in chicago just weeks away, the veepstakes are heating up faster than my abuela's kitchen on pasteles day.

picking the veep

so how does a presidential nominee pick a vp? well, it's not like swiping right on tinder, that's for sure. there's a whole team of lawyers, advisors, and political nerds who dive deep into each potential candidate's background. they're looking for skeletons in closets, controversial tweets from 2009, and any other potential scandals. it's like the most intense background check ever, makes the tsa look chill in comparison. (and even then, they can still miss shit!)

historically, this process has turned up some interesting tidbits:

• in 1988, democratic vp candidate lloyd bentsen's team found out that vice-president dan quayle had used family connections to get into the national guard during vietnam? didn't stop him from being picked, but it sure made for some spicy debate moments.

• or how about in 2008, when john mccain's team apparently only spent a few days vetting sarah palin? that's like cramming for your finals the night before - risky business, folks.

for the candidate, picking a vp is like trying to find the perfect dance partner for the political salsa that is a presidential campaign. you want someone who complements your moves, doesn't step on your toes, and can keep up with the rhythm of a grueling campaign. and probably someone that can be a good attack dog so that you can focus on the big ticket items.

kamala's probably losing sleep over this decision. does she go for someone who shores up her weaknesses? someone who brings in a key state or demographic? or maybe just someone she vibes with who won't make her want to pull her hair out after months on the campaign trail? it's a decision that could make or break her campaign. no pressure, right? just potentially the future of the country hanging in the balance.

so, mis amiguis, as we dive into the potential picks, remember: this isn't just about 2024. it's about shaping the future of the democratic party.

so sit back, refill that cafecito, and let's dish on kamala's potential partners for this political dance.

the shortlist

let's break down the top 2024 contenders:

The Top Dem Veep Contenders - 2024 | From Left to Right, Top Row: Gov. Josh Shapiro, Sen. Mark Kelly, Gov. Roy Cooper; Bottom Row: Sec. Pete Buttigieg, Gov. Tim Walz, and Gov. Andy Beshear. Source: Wikipedia.

1. josh shapiro (pennsylvania governor): young, charismatic, but his israel-palestine stance is controversial.

2. mark kelly (arizona senator): astronaut-turned-politician with a cool backstory, but wavered on labor rights.

3. roy cooper (north carolina governor): southern democrat who's won in a red state, but limited by the gop legislature and lt. gov.

4. pete buttigieg (transportation secretary): my personal favorite (more on that later).

5. tim walz (minnesota governor): dark horse candidate making waves.

6. andy beshear (kentucky governor): rising star turning heads in the democratic party from the south.

my top 3 picks

alright, now that we've set the stage for this political novela, let's talk about the stars of our show. you know, the potential vps that are making my political heart go pitter-patter. now, full disclosure: i'm not sitting in on kamala's strategy sessions (aunque, girl, if you're reading this, call me 👀). but as a political junkie who's been following this stuff closer than i follow bad bunny's instagram, i've got some thoughts.

these picks? they're not just good - they're "abuela's secret recipe" good. (at least i think they are!) let's break it down:

#1: pete buttigieg (aka mayor pete, aka secretary pete, aka the boy wonder of south bend)

• this dude's resume reads like an avenger's origin story. rhodes scholar, military vet, mayor of south bend before he could grow a full beard… and now secretary of transportation.

• policy nerd alert! pete’s got more plans than i've got excuses for why i'm late to family gatherings.

• current gig: making trains run on time (ish). he's handling more money than my abuelo after he wins the lottery. he’s delivered a ton of infrastructure projects that republicans are taking the credit for, even though they didn’t even vote for them.

• invented some "rules of the road" that aren't about driving. it's like the ten commandments for his political campaign, of how to behave. it built a really great culture of cooperation and friendliness in the campaign. and it made him stand out vis a vis other campaigns… (2020 primary shade thrown)

• would bring more gay energy to the white house than a pride parade. representation matters, y'all! 🌈

#2: tim walz (minnesota's progressive ninja)

• passing left-wing bills in a purple state like it's nothing. this guy's legislative record is longer than the line at a bad bunny concert.

• speaks fluent midwest. can probably win over voters with just a "you betcha" and a hotdish recipe.

• ran minnesota during peak 2020 chaos. if he can handle that, dc drama will be a piece of flan.

• could lock down those crucial midwest votes. because apparently, the road to the white house goes through a lot of cornfields.

#3: andy beshear (kentucky's democratic unicorn)

• won in kentucky. twice. as a democrat. it's like finding a vegan at a lechón roast. (usually me.)

• sneaks in progressive wins like i sneak extra rum in the coquito. expanded healthcare, stood up for trans kids, protected abortion rights in mitch mcconnell's backyard.

• crisis management skills smoother than a guayabera. handled covid like a boss.

• might help with the "i usually vote republican, but..." crowd. could be kamala's secret weapon with moderate voters.

look, whoever kamala picks needs to be ready to govern and help win in 2024.

but more than that, they need to bring energy, competence, and be an attack dog. why? because the republicans are getting weirder and meaner by the day.

the “weird” and “mean” strategy

now, on the “weird” and “mean” thing. while paying close attention to the veepstakes, i’ve noticed this message coming from the harris campaign and from some of the contenders. it’s the this "call 'em weird" strategy, and i think it can really catch on with democrats for 2024.

• in a blistering press release, harris' campaign called trump "old and quite weird."

• senator brian schatz called j.d. vance's childless voter ideas "quite weird."

• governor tim walz tweeted it himself, “i’m telling you: these guys are weird.” (it’s so epic, you need to watch it)

it's like democrats realized: "oh wait, we can just say what everyone's thinking about republicans in 2024?" walz's "weird" comment shows guts to me (i strongly recommend you watch) combined with his minnesota record, it's making me reconsider my 2024 vp rankings.

democratic strategist caitlin legacki told abc news: "i think it's really elegant in its simplicity. and i think it really reflects a newer way of thinking and campaigning and just calling it what it is."

elegantly simple indeed. no policy deep-dives needed for 2024. just: "that's really weird, bro." and in a campaign where the republican vp candidate jd vance already had to deny having sex with furniture… well… i think it’ll work.

ryan cooper at the american prospect argues: picking walz would signal harris is serious about big policy moves if democrats win congress in 2024.

so here's my take on kamala harris' 2024 vp pick: pete's still my #1 (i'm loyal like that). but walz is rising, and beshear could shake everything up.

what do you think? share your 2024 predictions, dark horse candidates, and well, anything you want to say in the comments or in the subscriber chat!

hasta la próxima,

edgard 🌈✊🏽💖

p.s. whoever harris picks as vp, jd vance debating them in 2024 will be wild! pass the popcorn! 🍿