Vice President Nick Saban?
The long and winding road to the presidential election took another twist on Sunday, when President Joe Biden announced that he would not accept the Democratic Nomination for President, choosing instead to focus on the remainder of his term in office. President Biden immediately endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for the nomination, ahead of the party’s convention in August.
The move led to immediate speculation over whether Vice President Harris would indeed be the party’s nominee and if so, who her running mate would be. The early focus has been on Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, Arizona Senator Mark Kelly, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, and Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, among others.
Seeking a PR opportunity, illegal, offshore sportsbook BetOnline.ag released odds on the nomination, which included those names as well as a few surprises. Further down the list names like actor George Clooney and media mogul Oprah Winfrey were listed, as well as one from the sports world.
Former Alabama head coach Nick Saban:
Clooney, Oprah or even Nick Saban for Dem VP?
— BetOnline (@BetOnline_ag) July 21, 2024
2024 Democratic Vice President Nominee Odds (July 21)
Josh Shapiro 7/4
Roy Cooper 3/1
Andy Beshear 5/1
Mark Kelly 8/1
Pete Buttigieg 8/1… pic.twitter.com/Qfq9yxGK7P
It’s important to note that offshore sportsbooks are unregulated, which means they can offer odds on anything without answering questions as to why. Election odds are not available in the United States, and so no legal sportsbook will offer odds in the US.
That being said, it does not make this any less amusing. Saban left Alabama after last season, a year which saw him lead the Crimson Tide to the College Football Playoff but lose to eventual champions Michigan. He took a role as an analyst with ESPN and will be appearing on “College GameDay” each Saturday. The idea of leaving the high-pressure world of college football and jumping right into American politics is probably not appealing to the former head coach.
Still, for those wondering the last time a Democratic candidate carried the state of Alabama in a Presidential election came back in 1976, when Jimmy Carter won the state over Gerald Ford.
Saban was a graduate assistant at Kent State that year.
The state does have nine electoral college votes to offer, which makes it no small price in the race to 270. But given the importance of Pennsylvania to the Democrats’ electoral chances, the choice is clear.
Bryce Harper.
