Kamala Harris’ logic in choosing her running mate has taken a dramatic turn as Donald Trump’s vice president pick has become mired in multiple flubs, CNN reported Monday.
Initially, Harris’ plan had been to “brush past J.D. Vance as nothing but a rubber stamp from Donald Trump,” the network reported.
Now she’s seizing on highlighting him as a “major liability,” and she wants her own pick of potential vice president to bring sharp focus to that.
“The message is not just that Vance is ‘weird,’ as the vice president said at a fundraiser this weekend, or that he has objectionable views,” CNN reported.
“It’s that the Ohio senator shouldn’t be a heartbeat away from the presidency, and that Trump picking him raises more questions about the top of the ticket.”
Harris’ campaign intends to use Trump’s age, at 78, to highlight the risk that Vance could become president. She also wants to use him as a way to deflect from Republican hits targeting her apparent lack of experience.
“We have a Black woman, we have a white guy, and nobody asked the white guy” about how well qualified he is for the job, Harris’ campaign co-chair Mitch Landrieu told CNN.
Insiders in Harris’ camp said, when Biden was still in the race, her plan in her run to return to the White House as vice president was to call Vance little more than a “hypocrite” and “Trump sycophant.”
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But since publicity around controversial comments involving childless women and past criticism of Trump, together with extreme views on abortion and marriages, among other issues, Harris aims to pick a VP candidate who will contrast sharply with him, CNN reported.
“And while Vance has won statewide office, those on Harris’ short list — which includes several governors, a senator and one Cabinet secretary — have served more time in government than Vance and have leadership experience in a variety of previous offices, business and the military (and NASA),” CNN reported.
Bloomberg reported that Harris’ top three picks are the Arizona Senator Mark Kelly, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.
Harris has set Aug. 7 as her deadline for choosing her running mate.
