• bionicjoey@lemmy.ca
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    2
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    edit-2
    3 months ago

    I’d love to say it will change the likely outcome, but I’m pretty sure no candidate has ever been subbed in this late in the race and gone on to win. History says people prefer a known quantity. Even if Harris is the new candidate, people don’t pay attention to VPs, so she is kind of an unknown quantity to your average voter. AFAIK she hasn’t participated in any “proper” debates with Trump

    On the other hand, assuming it is Harris, the right’s attacks on her are likely to be a lot more openly bigoted, which will lead to less people wanting to vote Republican. The Republicans tend to do better when the criticisms of their opponents are based on something legitimately concerning, like Biden’s age. We are about to see some incredibly disgusting rhetoric from republicans, and it’s liable to make them less popular. Much as I dislike all establishment neoliberal democrats, I have to say I feel sorry for Harris for what she is about to endure if she becomes the nominee. The right has gotten a lot more bold in their willingness to take the mask off since Obama was president, so if you thought the shit he had to wade through was bad, it’s nothing compared to what they will fling at Harris.

    The biggest thing at this point is that it’s way too late to have a primary, so whoever is selected, they will be subjected to the very legitimate criticism that they were simply appointed as the nominee by the DNC. That would have basically been true even if there was a primary, but at the very least the primaries create the illusion of a democratic process. People aren’t going to be psyched to vote for Biden’s last minute substitute.

    • Captainvaqina@sh.itjust.works
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      6
      ·
      3 months ago

      People aren’t going to be psyched to vote for Biden’s last minute substitute.

      I sure am. Considering the filthy alternative.

    • Azal@pawb.social
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      5
      ·
      3 months ago

      the right’s attacks on her are likely to be a lot more openly bigoted

      They’re already dusting off the ole Obama birther playbook and asking if she’s qualified to be President due to citizenship.

    • AWistfulNihilist@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      6
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      3 months ago

      Actually the presidential candidate was selected on the day of the convention up until around 1970. They had conventions that would last days, they would lock the doors until a candidate was picked. Then ideally everyone stacked behind the final candidate.

      I’m pretty sure there was actually almost a contested convention in like 1980. So no, this is objectively wrong and a bit of a modern convention.

      • bionicjoey@lemmy.ca
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        1
        ·
        3 months ago

        It’s been true for roughly the last half a century that there has been a clear presumptive candidate going into the general. And in any case, the purpose of a primary is to select the candidate. As I said I think it’s going to be detrimental that Harris hasn’t actually won a primary, even though the primaries are a sham.