Clinton needs to win over Sanders supporters. She has a few ways to do that that are markedly better than just saying - Trump, he’s crazy, so you have to vote for me. The platform (which hopefully Sanders’ appointees will have some influence over, although I am not holding my breath), what she says during the campaign, and her choice of running mate.
As mentioned elsewhere, I don’t see a better option. I can’t imagine Sanders doing it - and he will be going back to the Senate with a lot more visibility and influence than he had in the past, so he can achieve a lot there, hopefully.
Yes, you’d lose her in the Senate, and you’d have a GOP-appointed replacement for a few months, but I’d expect Mass. voters to replace her with someone similar. She’s not been in the Senate long and will never get too much power there because of that and her age. She can be visible as VP and she’ll have a platform. She’s already been auditioning for the attack dog role in the way she’s been handling Trump recently. Plus, a two-woman ticket is an awesome idea.
She can’t really wait until 2024 for a chance to run for national office, and while she did we’d be stuck with someone less good in the role. I wish she’d ran against Clinton, but she didn’t. Is there someone better to have a heartbeat away from the Presidency?
I didn’t want Clinton, I still don’t want Clinton. But there isn’t any other option now, is there? Personally, I’ll be supporting Jill Stein as a left-wing candidate, and down-ticket progressive Democratic candidates, but if push came to shove and I lived in a swing state, I’d have to side with Clinton over the unthinkable alternative.
