Kamala Harris was not my first choice for Joe Biden’s running mate.  I would have preferred either Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer or Florida Congresswoman Val Demings.

Nevertheless, I think Biden’s pick of Kamala was a good one, for the following reasons:

1. Kamala does no harm and doesn’t have the Benghazi baggage of a Susan Rice.
2. She will be effective in rallying a record African-American turnout for the Biden-Harris ticket, which will be decisive in winning states where Hillary fell short in 2016, such as Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, North Carolina, and Florida.
3.  She will absolutely destroy Mike Pence in debate.
4. As a center-left political player, she is perfectly ideologically positioned to attract enthusiastic support from all segments of the Democratic Party, unlike ultra-left winger Elizabeth Warren.

Now for some Alan Steinberg futurology.

The Biden- Harris ticket is headed for a landslide victory, in spite of Trump’s forthcoming efforts to steal the election by corrupt activity at the Post Office.  At the time of the 2021 inauguration, President Biden will be 78, and Vice President Kamala Harris will be 56.

Biden will only serve one term, and Harris will be the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee in 2024. She will look for a white man running mate among the Democratic US Senators and Governors.

And her two best running mate prospects will both have the last name of Murphy:  Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut and Governor Phil Murphy of New Jersey.  In 2024, Chris Murphy will be 51, and Phil Murphy will be 67, well within the age range these days.

Indeed, the selection by Joe Biden of Kamala Harris as his running mate may yield a national ticket future for Phil Murphy as well.

Alan J. Steinberg served as regional administrator of Region 2 EPA during the administration of former President George W. Bush and as executive director of the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission.