Bad, bad, bad idea. Joe is already a liability because of his history of embarrassing himself. What if his choice of a running mate embarrasses her/himself before the convention? What then?
If this is a sample of Biden’s thinking these days, I’m even more convinced that he should not be the nominee.
This seems like an immensely stupid idea to me. One of the most resonant, easiest-to-distill arguments one can make against Biden is that he behaves as though he’s owed this nomination, like he’s anointed, clear the way for the man with the plan, like he doesn’t have to earn it just as much as any other candidate. Everybody’s worked with That Guy. You don’t wanna be That Guy.
I’m not as fervently anti-Biden as most of the internet, but Joe, you’re gonna be That Guy.
You said it perfectly. Biden’s approaching this as though he’s the natural choice and the rest of us just have to fall in line and accept that. As much as I like Joe he is nothing but a liability in this race and he won’t stand a chance given his habit of stumbling over himself at critical moments. Plus the electorate - at least the sane among us - is clamoring for a more progressive candidate and Joe just doesn’t fit the bill.
I have a small-d democratic preference that we let the electorate speak for what it wants, and generally only question the sanity of folks (if there are any) who support outright whackos like Tulsi Gabbard.
I am currently registered as an independent… BUT if Biden has any chance of taking PA, I will surely change my registration to D so I can vote against him. Some think his time is past… I think in never came… just ask Anita Hill
Former Vice President Joe Biden is aware of his weaknesses as a candidate
One of those weaknesses might be that not very many people will want to vote for him. I’m not sure he’s aware of that one. Agree with @erik_t this serves to underscore the pompous aristocrat vibe he’s always projected. His previous campaigns were unpromising and he just has this habit of making not just overly candid remarks but genuinely dumb ones and ill-considered moves that strongly suggest he’s just not that good at this. Plus which, he’s ambitious but not driven.
I guess that’ll do to be getting on with as far as weaknesses he might not, in fact, be aware of.
Well, that could happen anyway. Before the convention, after the convention, announcing early has no bearing on when, if, or whether someone winds up embarrassing themselves.
My problem here is that he’s potentially excluding everyone currently in the race since none of them are going to drop out now and be his VP in waiting. So, let’s say he wins the nomination and it’s clear that Booker or Warren would be his best VP choice to unite the party, but he’s already picked someone else? He can’t kick his pick off the ticket and go with someone else. He’s stuck with his first choice.
Biden thinking- I am gonna go for the Game Changer in the First Round, and then Rope a Dope the entire rest of the fight.
BTW- I am tired of Biden’s fake tan and fake blonde hair plugs.
This is totally apart from considering him an embarrassment who regularly got his lunch eaten by Orrin Hatch and his colleagues going back to the mid-1980s.
Former Vice President Joe Biden is aware of his weaknesses as a candidate, and plans to choose his running mate early, if he does decide to run in April, to keep the focus on defeating President Donald Trump.
According to a Monday CNN report, he also plans to roll out big-name endorsements early and to run on the legacy of the Obama administration.
Old School
The looooong drawn out “Decision” (Jeb Bush : Please applaud)
Sorry Joe Recipe for disaster
Whatever was brilliant in 2008 …not so much now
You drip with old timey planning and thought , kind of like Obama Vs Hillary
With you playing Hillary
You are not inevitable and while you are a nice guy and competent politician.
You just don’t have it
Sarah Palin is available. 
Well said. Joe is not the future of the Democratic Party, or the future of America.
I agree with your point about eliminating present contenders from the running for VP.
But the more time that goes on, the more likelihood that something will come out that would disqualify a person from being the Veep. If that comes out before s/he is chosen, then we think, “Oh, poor Joe Schmoe, to have his career damaged that way.” But if the person is already in the running, the damage to him/her and to Joe would be much greater.
I agree with all the reservations about Biden. Which of the current candidates is a) more appealing (less baggage, younger, less gaffe-prone) and b) could beat Trump? My own choice, long shot though he may be: Pete Buttigieg.
I urge responders to open and read the CNN report before responding to the TPM article. The title and opening paragraph of the TPM article does NOT match the content of the CNN report. We’ve been baited.
Setting aside the idiocy of thinking it would be a good idea to select a VP candidate almost a year before the first primary . . . who on earth would be stupid enough to accept the running mate slot? I mean, that would be exponentially stupider than Carly Fiorina lashing herself to Ted Cruz’s sinking prow, right?
Did you read the CNN article before responding?
The CNN article says exactly this: “As he prepares for a possible run, Biden has hunkered down for strategy sessions with a tight knit group of advisers and held meetings with top Democrats and elected officials. One subject of discussion has been the early selection of a running mate, which one aide said would help keep the focus of the primary fight on the ultimate goal of unseating Trump.” There is not much difference between talking about an early selection and preparing for an early selection. Either way, it’s pretty stupid.
The males are sucking up all the oxygen so far.
I did read the article, and it doesn’t change my opinion. There is clear speculation of “the early selection of a running mate” which, no matter how you slice it, is both too early to discuss and won’t ultimately help Biden in the long run anyway.