Budowsky: A Biden-Michelle Obama ticket in 2020?

If former Vice President Joe Biden is nominated by Democrats to run for president in 2020, his ideal running mate as vice presidential nominee would be former first lady Michelle Obama, one of the most admired and respected public figures in the nation.

A historic Biden-Obama ticket would offer a powerful, inspirational and compelling vision of America to a nation and world enduring the debilitating fatigue of the most bitterly divisive and preternaturally deceitful president who has ever served in the White House.

A ticket of Biden and Obama, both of whom are almost universally known and widely liked and trusted by voters, could lead and inspire the nation. I see an America that is brought together and lifted up by leaders seeking national unity, simple justice, better health care and more economic opportunity for all and not just the few. I see a world where democracy flourishes and America’s leaders stand with a free world united by common visions, shared interests, democratic values and unshakable alliances.

A Biden-Obama ticket would champion an America that honors big truths and promotes big dreams. They would build on the achievements of a highly regarded Democratic president and offer a leadership of enlightened patriotism and a powerful and appealing contrast to a president who treats many fellow Americans as enemies, treats many foreign dictators as friends and treats American military assistance to allies under attack as weapons to bribe or blackmail them into fabricating dirt against his American political opponents.

While I remain undecided in the presidential race, a Biden-Obama ticket would inject dramatic and game-changing enthusiasm, idealism and excitement into the general election.

Much has been made of the possibility that former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg may enter the Democratic race. My guess is that Bloomberg, who is eminently qualified to be president and has great gifts to offer the nation whether he runs or not, will ultimately choose not to run. The data will convince Bloomberg that he would be highly unlikely to be nominated while his candidacy would give a major lift to Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) or Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). While I regard this prospect with neither hope nor dread, it is not a prospect that will inspire Bloomberg to run.

Democrats have learned several things about Biden and his campaign in recent months. The data conclusively shows, as of today, that Biden is clearly the most electable candidate. For the past year Biden has consistently run well ahead of President Trump nationally, by larger margins than any of his Democratic opponents, and has run ahead of Trump in critical electoral vote states by larger margins than any Democratic opponent.

To some significant degree, Biden has demonstrated qualities of being Teflon Joe. Trump has always feared Biden far more than any other candidate. For many months he has tried to use the full force and power of the presidency and the executive branch of government — backed by certain allies in Congress and the media — to spread lies, falsehoods, innuendo, defamations and conspiracy theory slanders against Biden.

Major aspects of these relentless, aggressive, tenacious and defamatory attacks against Biden by Trump and his ethically discredited henchmen are now under criminal and impeachment investigation.

Before these attacks began, summaries of polling from RealClearPolitics showed Biden leading Trump by approximately 10 points. Now, after these attacks have been sustained ad nauseam for months, Biden still leads Trump by approximately 10 percentage points.

While Biden’s strong support in match-ups against Trump has remained sturdy as an oak tree after the intense and scandalous attacks against him, which is a monumental political achievement, he continues to have worthy and formidable nomination opponents.

If nominated, a Biden-Obama ticket would bring together two widely known, liked and trusted public figures who would electrify Democratic enthusiasm and turnout, appeal to political independents, and increase the prospects for a sweeping realigning landslide — building on dramatic Democratic victories in 2018 and 2019 elections.

Budowsky was an aide to former Sen. Lloyd Bentsen (D-Texas) and former Rep. Bill Alexander (D-Ark.), who was chief deputy majority whip of the House of Representatives. He holds an LLM in international financial law from the London School of Economics.