Elizabeth Warren for vice president

Hillary Clinton may not choose her for a running mate, and Elizabeth Warren may say no even if she is asked.  But traditionally there are several roles vice presidential candidates are expected or needed to play:   geographical or demographic balance, filling an ideological gap, and attack dog to go after the other party's presidential candidate, balancing any deficits in the candidate's personality or style.

Elizabeth Warren is already out of the gate hitting all those marks.  After it became apparent Tuesday night that Donald Trump is the presumptive GOP nominee, Warren tweeted out this message:

Donald Trump is now the leader of the Republican Party. It's real – he is one step away from the White House. Here's what else is real: 

Trump has built his campaign on racism, sexism, and xenophobia. There's more enthusiasm for him among leaders of the KKK than leaders of the political party he now controls. 

He incites supporters to violence, praises Putin, and, according to a columnist who recently interviewed him, is "cool with being called an authoritarian" and doesn't mind associations with history's worst dictators. 

He attacks veterans like John McCain who were captured and puts our servicemembers at risk by cheerleading illegal torture. In a world with ISIS militants and leaders like North Korean strongman Kim Jong-Un conducting nuclear tests, he surrounds himself with a foreign policy team that has been called a "collection of charlatans," and puts out contradictory and nonsensical national security ideas one expert recently called "incoherent" and "truly bizarre." 

What happens next will test the character for all of us – Republican, Democrat, and Independent. It will determine whether we move forward as one nation or splinter at the hands of one man's narcissism and divisiveness. I know which side I'm on, and I’m going to fight my heart out to make sure Donald Trump’s toxic stew of hatred and insecurity never reaches the White House.

Let's look at how Warren fills those criteria for VP:

1.  Demographics:  Clinton doesn't need a woman to fill that slot, but having two women on the ticket would be just the surprise excitement to overcome the already jaded feelings about Clinton, even though she would be the first woman president.   To those who say it might be risky to have two women running, I say we've had over 200 years of two men on a ticket.   It outdoes Trump should he pick a woman VP.  Also, Warren comes from academia;  only recently has she become a politician.

2.  Ideological:    With this one simple choice, Clinton could solve the problem of bringing young people and progressives to her ticket.   Almost as good -- maybe even better -- than having Bernie Sanders himself.    Warren's advocacy for the middle class and her fighting Wall Street help neutralize the criticism of Clinton for being too close to the big banks.

3.   Attack Dog:   Warren is already up and barking as the attack dog against Trump.   Just re-read her statement above if you have any doubts.

4.  Personal style:   Where Clinton can seem cautious, scripted, and distant, Warren is spontaneous, authentic, engaging, articulate, and scaldingly spot-on in her critiques.

Elizabeth Warren for Vice President !!    She's the perfect balance for Hillary Clinton.

Ralph