Let it not be said that Joe Biden won't tolerate a critic in his inner ranks. In picking Kamala Harris, a U.S. senator from California, the presumptive Democratic presidential candidate stuck with a long line of other presidential contenders by ignoring a former rival's attacks in selecting a running mate, but broke with past patterns in picking the first woman of color to be on a major party's ticket.
We'll leave the politics to later in the election cycle, but there are a few things worth noting right off the bat about this selection. First, with Harris by his side, Biden will have a greater ability to lead on issues involving crime and police reform. Harris is, of course, a former prosecutor and state attorney general. Her record involves tough decisions in dealing with tough criminals. If she doesn't run from that record, it could be an asset down the line in striking a balance between law enforcement and protecting civil liberties. She's also not beloved in some circles of her party. So by picking her, Biden could be signaling a general election strategy aimed at more traditional swing voters.
It's likely that Biden will get a boost from new excitement around his campaign. Harris was a surprise pick for some, in part because she had some tough words for Biden during the primaries. She is also a running mate likely to ignite some voters who heretofore were supportive but not enthusiastic about the Democratic candidate.
The proof now will be in the campaign, of course. Where Biden settles on key policy questions and how voters come to feel about the candidate and his pick for vice president could determine the outcome. If so, then what we may be witnessing is the start of a return to normalcy in a presidential campaign, where candidates and their policy positions become key factors. It's still a long way to November, and voters should sort through candidates on the ballot. But our sense is that the general election just started in earnest.