Would it be illegal for Biden to approach Bernie about joining his ticket, one way or the other?

[eclipsenow]

Extreme hypothetical: *IF* Biden decided he didn't mind being VP to an older Bernie, would it be legal for Biden to just say "Let's stop fighting and I'll be your VP? We've got to get rid of Trump - let's go on together to win this thing!" Is that constitutional? Do the Democratic party *have* to decide this contest via what I see as the expensive blood-letting process where the same party fights each other and tears each other down?

PS: I chose Biden to go VP because he's had the job before and so should be good at it. ;-) Also, he's a tiny bit younger so give Bernie the top job. ;-) Also, I'm Australian, and support Bernie getting the job so that Americans can experience what Aussies have always taken for granted - universal healthcare. AND we're not Socialists, only having 1% more tax per GDP than Americans, AND our healthcare delivers better results for half the price!

 

[Goonie]

Extreme hypothetical: *IF* Biden decided he didn't mind being VP to an older Bernie, would it be legal for Biden to just say "Let's stop fighting and I'll be your VP? We've got to get rid of Trump - let's go on together to win this thing!" Is that constitutional? Do the Democratic party *have* to decide this contest via what I see as the expensive blood-letting process where the same party fights each other and tears each other down?

PS: I chose Biden to go VP because he's had the job before and so should be good at it. ;-) Also, he's a tiny bit younger so give Bernie the top job. ;-) Also, I'm Australian, and support Bernie getting the job so that Americans can experience what Aussies have always taken for granted - universal healthcare. AND we're not Socialists, only having 1% more tax per GDP than Americans, AND our healthcare delivers better results for half the price!

No.
The 2020 award for a simple answer goes to......

 

[.Mikha'el.]

Extreme hypothetical: *IF* Biden decided he didn't mind being VP to an older Bernie, would it be legal for Biden to just say "Let's stop fighting and I'll be your VP? We've got to get rid of Trump - let's go on together to win this thing!" Is that constitutional? Do the Democratic party *have* to decide this contest via what I see as the expensive blood-letting process where the same party fights each other and tears each other down?

PS: I chose Biden to go VP because he's had the job before and so should be good at it. ;-) Also, he's a tiny bit younger so give Bernie the top job. ;-) Also, I'm Australian, and support Bernie getting the job so that Americans can experience what Aussies have always taken for granted - universal healthcare. AND we're not Socialists, only having 1% more tax per GDP than Americans, AND our healthcare delivers better results for half the price!

There's nothing prohibiting it, but it won't happen in a gazillion years.

 

[athenken]

What goonie said. Now, on the other hand, I can't imagine Biden's supporters would actually go for it. I think it remains to be seen, but I have a feeling someone else may jump into the race prior to the convention in August and try to steal the nomination. Of course, this would mean the primaries were a waste of time (which they kind of are based on what happened last time around). But if the reports of the kind of rhetoric coming out of Bernie's camp, not from Bernie himself but his supporters, we could be gearing up for quite the s***show at the DNC.

 

[eclipsenow]

Wow. Illegal. Our Aussie Westminster system has politicians from our parties choose who will be the leader. There's a Spill, and the party room votes. The party responds to party member discussions, think tanks, surveys, and party strategists to choose their policies and leaders. It saves the terrible blood-letting and eye-watering expense of the American system. It stops the opposition going to civil-war just before an election with the incumbent!
Mind you, most Aussies from both our Labor Party (think Democrats) and Liberal Party (think Republicans) are both probably vastly more Centrist than your parties. We have compulsory voting, and on a Saturday as well. These 2 factors mean voting is something the poor HAVE to do, but can easily get to on a weekend. The poor aren't overlooked by their urgent economic need to go to work on a Tuesday morning, with in a voluntary system might look more urgent and important than voting. We are short term creatures, after all.
So Bernie and Biden have to waste tens of millions fighting it out to the bitter end? Sad! Trump's going to win.

 

[PloverWing]

Given the votes so far, it looks like Biden is going to win the nomination, but he is certainly free to invite Sanders to be his running mate.

 

[Ophiolite]

We have compulsory voting, and on a Saturday as well.

The first part of that I could never agree with. (No problem with the Saturday.)
I'd just slap an extra 5% income tax on anyone who didn't have an acceptable reason for not voting and let it run for the duration of that Parliament.

 

[DaisyDay]

No.
The 2020 award for a simple answer goes to......

Why wouldn't it be legal? It's not going to happen but not for the law.

 

[Hank77]

Also, I'm Australian, and support Bernie getting the job so that Americans can experience what Aussies have always taken for granted - universal healthcare.

Bernie can't bring about universal healthcare on his own and if the Senate doesn't shift to Democrat-controlled he'd have to convince the Republicans and that isn't happening.

 

[athenken]

The first part of that I could never agree with. (No problem with the Saturday.)
I'd just slap an extra 5% income tax on anyone who didn't have an acceptable reason for not voting and let it run for the duration of that Parliament.

How would that be any different, you only just incentivized a compulsory voting system.

 

[Ophiolite]

How would that be any different, you only just incentivized a compulsory voting system.

I wasn't clear. It's not a compulsory voting system. You buy your way out by paying more tax. Vote, or pay. Simple option.

My preferred option is that if you don't vote then you are forbidden from expressing any opinion whatsoever, in public or private, about any political matter or politician until the next election, on pain of imprisonment. That's just too impractical to police. So make the non-voter pay.

 

[Subduction Zone]

Why wouldn't it be legal? It's not going to happen but not for the law.

The question was "Is this illegal?" Not "Is this legal?"

 

[eclipsenow]

So there's nothing constitutional that would prevent the last 2 leading nominees teaming up?

 

[loveofourlord]

Not quiet the same thing, but didn't the vice president at one time be the nomination for the oposing party? So if it was like that trump would have had biden, or vice versa as the vice president.

 

[Aryeh Jay]

So there's nothing constitutional that would prevent the last 2 leading nominees teaming up?

Well, who do you think Ronald Reagan's Vice President was? (It was the #2)

 

[Subduction Zone]

Not quiet the same thing, but didn't the vice president at one time be the nomination for the oposing party? So if it was like that trump would have had biden, or vice versa as the vice president.

I do believe that originally the Vice President was the person that came in second in the Presidential election. It was thought at first that each election would have quite a few candidates and that the President would end up being chosen by Congress.

 

[Subduction Zone]

Well, who do you think Ronald Reagan's Vice President was? (It was the #2)

A rarity. Lately I think that Presidents have chosen a candidate even worse than they are to deter assassination attempts.

 

[Aryeh Jay]

A rarity. Lately I think that Presidents have chosen a candidate even worse than they are to deter assassination attempts.

That would explain the last few cycles on both sides.

 

[Subduction Zone]

That would explain the last few cycles on both sides.

Right let's look at the list:

Dan Quayle? Are you kidding me?

Al Gore? He was just Dan Quayle the sequel.

Dick Cheney? Just who we need Dr. Evil as President

Joe Biden? Oh wait. Don't tell anyone but he is our current best chance against Trump!

 

[Aryeh Jay]

Right let's look at the list:

Dan Quayle? Are you kidding me?

Al Gore? He was just Dan Quayle the sequel.

Dick Cheney? Just who we need Dr. Evil as President

Wait, I thought Dick Cheney WAS the President…

Joe Biden? Oh wait. Don't tell anyone but he is our current best chance against Trump!

Just look at our last election, the only person the Republicans could find to beat Hillary was a Democrat.