Could Biden change the presidential campaign with a historic promise?

So, how could Biden stand out in that crowd? A couple of things: He could promise to pick a woman as his running mate, someone well-spoken but who would not outshine him.

It didn’t help Walter Mondale in 1984 to choose Rep. Geraldine Ferraro. They took one state in a Ronald Reagan landslide. John McCain won 22 states with Sarah Palin in 2008 but only 173 electoral votes.

Timed right, vowing to balance the ticket would be quite popular in primary season and appeal to suburban women, who are drifting away from the GOP. Of course, any Democrat could do that, but — oh, look! — Trump couldn’t match that move. Not without dividing his conservative base, which is invested in Vice President Mike Pence.

Then, Biden could grab at least a week’s worth of free media in a general election campaign by suddenly making the dramatic announcement he says he currently has no plans to make. You know, he’d say in a folksy way, our nation is in crisis. We have been seriously divided for four years by a chief executive who lies and spreads division for his own ends. He’s the laughingstock of foreign leaders. Americans have actually attacked each other over a hat or political button.