The dust has settled rather quickly on President Joe Biden's decision to give up his re-elect bid, with Vice President Kamala Harris getting the delegates she needs to get the nomination within just three days.

She has quickly moved on to choosing a vice presidential candidate--but one that most people thought would be on the short list has apparently been left off of it.

Wall Street Journal reporter Ken Thomas posted on X the list of candidates from whom Harris has requested vetting materials: Roy Cooper (NC), Mark Kelly (AZ), Josh Shapiro (PA), Gretchen Whitmer (MI), Tim Walz (MN) and J.D. Pritzker (IL).

Harris' campaign has requested vetting materials from potential VPs, including Cooper (NC), Kelly (AZ), Shapiro (PA), Whitmer (MI), Walz (MN) + Pritzker (IL), according to a person familiar. Beshear told CNN he hasn't been asked to submit info at this point.

— Ken Thomas (@KThomasDC) July 23, 2024

Beshear explains

Beshear told the New York Post Harris called him directly hours after Biden stepped down but that he wasn't interested in the VP job unless it would benefit the people of Kentucky.

“The only reason I’d ever consider something else is if I felt that I could help my people in Kentucky more in a different role or that there was a chance to move past the partisanship, the constant fighting,” he explained.

He may have a point, but he may also be inadvertently talking himself down if he doesn't think he could help people all over the country, including Kentucky, if he were vice president.

Then again, it's unclear whether anyone in any position is going to be able to get past the partisanship and constant fighting in Washington right now.

Just like that

Harris's rapid rise to presumptive nominee has left other contenders in the dust.

The Associated Press found that Harris had at least 2,214 delegates backing her, and she only needs 1976.

"I am proud to have secured the broad support needed to become our party’s nominee, and as a daughter of California, I am proud that my home state’s delegation helped put our campaign over the top,” Harris said Monday night, even as some Democrats were still talking about having some kind of open primary for the spot.

On the one hand, it makes sense for Harris to take over as the nominee since she is already on the ticket.

On the other hand, though, many Democrats are worried that she is too unpopular to actually win the election.

Early polls suggest that she's behind Trump, but 104 days of relentless badgering by the media may move the dial in her direction.