Jo Biden’s VP pick – why we shouldn’t rule out Elizabeth Warren
In recent weeks the Senator from Massachusetts, Elizabeth Warren, has appeared to be falling back in the race to become the vice presidential nominee for the Democrats at the White House election in November. In the betting she’s now dropped to third favourite behind Harris and Klobuchar.
A big problem is that if she became VP she could no longer serve as a senator and for a few months the decision on who should represent state in her position would be down to her state governor governor who is a republican. This is regarded as a very big political negative because the Democrats are trying very hard to win both the presidency and the Senate. The chances of them holding onto the House of Representatives look pretty strong.
Today’s Boston globe has a very interesting piece about the long-standing political relationship between Biden and Warren and argues that there is a a deep link there which might just be what Biden wants. Interestingly the article notes that in 2015, there was talk of Biden running against Hillary for the nomination, with possibly Warren on the ticket. It’s noted that the two have remained in close contact since then and have many conversations and private political discussions. It goes on:
“Warren and Biden did not seem like natural allies then, and in some ways, they still don’t, after two decades of shared history have left them frequently at odds. But as Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, ramps up his search for a running mate — a job Warren says she would accept, and one she is widely expected to be shortlisted for — their complex relationship will be back in the spotlight. Biden and Warren have perhaps the longest history of any of his potential vice presidential picks, and their willingness to knit their constituencies and political styles together will have implications for a party at a crossroads whether or not he picks her.“
It might just be that Biden would prefer the closeness of someone he trusts and has a relationship with rather than choosing someone with much less of a history with him. Being comfortable with someone right from the start might matter more to him than the Senate place issue.
An issue of course is that Elizabeth Warren is 70 , seven years than Biden and it is thought that the party would like to see somebody younger on the ticket to balance it.