Buttigeig Warren, Biden would consider Kamala Harris as vice president

ANALYSIS

SCREEN CAPTURE

Elizabeth Warren is open to an all-woman ticket in considering Kamala Harris as a running mate.

Just days after dropping out of the president’s race, Kamala Harris is being named as a possible Vice Presidential candidate.

The top three candidates on top of the polls, former Vice President Joe Biden, US Senator Elizabeth Warren and Mayor Pete Buttigeig, say they’d consider the California senator as a possible running mate.

When asked if he'd consider Harris as a running mate, Biden said, “Of course I would."

“Look, Sen. Harris has the capacity to be anything she wants to be. I mean it sincerely. I talked to her yesterday. She’s solid, she can be president someday herself, she can be vice president, she could go on to be a Supreme Court justice, she could be attorney general. I mean she has enormous capability.”

Ironically, Harris’ best moment in her failed presidential run came this summer when she confronted Biden during a debate. The two talked this week. Biden said he’s “not good at keeping hard feelings.”

“My reaction is she’s of first rate intellect, a first rate candidate and a real competitor,” he said to reporters after getting the news that Harris had dropped out of the race. “I have mixed emotions about it because she is really a solid, solid person, and loaded with talent. And I’m sure she’s not dropping out on wanting to make the changes she cares about.”

"I think she deserves to be under anybody's consideration. She's a formidable leader," Pete Buttigieg told NBC News when asked whether he was considering Harris as a potential running mate.

"I have enormous respect for Senator Harris," he said. "I think that she brought a great deal to the race, and she'll continue to bring a great deal and her leadership to the country. I don't think it's appropriate for me to name — it's very premature before the Iowa caucus for me to name-check anybody for the future."

Warren was even more enthusiastic about Harris. When asked if Harris would be on her short list for VP, Warren replied, “Oh yeah. I mean look, Kamala Harris would be on any Democrat’s short list. She’s smart, she’s confident…”
And though Harris is no longer running for president, she’ll still be fulfilling her duties as a Senator, and Warren thinks we’ll be seeing a lot more of Harris in the future.

“Kamala’s terrific,” Warren said. “And I guarantee we’re going to hear a lot more from Kamala in a lot of different ways.”

Harris' value as a running mate for one of the top tier Democratic candidates has grown since her announcement that she's dropping out of the race for POTUS, particularly, the six candidates who will be taking part in the Dec. 19 debate - thus, far - are white.

Democrats fear that a good portion of the Obama coalition - college educated voters and voters of color -- may lose interest in the remaining candidates. Considering how much the Democrats depend on the voters of color to come out for their candidate, this is an embarrassing situation. A drop-off in voters from minority communities could cost them an election.

Except for Biden, who still has the gafterlow of the Obama presidency surrounding his candidacy, the other candidates, including Warren, Buttigeig, Bernie Sanders, Tom Steyer and Amy Klobuchar -- have not garnered the enthusiastic support of the black communities. 

Andrew Yang, Tulsi Gabbard, Cory Booker and Julian Castro have not qualified for the debate under the rules imposed by the DNC. Presidential hopefuls have until 11:59 p.m. on December 12 to meet both donor and polling requirements.

The uphill climb for candidates of color might have been on Warren's mind Sunday (Dec. 8). Speaking to more than 800 people at the College of Charleston town hall event, Warren questioned what the seemingly unfair political process that seems to work against the infusion of new candidates with fresh ideas, in particular candidates of color.

Warren said in a press conference prior to her speech that she believes Americans are ready for a presidential ticket with two women at the top, rejecting concerns from some Democrats that a woman can't beat President Donald Trump.

"Sure, why not?" the Democratic presidential candidate told The Associated Press in an interview ahead of a town hall campaign event in Charleston. "I think (voters) would support a lot of different combinations."

Facing the Charleston audience, Warren invoked part of the campaign slogan that Harris had championed since January.

“My campaign is for the people,” Warren said, prompting some of the biggest applause of the night.

AsAm News contributed to this report.

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