In an interview with SiriusXM on Friday, former Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts lavished praise on former Vice President Joe Biden .
Per Mediaite , speaking with hosts Jess McIntosh and Zerlina Maxwell — both former senior Hillary Clinton aides — Warren seemingly drew a contrast between Biden and President Donald Trump, arguing that the likely Democratic nominee would handle the coronavirus pandemic differently.
“Every time he has a chance to talk I’m reminded though he is a good and decent man, and as a leader, he would not be putting himself first. He would be putting first the interests of the American people,” Warren said, adding that the former vice president would “understand at a human level of what this pandemic means to Americans.”
According to the Massachusetts senator, Biden would have “smart people” in charge of handling the government’s response to the pandemic. The Democrat, she said, would tackle the coronavirus crisis like former President Barack Obama handled the financial crisis in 2009.
Warren further compared Biden to Obama.
“Obama was here just three and a half years ago, and he saw us through a crisis starting back in 2009 with steady, thoughtful, smart leadership, and that’s what I think we can expect from Vice President Biden,” she said.
Warren failed to make an impact in the Democratic primary race. After polling as one of the frontrunners for months, she failed to win a single state, dropping out of the presidential contest after Super Tuesday. As Mediaite notes, the senator has not yet made an official endorsement, but the interview indicates that she is gearing up to endorse Biden over Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, the former vice president’s only remaining competitor in the primary race.
Biden has a significant delegate lead over Sanders, who would need an unprecedented electoral miracle to win. It has been rumored that Warren is being considered as one of Biden’s potential running mates, given that the former vice president has committed to having a woman on the ticket. The senator refused to discuss the speculation with McIntosh and Maxwell, stating that she is focused on the coronavirus pandemic.
Warren is not the only former White House hopeful being considered as a potential running mate for Biden. Sens. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Kamala Harris of California are reportedly on the shortlist as well. Apart from the three senators, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is also on Biden’s list.
During a virtual fundraiser on Friday, Biden discussed the running mate selection process and the potential makeup of his Cabinet, revealing that a special committee will handle the vetting.