Hollywood Insiders Share Their Thoughts On Joe Biden’s Potential Running Mates
Major players in Hollywood — celebrities, directors, producers, studio owners, and the like — often use their significant funds to back politicians. For this year’s election, it seems Joe Biden is the candidate many major Hollywood donors are choosing to support with their votes and their wallets, according to Deadline. Some of these Hollywood insiders spoke to the publication this week about how they believe Biden’s vice presidential pick will impact his chances of winning the general election in November.
Biden committed to picking a female running mate during a Democratic debate in March, according to CNN. Since then, there has been wide speculation about who he might choose as his second in command. Per CNN, some of the names that have been brought up most often are Sen. Kamala Harris, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, and Stacey Abrams. There’s also been some discussion — mostly wishful thinking — of Biden picking Michelle Obama as his vice-presidential candidate.
The Hollywood insiders and donors who spoke to Deadline shared their opinions about the advantages and disadvantages of each potential VP pick. They also acknowledged that — as the pick will play such a crucial role in the election — they didn’t want to share who they supported publicly until the decision was made, worrying about potential fallout. As such, most chose to speak to Deadline anonymously.
Several of these Hollywood players stated that the dream team would be Biden and Obama. However, they acknowledged it won’t happen. One major political donor told Deadline that Obama definitely isn’t interested in the job, no matter how much the country may want her.
“Michelle Obama is a superstar and could be a big asset, but she doesn’t need or want this.”
According to Deadline, for the majority of the high-profile donors they spoke to, the top three picks are Warren, Harris, and Abrams. They said each of these women brings something different to the campaign that could help the ticket be more electable for those who are on the fence. They also said each of these women could give the Biden campaign the momentum it’s been lacking.
One big-name director, who is very active in the political scene, said they believed Warren was the best pick, because she could bring in progressive voters, though they also acknowledged she might alienate moderate voters.
A prominent Hollywood showrunner told Deadline that their pick would be Harris, because she can bring in the money that Biden needs to keep his campaign going. According to Deadline, Harris is a favorite of many Hollywood insiders and donors because of her connections to California. She’s also somewhat of an insider herself, so she has access to a lot of the donors that could close the fundraising gap between Biden and President Donald Trump.
Stacey Abrams is also a favorite among the Hollywood crowd, per Deadline. She’s seen as a rising star within the Democratic party, and she’s surrounded by publicity, hype, and enthusiasm — which is something the Biden campaign has been sorely lacking. Abrams has gotten a lot of airtime lately talking about how she’d love to have the job. Several Hollywood insiders told Deadline that Abrams’s energy and passion would be an asset to the Biden campaign.
Though the insiders and donors acknowledged Klobuchar as a big asset for winning the Midwest, they said she wouldn’t provide the forward momentum the Biden campaign needs. One insider pointed out that she wouldn’t change hearts and minds about the ticket.
“She is so impressive, but if you were blah about Biden, you are still going to be blah if Amy is the pick.”
All of the Hollywood donors and insiders that Deadline spoke to agreed on one thing — Biden needs to pick a running mate that is going to bring money and enthusiasm to the campaign.
