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| © Bill Pugliano/Getty Images Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. |
By Quint Forgey, POLITICO
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said Monday she is not actively lobbying to become Joe Biden’s running mate, breaking with other much-discussed Democratic vice presidential contenders who have more aggressively advocated for a spot on the party’s ticket.
In a virtual interview with POLITICO Playbook, Whitmer said she was unsure how Biden’s eventual running mate would campaign for office while governing or legislating amid the coronavirus outbreak in the United States.
“Beats me! I don’t know. I mean, I’m not running for anything,” Whitmer said, adding: “I just know that, you know, you don’t run for that. That is a selection of the top of the ticket, and everyone else should be just busy doing their jobs.”
The governor also revealed she has provided no documents to the Biden campaign to facilitate a vetting process, but spoke in glowing terms about her personal relationship with the former vice president and presumptive Democratic presidential nominee — who has pledged to select a female running mate.
“We’re cut from a similar cloth. He loves people. He is, you know, regularly checking in with me about what’s going on here in Michigan, what do we need. I’ve gotten some counsel from him in terms of, you know, just trying to communicate to people what we’re really confronting,” Whitmer said.
“I’m grateful for the friendship, and that’s — you know, everything that I’m doing right now is focused on helping the people of my state through this crisis,” she said. “And that’s all the energy that I have is going into that effort.”
Whitmer’s measured remarks Monday were at odds with with more blunt comments in recent days from other prospective vice presidential candidates.
Earlier this month, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren said she would accept the role of Biden’s running mate if he offered her the No. 2 spot on the Democratic ticket, and California Sen. Kamala Harris said she would “be honored to serve” alongside Biden.
Former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams has adopted the most assertive approach among those on the shortlist of potential running mates, publicly promoting herself for the job and arguing in an interview earlier this month that she would make an “excellent” choice.
Abrams, as well as other influential voices within the party including House Majority Whip Jim Clybrun (D-S.C.), have urged Biden to select a woman of color as his vice presidential nominee.
“I think that there are some phenomenal women leaders across the country, and I will be the most enthusiastic supporter of [a] Biden-whomever ticket,” Whitmer said Monday, when asked whether Biden’s running mate should be a woman of color.
“I would include people like Kamala Harris and Elizabeth Warren and Stacey Abrams and [Minnesota Sen.] Amy Klobuchar and [Florida Rep.] Val Demings,” she continued. “You know, I think that there really is a great — there’s a huge class of highly competent women leaders across this country that would, I think, be fantastic.”
See more at POLITICO
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said Monday she is not actively lobbying to become Joe Biden’s running mate, breaking with other much-discussed Democratic vice presidential contenders who have more aggressively advocated for a spot on the party’s ticket.
In a virtual interview with POLITICO Playbook, Whitmer said she was unsure how Biden’s eventual running mate would campaign for office while governing or legislating amid the coronavirus outbreak in the United States.
“Beats me! I don’t know. I mean, I’m not running for anything,” Whitmer said, adding: “I just know that, you know, you don’t run for that. That is a selection of the top of the ticket, and everyone else should be just busy doing their jobs.”
The governor also revealed she has provided no documents to the Biden campaign to facilitate a vetting process, but spoke in glowing terms about her personal relationship with the former vice president and presumptive Democratic presidential nominee — who has pledged to select a female running mate.
“We’re cut from a similar cloth. He loves people. He is, you know, regularly checking in with me about what’s going on here in Michigan, what do we need. I’ve gotten some counsel from him in terms of, you know, just trying to communicate to people what we’re really confronting,” Whitmer said.
“I’m grateful for the friendship, and that’s — you know, everything that I’m doing right now is focused on helping the people of my state through this crisis,” she said. “And that’s all the energy that I have is going into that effort.”
Whitmer’s measured remarks Monday were at odds with with more blunt comments in recent days from other prospective vice presidential candidates.
Earlier this month, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren said she would accept the role of Biden’s running mate if he offered her the No. 2 spot on the Democratic ticket, and California Sen. Kamala Harris said she would “be honored to serve” alongside Biden.
Former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams has adopted the most assertive approach among those on the shortlist of potential running mates, publicly promoting herself for the job and arguing in an interview earlier this month that she would make an “excellent” choice.
Abrams, as well as other influential voices within the party including House Majority Whip Jim Clybrun (D-S.C.), have urged Biden to select a woman of color as his vice presidential nominee.
“I think that there are some phenomenal women leaders across the country, and I will be the most enthusiastic supporter of [a] Biden-whomever ticket,” Whitmer said Monday, when asked whether Biden’s running mate should be a woman of color.
“I would include people like Kamala Harris and Elizabeth Warren and Stacey Abrams and [Minnesota Sen.] Amy Klobuchar and [Florida Rep.] Val Demings,” she continued. “You know, I think that there really is a great — there’s a huge class of highly competent women leaders across this country that would, I think, be fantastic.”
See more at POLITICO
