Former Vice President Joe Biden on Tuesday praised Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) for having a “significant” influence on American politics and said he hopes the progressive senator will play a role in his own campaign if he should be the Democratic nominee.
Speaking on NBC's “Today,” Biden reiterated his commitment to picking a woman as his vice presidential running mate. But he said that he's spoken to Sanders recently and that he wants him to be a part of his presidential “journey.”
“Bernie has an incredible following,” Biden said. “He's maybe one of a half-dozen people in American history who may not be the nominee but has had an impact on American politics in a significant way, in a positive way.”
“If I'm the nominee I can tell you one thing – I would very much want Bernie Sanders to be part of the journey. Not as a vice presidential nominee, but just in engaging in all the things that he's worked so hard to do, many of which I agree with.”
Biden is still determined to have a female running mate but he wants Sanders to be part of his campaign. Biden not only understands how important it is to have a united Democratic Party, he’s also showing that he takes Sanders and his supporters seriously and he wants them to have a voice.
Sanders isn’t the only big name Democrat Biden’s supporters want him to team up with:
Joe Biden has said that he's started discussing with his advisors who he would ask to join his administration if he goes on to defeat President Donald Trump in November.
His donors, on the other hand, have been privately floating some names that they hope to see become advisors for the campaign or even join a Biden White House, particularly as the coronavirus rattles the economy, according to people with direct knowledge of the matter. The people declined to be named because discussions were in private.
According to the people, the names being discussed by donors and supporters alike include Sens. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., and Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass.; BlackRock CEO Laurence Fink; Blackstone Executive Vice Chairman Tony James; Mark Gallogly, the co-founder of investment firm Centerbridge Partners; and Roger Altman, the founder of Evercore, among others.
Gallogly and Altman have helped Biden raise campaign cash throughout the 2020 election cycle, while James backed former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg when he was in the race for president.
If Biden doesn't choose Harris as his running mate, some privately said that she should be attorney general. Warren could be a key campaign economic advisor, others said. Fink would be a great pick for Treasury secretary, while Gallogly and James could be strong players in that department as well, these people noted.
And Rep. John Lewis (D. GA-05) is onboard with Biden’s campaign:
As I look at what’s happening to our country right now, I’m shocked and saddened. People across the country are suffering. And, we deserve a leader who is strong and compassionate, but that’s not what we’re getting from the White House.
So I’m speaking out and fighting for empathetic, moral leadership.
I’ve always fought for what was right. I fought against racial injustice with Dr. King. I was beaten bloody and tear-gassed, fighting for what’s right for America.
And, right now I refuse to stay silent and do nothing while Donald Trump reverses so much of the hard fought progress we’ve made.
That’s why today, I’m proud to endorse my friend Joe Biden for president.
But he can’t win this election alone. Can you chip in to his campaign to help him today?
I did not march across the bridge at Selma on March 7, 1965, and almost lose my life to watch a president undo the progress we fought so hard for.
We CANNOT rest until we fix the injustice caused by Donald Trump.
So trust me when I say that Joe Biden is the exact kind of leader we need to unite this country and continue our work towards a more just democracy.
Joe is a leader with talent, strength, and dedication to our country.
We must do everything we can to elect Joe Biden. We must do everything we can to make sure his voice isn’t drowned out by Donald Trump. That means supporting his campaign when he needs it most. So I’m asking you today:
Will you donate $5 or more directly to Joe Biden right now?
It has been my life’s mission to stand up for justice in the face of hate. We need leaders like Joe who will stand up and speak out for Americans, not someone who will work against us. Not someone who will move us backward.
That’s why I’m doing everything in my power to elect Joe Biden. Will you join me?
https://go.joebiden.com/Donate
As Martin Luther King Jr. said, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” I know if we elect Joe, we can get back on the right path.
In solidarity,
Rep. John Lewis
Click here to donate to Biden’s campaign.
