Hillary Clinton Auditions Her VP Candidates
As Republican presidential nominee-in-waiting Donald Trump announced Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as his running mate, his Democratic counterpart was holding interviews with her own short list of prospective running mates.
Clinton was joined by campaign chair John Podesta and vice chair Huma Abedin, as well as veteran Democratic lawyer James Hamilton, who has overseen her selection process, and longtime aide Cheryl Mills, who served as her chief of staff in the State Department. She reportedly met separately with at least three VP candidates:
U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.)—a favorite of the “economic populist” socialist supporters of Clinton’s primary challenger, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, the 67-year-old progressive would also help form an unprecedented all-woman presidential ticket.
Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper—the 64-year-old second-term governor could also help in a key battleground state. He was key in getting the 2008 Democratic National Convention lured to Denver, and would add both Western-state and small-business credentials to the ticket.
Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro—frequently seen as the future of the Democratic Party, the 41-year-old former San Antonio mayor delivered the keynote address at the 2012 Democratic National Convention and became the HUD Secretary in 2014. If he’s picked, he would be the first Latino on a presidential ticket.
The day before the interviews, she also campaigned with U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), who is also considered a serious contender for Clinton’s running mate. The former mayor and governor from a key general-election battleground state, age 58, is considered to be a “safe choice” and someone who could help her appeal to moderates.
The Clinton campaign has been fairly quiet about the meetings, so far. Spokesman Brian Fallon merely said, “On Friday, Secretary Clinton held a series of campaign-related meetings at her Washington home, including several about her vice presidential selection process.”
