Welcome to the Veepstakes,
Washington's favorite parlour game played every four years, even in a pandemic.
Choosing a running mate is one of the most important decisions
a presidential candidate will make.
The right political pairing can lead to four or even eight years of executive bliss.
The wrong pairing can make it very hard to reach the White House.
Some of life's greatest opportunities come unexpectedly.
Biden has already made one big commitment:
his running mate will be a woman.
But here's what else we know:
his top priority is someone who could be President on day one.
At 77, Biden would be the oldest president in American history
so he wants someone who is younger and has more experience
to step into the role.
Then there are questions of demographics.
Black voters are the most important constituency to the Democratic party
and they played a major role in helping him win the nomination.
There are also regional and geographic considerations.
The general election will likely be fought in the Midwest
but Democrats also see possibility in parts of the south and the west.
Lastly there's a question of personal chemistry.
Did they have a rapport? Did they campaign well together?
Did they like each other?
Let's take a look at some of the most likely candidates.
Kamala Harris is often at the top of the list because of her biography,
age and experience on the national stage.
Some progressives have issues with her record but she has strong following
among African American women.
Though her presidential campaign flamed out early,
she proved to be one of the most skillful debaters in the Democratic field.
Unfortunately for Biden, he was on the receiving end of one of her fiercest attacks.
There are moments in history where the States failed to preserve
the civil rights of all people.
But they've since put that behind them.
Harris has endorsed Biden and her stock has seemed to rise in recent days.
Biden said that together they would defeat Donald Trump in November.
Senator Elizabeth Warren is the top choice of progressives.
She ran for president on a platform of economic reforms that many believe
are more relevant than ever since the pandemic.
I believe government should work for everyone.
She's also ideologically close to Senator Bernie Sanders and the theory is
that she would help bring along some of his supporters.
But there are concerns that her left-wing politics could hurt Biden
with moderate voters and they have differing opinions on big issues
like health care.
Still, she's well-liked among Democrats and party unity will be a big factor
factor in beating Trump.
If he asked you to be his running mate would you say yes?
Yes.
Senator Amy Klobuchar is another former opponent of Biden's.
They share a similar pragmatic approach to politics and they also share
a record of working with members of the opposite party.
During her presidential campaign, Klobuchar repeatedly pointed
to her long history of being elected in the Midwest as a reason why
as a reason why she should be the nominee.
Days before Super Tuesday, she dropped out of the race
and endorsed him.
How wonderful it is to be standing next to him on a stage
when it isn't the debate stage.
In 2018, Stacey Abrams burst onto the national scene when she ran
for governor of Georgia, a state Democrats have their eye on.
In our Georgia, no one would be unseen, no one is unheard, and no one is uninspired.
Even though she fell just shy of becoming
the nation's first African-American female governor,
she's still a Democratic rising star.
Perhaps working against her, Abrams hasn't served in any higher office
than state legislature.
But Abrams hasn't been shy about her interest in the job.
She recently said she would make an excellent running mate
and she also said that she would be concerned
if Biden didn't choose a woman of colour.
Black women are the strongest part of the Democratic party,
the most loyal.
But that loyalty isn't simply how we vote, it's how we work.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer has become one of the most prominent
governors in the nation since the pandemic.
She's clashed with Trump over the federal government's response
to the crisis and he wants dismissed her as the woman in Michigan.
– Michigan. All she does is ... she has no idea what's going on.
And all she does is say oh it's the federal government's fault.
Support for putting on the ticket has grown with her heightened profile,
but the spotlight has also made her a controversial figure among Republicans .
If Joe Biden were to ask, would you accept?
And I am fortunate to have my name considered along with am incredible group
of female leaders across this country and I'm confident no matter who
he chooses we're gonna have a strong ticket that really is focused on
the right things.
On the same night, the nation elected Donald Trump,
Nevada elected the first Latina senator.
Senator Katherine Cortes Masto is not as well known as many on this list
but her profile is growing.
This year, Cortes Masto is in charge of the effort to help Democrats
take back the Senate.
No easy task for a freshman senator.
She comes froma diverse western state and putting a Latino on the ticket
may help drive up enthusiasm among Hispanic voters.
Her voting record is reliably liberal but she's not strongly associated
with any one wing of the party.
Lastly, we know what you're thinking.
What about Michelle Obama?
if we thought there was even the tiniest possibility that she would take the job,
we'd put her at the top of the list.
But she has made it clear that she has no intention of putting herself forward.
Geography, ideology, identity, chemistry.
Biden has a lot to consider in the coming weeks and months
as he decides who he wants by his side as he takes on Donald Trump.