Scoop: Klobuchar to appear on Biden podcast amid VP rumors
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Former Vice President Joe Biden is joined on stage by Sen. Amy Klobuchar during a campaign event on March 2 in Dallas, Texas. Photo: Ron Jenkins/Getty Images
Sen. Amy Klobuchar is the next guest on Joe Biden's podcast "Here's the Deal," which was previewed by Axios before it comes out tomorrow.
Why it matters: You can't have conversations with Democratic operatives and strategists without hearing Klobuchar's name come up as a potential vice presidential pick for Biden — who's already publicly committed to selecting a woman.
- This is the fifth episode of "Here's the Deal."
- Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer — also speculated to be of interest for the VP list — was Biden's guest for the second episode.
Details: On the podcast, Biden and Klobuchar talk about spouses, friends, and Klobuchar's life before the Senate.
- He asked about Klobuchar's husband, who recently had and overcame the coronavirus. “It’s the most lonely, horrific disease. That’s why I’m so devoted to your plans to get us out of this,” Klobuchar told Biden.
- Biden asked her to share the story of how her "particularly challenging experience giving birth" to her daughter ultimately led to career in politics.
- Klobuchar shared a personal story of when Biden called one of her good friends after her husband passed away. "And then you gave her your personal number because you said you knew what it was like to lose a spouse," Klobuchar recalled.
- And she talked about finishing Michelle Obama's book "Becoming" and how her daughter, Abigail, is in a group chat with friends who watch Netflix's "Tiger King" every week.
Klobuchar didn't shy away from pointing out some of the subtle sexism inherent to politics.
- While on a work trip with John McCain and foreign leaders after he lost the 2008 presidential race, whenever the men in the meeting would defer to another GOP senator instead of Klobuchar, she said McCain would tell them: "No, no, no. Sen. Klobuchar is the lead Democrat on this trip and she will go next."
- She said it felt like he was saying: "You know what? She’s a leader, too. She may be a woman and everyone else in this room is a man, but she is the leader for the trip from her political party."
- Biden said that Klobuchar and McCain share "a value set" in that they're both "decent and honorable."
The backstory: In a poll released last week of over 1,600 registered voters in Wisconsin and Michigan, Klobuchar was the second-favorite pick (behind Sen. Elizabeth Warren) to be Biden's VP.
- On Saturday, she was asked by CNN's Michael Smerconish whether she'd accept a VP offer from Biden — but declined to answer, saying that "right now I am focused on my state."
- "I know one thing for sure, Joe Biden was a great vice president. He knows what it takes to be a good vice president. He's going to make that decision."
What to watch: A source familiar told Axios that Klobuchar will be hosting two to three virtual fundraisers for Biden over the next couple of weeks.
- And this week she's expected to send an email on her behalf for Biden's campaign to her fundraising list, per a source familiar, following Elizabeth Warren who did the same last week.
- She’s also joining a Women for Biden virtual event this week.
