WASHINGTON ― Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-Calif.) were invited Tuesday to speak at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, sources familiar with the planning of the event told The Huffington Post.
The news is significant because of a report that same day from The New York Times saying that Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) had been given a prime speaking slot for Tuesday night of the convention. It’s a good place to be, but it’s not the vice presidential nominee’s spot, and the report immediately raised suspicion that Warren had been ruled out by the Clinton campaign for the No. 2 spot, with the Times calling it “an apparent sign that Senator Elizabeth Warren will not be named Hillary Clinton’s running mate.” The Clinton campaign has repeatedly said no VP decision has been made and that Warren is under consideration.
That invites also went out to Kaine, Booker and Becerra, top prospects as well, reinforces that the decision has yet to be made. Cabinet secretaries such as Tom Perez, who have also been floated, have been told by the White House they can’t speak at the convention.
No matter what slot a politician is scheduled for, sources said, they can quickly be moved if they are named VP.
Selecting Warren, who is broadly popular among Democratic voters, is seen by some inside the Clinton campaign as a way to excite the base and drive turnout. Warren could also help Clinton find the base of support she’ll need to govern. President Barack Obama has implemented a series of progressive initiatives the past two years and, as a result, the Democratic base has rallied around him, which has driven up his approval rating and helped him govern.
While some have suggested that Warren would be better able to advance her progressive agenda from the Senate, she appears to disagree with that analysis, and there’s good reason to believe she’d have much more power as vice president.
This post has been updated with more details on Warren and considerations around the VP pick. If you liked this story, go here to sign up to get an email when reporter Ryan Grim publishes a new story.
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