US Election 2020: Susan Rice WOULD be Joe Biden running mate

Susan Rice, the former ambassador to the United Nations and national security adviser, would tell Joe Biden yes if he asked her to be his running mate. 

‘I certainly would say yes,’ the ex-Obama administration official told Margaret Hoover on her PBS ‘Firing Line’ show Thursday night. 

Rice’s response elicited a ‘wow’ from the host. 

Former ambassador to the United Nations and national security adviser Susan Rice said she ‘certainly would say yes’ if Joe Biden asked her to be his running mate 

Susan Rice’s (right) response to the question elicited a ‘wow’ from PBS ‘Firing Line’ host Margaret Hoover (left) 

Joe Biden announced at the March 15 debate that his running mate would be a woman. He’s been campaigning out of his basement rec room thanks to the coronavirus pandemic since March 

‘Should I say no?’ Rice asked. 

‘I think everybody who’s been asked that question has given the same answer. So that’s not a surprise,’ Rice explained.

Rice said she wished to ‘enable’ Biden to become the next president of the United States and offered to help him ‘if he wins.’ 

‘Because I believe that’s what’s vitally important for the future of our country,’ Rice said. 

‘It’s not about me, it’s not about my ambitions, I’m not campaigning for anything, but you know, obviously, if that were the role in which he felt I could best serve than I’m not going to say no,’ she told Hoover.   

Biden announced on the March 15 debate stage that his running mate would be a woman. 

This would be the second time a Democratic candidate had a female running mate, though the last time was 36 years ago with Geraldine Ferraro in 1984. 

More recently, Republican John McCain picked Sarah Palin to be his running mate in 2008. 

And Hillary Clinton, a woman, became the first female major party nominee in 2016. 

The Nation predicted that one of seven female politicians listed would be Biden’s VP and included Rice on the list.  

‘I’m humbled and honored to be among the extremely accomplished women who are reportedly being considered in that regard,’ Rice told Hoover when first asked about the Biden VP job. 

‘I know Joe Biden well, I’ve worked with him very closely, I know he’ll be a great president of the United States and from my vantage point I’m committed to doing all I can to help him win and to help him govern,’ Rice added.    

A Rice pick would bring with it the baggage of Benghazi – and she was among the Obama administration officials included on the list of people asking to ‘unmask’ President Trump’s national security adviser Michael Flynn.  

Despite the coronavirus pandemic continuing to plague the country, Trump has continued to tweet about ‘Obamagate,’ which has a nebulous definition, but certainly includes what the president thinks happened to Flynn. 

Other women supposedly on Biden’s list include former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams, who’s been the most vocal about wanting the job. 

Three former rivals are also being talked about – Sens. Elizabeth Warren, Amy Klobuchar and Kamala Harris. 

The pick of Warren could defeat Democratic efforts to win back the Senate because a Republican governor would get to choose her replacement.  

Both Harris and Klobuchar are strong contenders, but with Harris there’s no chance a Senate seat would turn over to the GOP. 

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is being talked about, though she said on ‘The View’ she’s had no serious conversations with Biden. 

‘So while I care incredibly about where we are headed as a country, and I am grateful for the close relationship I have with the vice president, I’m going to work to help him every step of the way, that’s not a conversation that we’ve had at any depth at this juncture,’ Whitmer said. 

She also would have the challenge of trying to campaign while leading a state through a pandemic. 

Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada is also getting some buzz. She could help Biden improve his numbers among Latinos in her state, who overwhelmingly favored Bernie Sanders in the Democratic caucus earlier this year.    

Cortez Masto previously told Telemundo that she was ‘honored’ to be considered. Her political team told CBS News she’s ‘not actively campaigning’ for the job.