Barack Obama hasn't endorsed any Democratic candidate yet but thinks Elizabeth Warren is 'capable' for the top job
Former president Barack Obama hasn’t endorsed any of the Democratic candidates for the 2020 presidential election but he considers Elizabeth Warren as a "capable candidate and potential president". Journalist Amie Parnes, one of the co-authors of the book ‘Shattered’ that deals with Hillary Clinton’s unsuccessful presidential bid in 2016, has written in ‘The Hill’ that Obama has batted for Warren behind the scenes to convince the party’s moneyed donors even as the Massachusetts senator has made her disliking for accepting fat checks clear.
Warren, who has attacked corruption as a major electoral plank, rallied against the donor class saying she doesn’t want its help. She has also blasted millionaires openly and has refused to accept big checks from Democratic donors. Warren’s stance has made the donors reluctant to back her and that is where Obama has chipped in. He has said that if the senator succeeds in bagging the nomination, the donors must support her wholeheartedly. Obama reportedly said that Warren is smart and considered her policy ideas to be carrying weight.
“He obviously thinks she’s very smart,” one Democratic donor added. “He thinks her policy ideas matter. And I think he sees her running the campaign with the most depth.”
Amie Parnes, The Hill
Obama, however, has not endorsed Warren in the private conversations and has stressed that he is not endorsing anybody in the Democratic primary race, Parnes added. “He’s asked all of the candidates who have sought his advice three questions: Is your family behind you? Why you? And why now? She checked the box for all,” one longtime Obama ally was quoted as saying. “I think he feels licensed to give an opinion on her because he’s ‘hired' her,” the ally said.
Warren worked for the Obama administration
Warren has worked for the Obama administration (2009-17) by becoming an assistant to the president and special adviser to the secretary of the Treasury where she helped in setting up the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Besides Warren, Joe Biden and Julian Castro are the other Democratic hopefuls who have served under the Obama administration as the vice president and secretary for Housing and Urban Development, respectively.
Parnes also cited a source close to Obama saying that the former president would bat for any of the other Democratic hopefuls for the 2020 fight, pointing out to a remark that he made in November. However, Obama has expressed his reservation over choosing Sanders as the nominee and said he would speak out against the Vermont senator if he took a strong lead in the primary.
"Look, we have a field that is very accomplished, very serious and passionate and smart people who have a history of public service, and whoever emerges from the primary process, I will work my tail off to make sure that they are the next president,” the former president said in an interactive session at a Democracy Alliance event in Washington.
Obama’s backing for Warren, however, looked surprising for many as the two have had disagreements over economic issues including the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). In 2015, Obama was even dismissive of the senator’s opposition to the TPP.