Elizabeth Warren faces huge obstacles getting a Biden Cabinet spot

U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s ambitious hopes of landing a Biden Cabinet spot appear to be dimming faster than President Trump’s bid for re-election.

The Massachusetts senator, who lost her campaign for the White House, would be sure to face stiff opposition from Republicans who right now are projected to still control the Senate.

Her well-publicized run-ins with Majority Leader Mitch McConnell — which brought her tremendous fame and a fortune in campaign contributions — may come back to haunt her now.

McConnell could single-handedly block her from even getting a chance at confirmation to a post like Treasury secretary.

It’s even questionable whether Biden would want someone like the abrasive Warren to serve in an influential spot.

If Republicans control the Senate in 2021, Biden reportedly is looking for “centrist” candidates to fill top posts to avoid run-ins with Republicans.

That strategy will not play well with progressives like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who have already warned Democrats that they need to appoint candidates from the left to administration positions.

But Biden may not have much choice.

Warren and McConnell have a long history of bitter disputes over the last few years — most notably the “she persisted” moment in 2017 when McConnell tried to block Warren from giving a speech against former Sen. Jeff Sessions, Trump’s appointee for attorney general.

“She was warned,” McConnell said. “Nevertheless, she persisted.”

The exchange later became a rallying cry for Warren’s campaign.

At a vigil for the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in September, Warren condemned McConnell for trying to quickly appoint a replacement justice.

“Mitch McConnell and his henchmen believe that they can ram through a Supreme Court justice only 45 days from Election Day,” Warren said. “Mitch McConnell believes that this fight is over. What Mitch McConnell does not understand is this fight has just begun.”

Uh, actually it is over. Justice Amy Coney Barrett has already taken her seat on the high court.

And just last March, Warren went after McConnell again, saying it was reckless of him to force the Senate to deliberate despite the rising cases of coronavirus.

During her presidential campaign in 2019, Warren was asked whether she had a “plan” for McConnell if he’s still the Senate majority leader in 2021 and she replied “I do.”

And there’s another major reason why Biden would not want Warren in his administration — it would give Republican Gov. Charlie Baker a chance to add another GOP senator to replace her — at least temporarily.

If Biden does tap into Massachusetts for slots in his administration, It’s far more likely that the incoming president would pick a moderate like U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch, D-Boston, to fill a spot on his Cabinet.

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/2TVfNCC