http://www.politico.com/story/2016/03/tom-perez-veep-cabinet-220704 Top Democrats turn to Perez as sleeper VP
Chatter is picking up about the Labor secretary, who has a committed following on the left.
By Edward-Isaac Dovere
03/14/16 05:17 AM EDT
Aside from the wonkiest of Washington circles and the most progressive corners of the left, no one’s heard of Tom Perez. He isn’t young or handsome. He has zero foreign policy experience. The highest office he’s ever been elected to is a suburban county council.
Yet the Labor secretary has emerged as a vice presidential sleeper pick, with chatter building among top Democrats—including Elizabeth Warren.
The Massachusetts senator and a few of her colleagues were standing around on the House floor in late September after Pope Francis’ address to the joint session of Congress, playing the Hillary Clinton running mate guessing game.
Warren doesn’t usually talk politicking, never much one for the speculation. But looking at Perez standing with them and thinking about their work together, she joined in.
“Oh, you’d be great, Tom,” she said.
The other senators quickly started agreeing—maybe he was the one who could make Clinton stick to the progressive politics people in that group wanted.
“That’s interesting,” National Economic Council director Jeff Zients, also standing among them, joked awkwardly. “Hear that, Tom?”
Perez got uncomfortable, smiled, and quickly walked away.
This was all back when they thought Bernie Sanders wouldn’t make it to March, and be exposing day after day how much trouble Clinton’s having convincing the left flank of the party that she’s really with them.
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http://www.politico.com/story/2016/03/tom-perez-veep-cabinet-220704#ixzz42tKS83jy
