Party unity sought by Clinton

  • 11/06/2016
Party unity sought by Clinton

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has met with US Senator Elizabeth Warren, a leading progressive voice, to try to build party unity for her election campaign against Republican Donald Trump.

The two held talks at Clinton's Washington home on Friday (local time), a day after Warren endorsed Clinton's White House bid, adding support from the Democrats' liberal wing as Clinton seeks to move on from her protracted primary battle with Bernie Sanders.

Warren left the meeting smiling after roughly an hour and did not speak to reporters outside.

Clinton, the former secretary of state, earlier this week secured the delegates needed to win the party nomination for the November 8 presidential election.

Party leaders are hoping Sanders will drop his presidential run before the party convention in Philadelphia in July.

The Warren meeting on Friday fuelled speculation that the senator from Massachusetts might be under consideration as Clinton's running mate.

Asked in an MSNBC interview on Thursday whether she had discussed with Clinton the prospect of being vice president, Warren said she had not, nor had she been vetted.

Warren has considered the idea of serving as Clinton's running mate but sees obstacles to that choice, several people familiar with Warren's thinking told Reuters this week.

Having support from Warren would boost Clinton's ability to court highly motivated Sanders supporters who have been fired up against Clinton during the unexpectedly long primary battle.

Warren and Sanders share views on issues such as reining in Wall Street excesses and fighting income inequality.

Sanders said on Thursday he would remain in the race through the final nominating contest in Washington, D.C., next week but would work with Clinton to defeat Trump.

Warren is also shaping up to be a no-holds-barred critic of Trump and they have had several spats on Twitter.

Trump, who is also scheduled to hold events in Washington on Friday, said Warren was one of the "least productive US Senators," adding in a tweet: "Hope she is V.P. choice."

Reuters