Joe Biden said he would like former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg to be part of his administration should he win the presidency.
Speaking to a reporter in Texas on Monday, the former vice president praised both Buttigieg and Sen. Amy Klobuchar after their exits from the race. Buttigieg dropped out on Sunday, and Klobuchar followed suit Monday, the eve of Super Tuesday, which is the biggest night of the Democratic primary contest. Both are expected to endorse Biden in an effort to deny Bernie Sanders the nomination.
“I did speak to Pete Buttigieg a couple days ago to encourage him to stay engaged because he has enormous talent, and I indicated to him that if I became the nominee, I’d come and ask him to be part of an administration,” Biden told KHOU 11 News. “He’d be engaged in moving things forward.”
“And I just heard, I didn’t know … I don’t know this to be a fact, that Amy has suspended her campaign,” he continued. “She is also a great talent.”
Just finished 1 on 1 interview with @JoeBiden after his event @TexasSouthern Asked him about reports @PeteButtigieg and @amyklobuchar will endorse him tonight in #Dallas. #Biden wouldn’t confirm but did say this ⬇️ #khou11 #HtownRush pic.twitter.com/Acer6Vghul
— Marcelino Benito (@MarcelinoKHOU) March 2, 2020
President Trump blasted the decisions by Buttigieg and Klobuchar, both centrists, to step down and endorse Biden. He called it “a coup” against Sanders, a self-avowed socialist who many of Trump’s allies think he has a better chance of beating than Biden.
On Monday, the president also accused the duo of dropping out of the race in order to secure posts in a Biden administration.
“That’s called a quid pro quo, right?” he quipped.
Trump has sent a number of tweets that appear to show support for Sanders, but the Vermont senator has rejected any “help” Trump would provide his White House bid.
