Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren has been selected to deliver an address during prime time on the first night of the Democratic convention later this month, spurring rumors that she will not be picked as Hillary Clinton’s vice presidential nominee.
Warren, who was delivered an invitation to speak at the convention on Tuesday, was rumored for months to be on the short list for the Democratic VP slot before it was confirmed she was being vetted for the position in June. But news of the former Harvard professor’s prime time assignation at the DNC has many speculating Warren has been precluded from the ticket.
As The New York Times pointed out, Warren’s current “marquee” spot is “one that is earlier than vice presidential picks typically appear” for the purpose of amping up the hype behind the big VP reveal—but others have countered that it isn’t certain anything has been set in stone regarding the convention or the identity of Clinton’s VP. Even though the speaker line-up is obviously a priority for the movers and shakers behind the DNC, the fact that Clinton has not officially chosen her partner for the ticket means that Warren could be swapped out with another Dem if she is ultimately chosen. (NYT confirmed this with two party insiders, who noted that all speakers were told that their “speaking times were subject to change.”)
Recent polls have shown that out of the top contenders for the Dem VP spot—including New Jersey Senator Cory Booker, former Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julian Castro, and Virginia Senator Thomas Kaine—Warren is the only potential candidate slated to induce some much-needed enthusiasm for the Clinton camp.
As of now, Warren has not verified as to whether she has accepted the invitation.
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