Elizabeth Warren signals she might be willing to set aside Medicare-for-all as part of Biden VP bid

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) is seemingly trying to get on former Vice President Joe Biden's good side.

During the 2020 Democratic presidential primary, Warren consistently shouted down Biden's centrist policies, especially when it came to her and Sen. Bernie Sanders' (I-Vt.) shared demand for Medicare-for-all. But as recently as this week, Warren argued that "expanding the Affordable Care Act" is the first step in getting to single-payer health care — the latest in a series of compromises and compliments that could signal she wants to be Biden's No. 2, Politico reports.

While the other women who ended their 2020 campaigns and Stacy Abrams are still being discussed as potential running mates for Biden, Warren's chances have seemingly risen over the past few weeks. Biden has repeatedly complimented her dozens of coronavirus policy plans, as well as her questioning of Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin regarding coronavirus relief funds. Biden and Warren even co-wrote an op-ed criticizing the Trump administration's lack of oversight of those funds. Sources also tell Politico that Biden and Warren's camps have been collaborating on economic policies over the past few weeks.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Sign up

This reported collaboration doesn't seem to be driving Warren to the center, though. She was quick to add that expanding Obamacare is only a stepping stone in getting to Medicare-for-all, which isn't so different from how she praised the Obama administration's health care work during primary debates. Read more at Politico.