Report: Sanders Wants to Be Biden's Labor Secretary

After his 2008 victory, Barack Obama made Democratic runner-up Hillary Clinton his secretary of state. Sources tell Politico that if Joe Biden wins in November, Bernie Sanders is interested in a different role: Labor secretary. "I can confirm he's trying to figure out how to land that role or something like it," one source close to Sanders says. "He, personally, does have an interest in it." The senator from Vermont declined to say whether he was pushing for that job or another one in a Biden administration. "Right now I am focused on seeing that Biden is elected president," he said Wednesday.

Former Sanders campaign manager Faiz Shakir says Sanders has been pushing for progressive policies and voices on the transition team, but he's "100% in Joe Biden’s court." "We’ve had a good working relationship with the Biden team and I expect we’ll maintain that all the way through," he tells Politico, adding: "It would be great to have a unity government that takes into account that progressives are a pretty healthy portion of the electorate." Fox notes that Republicans including former Ohio Gov. John Kasich and former Sen. Jeff Flake are also reportedly being considered for roles in a potential Biden administration. One possible barrier for Sanders: If his Senate seat opened up, his replacement until a special election would be chosen by Vermont Gov. Phil Scott, a Republican. (More Bernie Sanders stories.)