Biden asks Senator Amy Klobuchar to undergo vetting to be running mate: media

WASHINGTON - US Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden has asked Senator Amy Klobuchar to undergo a formal vetting to be considered as his vice presidential running mate, local media reported Thursday.

The request for information from potential running mates like Klobuchar "is underway," a senior Biden campaign aide told CBS News.

It's not yet clear if Klobuchar has consented to the vetting.

If a potential contender consents, she should be poised to undergo a rigorous multi-week review of her public and private life and work by a hand-picked group of Biden confidantes, who will review tax returns, public speeches, voting records, past personal relationships and potentially scandalous details from her past, said a CBS News report.

Biden has publicly credited Klobuchar for strong debate performances and for helping him win her home state Minnesota in March.

Biden committed during a March primary debate to picking a woman as his running mate and told donors during a fundraiser last month that he hoped this vetting process would be done by July.

Besides Klobuchar, California Senator Kamala Harris, Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, former Georgia Democratic gubernatorial nominee Stacey Abrams and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer are thought to be possible contenders.

The 77-year-old former vice president would be the oldest man ever elected to the White House and has not committed to seeking a second term if he wins the presidency, meaning his vice president would be a presumptive front-runner in the 2024 election, or positioned to lead the pack in 2028.