Biden Offers Buttigieg Undisclosed Spot in Administration

Joe Biden already has another job lined up for Pete Buttigieg.

Buttigieg said Sunday he was dropping out of the presidential race. Sources said Monday he plans to announce he is endorsing Biden.

In an interview with KHOU 11 News in Houston, Biden said he had already broached the subject of a job in his administration for the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana.

"I did speak to Pete Buttigieg a couple of days ago, to encourage him to stay engaged and he has enormous talent," Biden said. "And I indicated to him that if I became the nominee, I'd be coming and asking him to be part of an administration."

Biden did not provide Buttigieg's reply to his proposition.

Biden might even be considering an Abraham Lincoln-like Team of Rivals. He said Amy Klobuchar, who dropped out of the race Monday, is "also a great talent," hinting she could have a spot in his administration, too.

Biden says his path forward on Super Tuesday has gotten a little easier since Buttigieg ended his presidential campaign Sunday after failing to secure the diverse coalition needed to win the Democratic nomination.

"He was a real competitor. He is a real competitor. And I think it probably does," the former vice president said of Buttigieg and his exit in an interview with ABC that aired Monday on "Good Morning America."

"If I were president, I would pretty much like to see him part of whatever I do," Biden said.

The decision by Buttigieg, the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, to drop out just before voters in 14 states go to the polls might help Biden secure backing from more moderate and establishment Democrats in an effort to blunt Bernie Sanders' momentum.

Buttigieg, 38, a newcomer to the national stage, outlasted several senators and governors to win the delegate race in the Iowa caucuses. Ultimately, his fourth-place finish in South Carolina proved to be the final blow to his candidacy, as it demonstrated his inability to win over voters of color, which made his path to the nomination nearly impossible.