Possible Hillary Clinton running mate Rep. Xavier Becerra (D., Calif.) tried to make the case for other potential vice-presidential picks Wednesday on Morning Joe, implying Sen. Tim Kaine (D., Va.) was a flawed choice and pointing to Sen. Cory Booker (D., N.J.)'s national security credentials including him being a former mayor.
Becerra, the chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, has been floated as a running mate pick for Clinton, the presumptive Democratic nominee. MSNBC panelist Mark Halperin asked Becerra what he thought of Kaine, another name being vetted.
"I'm wondering how super-excited you would be if Secretary Clinton chose Tim Kaine as her running mate," Halperin said.
"Great guy," Becerra said. "As experienced a candidate as you could find to be vice president. Someone who's very thoughtful, someone who has the experience to show that he could take over should something happen to the president, God forbid."
Halperin pointed out some progressives find Kaine too centrist on fiscal issues. Kaine has also been criticized from the left for his more moderate views on abortion.
"I think he's a great guy, and you're not going to get everything in a package, so I think what you're trying to look for is someone who is ready to be president, someone who has the experience and someone who really can show the American people he's ready or she's ready to lead, and I don't think there's any doubt that Sen. Tim Kaine would be ready to lead," Becerra said.
Halperin asked if he felt the same way about Booker. Becerra praised him for "demonstrating a lot of tough decision-making" in his career.
"What are his national security credentials?" Halperin asked.
"Well, certainly when you serve in the U.S. Senate, you go out there and you are making tough decisions, whether to send our troops to war, whether to help the president have the resources to work with allies, and certainly as a mayor, you are day-to-day trying to take care of the security needs of the people that you represent as the mayor of a city, a large city."
Booker was mayor of Newark before being elected to the Senate in 2013.