A spokesman for Joe Biden waited for the cover of the Mueller report release to the Justice Department to shoot down a trial balloon floated on Thursday that Biden was considering immediately naming failed Georgia governor candidate Stacey Abrams as his vice president should he decide to run for president. A spokeswoman for Abrams followed with a concurrent denial. However on Thursday Biden’s office declined comment while an Abrams spox said about the Biden report that Abrams “continues to keep all options on the table for 2020 and beyond”.

Biden and Abrams met last week in Washington, D.C., reported the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Axios reported early Thursday morning that Biden aides were debating naming Abrams as veep at the start of Biden’s presidential campaign should he decide to run.

SCOOP: Close advisers to former Vice President Joe Biden are debating the idea of packaging his presidential campaign announcement with a pledge to choose Stacey Abrams as his vice president. https://t.co/6OHTUKIlTs — Axios (@axios) March 21, 2019

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Close advisers to former Vice President Joe Biden are debating the idea of packaging his presidential campaign announcement with a pledge to choose Stacey Abrams as his vice president. Why it matters: The popular Georgia Democrat, who at age 45 is 31 years younger than Biden, would bring diversity and excitement to the ticket — showing voters, in the words of a close source, that Biden “isn’t just another old white guy.” …Biden’s office declined to comment.”

Later Thursday Axios reported Abrams was open to the idea, “Stacey Abrams’ spokeswoman says Abrams “continues to keep all options on the table for 2020 and beyond” following an Axios scoop that Joe Biden is considering naming her his running mate at the same time he announces his bid for president”

NEW: Stacey Abrams' spokeswoman says Abrams "continues to keep all options on the table for 2020 and beyond" following an Axios scoop that Joe Biden is considering naming her his running mate at the same time he announces his bid for presidenthttps://t.co/HgdAGzzRBZ — Axios (@axios) March 21, 2019

Friday afternoon, about thirty-five hours after the Axios report and about 20 minutes after the political world was almost totally focused on the news that Special Counsel Robert Mueller had sent his report to Attorney General William Barr, Biden spokesman Bill Russo shot down the Abrams trial balloon, “. @ JoeBiden has an enormous amount of respect for @ staceyabrams (it is why he endorsed her!) — but these rumors about discussions on a pre-cooked ticket are false, plain and simple.”

.@JoeBiden has an enormous amount of respect for @staceyabrams (it is why he endorsed her!) — but these rumors about discussions on a pre-cooked ticket are false, plain and simple. — Bill Russo (@BillR) March 22, 2019

Abrams spokeswoman Lauren Groh-Wargo followed Russo eleven minutes later, “. @ staceyabrams enjoyed meeting with @ JoeBiden. There was no grand plan hatched and no additional conversations between the two of them or our teams since. She will meet with any potential or declared candidates for pres who ask while she keeps all options for herself on the table”