Clintons Pushing Hillary/Barack Ticket

Reuters:

Hillary and Bill Clinton are again teaming up on Barack Obama -- this time saying the first-term U.S. lawmaker, whom they have derided as inexperienced, would be a strong running mate on a Democratic presidential ticket headed by the former first lady.

In talking up a joint ticket, the Clintons may be seeking the upper hand, attempting to put her in consideration for the top of the ticket when she so far has failed to win the votes necessary to assure that she would face Republican presidential candidate John McCain in the November election.

The maneuver may also be aimed at countering an image in voters' minds of Obama as presidential material and at helping restore an aura of inevitability as the party's nominee that Clinton had early in the campaign but lost.

"The Clintons are in a difficult position," said Dennis Goldford, a political science professor at Drake University in Iowa, who has tracked the presidential race.

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Read the whole story: Reuters

Comments

[Canukistani]

I think Obama missed a good chance to cut this off right at the start. When he was asked about it he should have said that he hadn't heard that Hillary had conceded. That might have stopped all this nonsense at the outset.

[nohat]

I agree, and I am a little disappointed in him. But it may be that he is not Quick Draw McGraw when it comes to verbal comebacks. Some are, some aren't, it's nothing to blame anyone for,Nohat, so shut up with the disappointed-in-him cr-p.

[Canukistani]

Hey, I'd rather see him be a little slower with a right answer than lighting quick with a wrong one. I just think it's a pity he missed this one. It would have saved him some trouble and forced the talking heads to try to find something worthwhile to say for a change.

[nurseattorney]

Very true.

Its makes me wonder why he allows the VP idea to remain out there, without refuting it completely. But then, more and more I find Obama's campaign strategy unfathomable. Using a loser like Daschle as his surrogate? Letting Powers roam around Europe defining his foreign policy? Giving Goolsbee authority to discuss NAFTA with Canada? And not responding to the Clinton smears and lies until long after the moment has passed? There are either a lot of amateurs running his campaign, or there's a hidden agenda there.

[Canukistani]

Always funny to hear about how Obama's campaign is filled with amateurs when he's winning. I'm not sure what that says about Hillary's pros, but I don't think it's anything good. I also think that if Obama was the one that was in trouble Hillary would not be talking about pledged delegates changing their minds and revotes and how McCain had more credibility than Obama. I suspect that Obama's amaterus are doing ok.

[Kane]

It's quite obvious that much of the rhetoric coming out of the Clinton camp is directed not at the general public, but at the superdelegates. Obama leads in the popular vote, delegates won and total states won. Considering the diminishing chances that Clinton can win on any of these fronts, the only remaining strategy is to put into question Obama's readiness in the minds of the superdelegates, to hopefully pursuade the superdelegates to give Clinton the nomination regardless of the numbers. Saying that Clinton is considering Obama as a running mate is all part of the pyschology of making the argument to the superdelegates.

Seeing that this is the only remaining strategy available to Clinton, the continued attempts to diminish Obama will only increase. Unfortunately, the longer the superdelegates sit quietly by and do nothing, the more opportunity they are giving Clinton to publicly trash Obama. That doesn't bode well for the party or for our chances in November. It's time for the superdelegates to get off the fence and get behind Obama. This is the Democratic party, not the Clinton party.

[butchie65]

What did the people in Ohio see in her, that we don't ? I can't see anyone voting for her after they lost their jobs because of Bill. What are they thinking ? I wish people from Ohio would come on here and tell us what it was, that they voted for her.

[kingfishstew]

Don't forget about the big NAFTA lie that the conservatives of Canda put out just before the primary to try and help Hillary...or perhaps in cahoots with here.

Canadian conservatives were meddling in our domestic affairs, another unsung story.

[HumeSkeptic]

They saw the same thing they saw in Bush in 2000 and 2004. They are consistent in Ohio, consistently stupid.

[SUNRAI]

Hypocrisy at its best.

[Kane]

Everytime I hear the talking heads discussing the "dream ticket" scenario, they always get around to saying that it is what most democrats want. But I have yet to meet a Clinton supporter or a Obama supporter who is up on the idea. These "polls" the media continues to talk about must be the same kind of polls that showed the country was gung ho to go to war with Iraq. Personally, I think the media is pushing the dream ticket scenario because they consider it a juicy story, as is the democratic "turmoil" of the Florida and Michigan vote. Coincidentially, the Clinton campaign seems happy to oblige the media in keeping both stories going.

[druidlady42]

Forget the DREAM TICKET, folks!

It's just another cynical, deceptive campaign ploy by the Clinton camp to throw out some "bait" to those sweet little old ladies and "undecideds" who say they want to vote for "first-woman-President" Hillary, but really like Obama, too! Hillary sees the hard reality of obtaining the nomination now that she's behind in delegate count with so few states to go, and has figured out that, by hinting (wink, wink!) she MIGHT choose Obama as her VP, quite a few voters might swing her way, thinking they'll get both! And, horrifyingly, she's probably right! So beware, voters! THIS IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN! (Just another underhanded tactic to steal votes from Obama!)

Moreover, the worst thing Obama could do is offer Clinton the VP! They have some similarities in domestic policy, but are QUITE different in regard to foreign policy! Hillary is a "closet neocon/hawk", and Obama has clearly stated that he wants "to change the MINDSET which got us into this war in the first place"! God knows, it does need changing! Furthermore, his stance for increased constructive diplomacy, attention to the CONDITIONS in the Middle East responsible for creating terrorists, against a permanent presence in Iraq, greater control/erradication of nuclear weapons, and adherence to international and Constitutional law stands in SHARP CONTRAST and STRENGTH compared to McCain's "victory or bust" philosophy! Certainly Hillary's foreign policies are much more similar to McCains!

[S1m0n]

"But I have yet to meet a Clinton supporter or a Obama supporter who is up on the idea."

Too true!

[Plank]

I am antiwar and there's no way I would vote for Hillary. She consistently supported the hawks who keep manipulating the information and the intelligence for more aggressive wars.
Hillary voted for the Iraq War
Hillary voted for torture (granted she changed her mind during the New Hampshire debate)
Hiilary voted against the ban of cluster bombs.
Hillary supported the bill to declare the Iranian guard as a terrorist organization
I don't see a fundamental difference between her and McCain on this issue. They may differ on how to deal with Iraq, but hillary is more likely to start a war with Iran. She has no agenda for peace.

[Felicty]

Another Clinton LIE.

Attagirl, Hillary! It's what you do best!

[2liveNdie]

How is it that the candidate running in second is considering the one leading the delegate race the number two spot? SAY AND DO ANYTHING POLICY AT WORK AGAIN!

[nohat]

Abbreviated, that's SADAP

[TotobiAyokoh23]

NONSENSE. I think the Clintons are smoking something very ILLEGAL. Come to think about this: Obama is ahead with all measurable indicators, BUT he is being plodded by the Clintons to accept a VP position. What is wrong with the Clintons? NONSENSE.

[butchie65]

Sure, she would be Vice President and all of a sudden Obama is bumped off. Who is she kidding ? They are so corrupt, Obama wouldn't be in long and she would become President, come hell or high water. They are the crime family along with the Bush family. They won't let anything get in their way.

[suntzu]

This is a cynical but brilliant tactic to try to convey to millions of clueless people out there that she is in fact the front runner and the inevitable candidate. Unfortunately a lot of them will fall for it. To fight this the Obama camp needs to use humor to mock and ridicule the idea. Tom Daschle has a good theme: this is the first time in history that the candidate in last place has offered the VP spot to the candidate in first place. Ha!

[nohat]

Yes, and good for Daschle. I don't care what he has or hasn't done in thepast, at least he is speaking out now. Which is more than can be said for some others up in W. When are they going to find their tongues? And their nerve?

[Superbus]

How could HIllary push Obama for VP? Isn't the VP supposed to be qualified to step in if the President is incapacotated? According to Hillary, only she and McCain can answer the red phone.

[JoJoKewl]

He can learn to answer the phone. He's not an idioto like Doofus Dubya.

[Superbus]

How about his buddies at FARC? Obama not supporting our ally Colombia?

http://www.ibdeditorials.com/IBDArticles.aspx?id=289786626246641

I'd love to see the press push Obama on whether he supports the dictator Chavez or the President of Colombia, our ally, Uribe.

What do you think JoJo?

[nohat]

Don't forget---as soon as Obama tells her 'Noooooo,' officially, she is going to paint him as the democrat who wouldn't do what is best for the party, who put his own ambition to be top dog ahead of what is best fore the party, who didn't have the humility to take the number two spot. She will be describing herself and not Obama, of course; but she will hope that the great unwashed doesn't figure that out.
The cheeky cow.

[IkeChicago]

Hillary knows that Obama cannot accept a VP spot, she also knows that Obama will not offer her the VP spot. She is pushing herself as VP and is forcing the Dem party to take notice.

[anghiari]

IkeChicago ----But more than that she and bill are trying to send a message to the last caucuses that Hillary is willing to work with Obama, trying to draw some votes to her...if people really believe she is not as divisive perhaps they will move support to her. Such absolute unmitigated bull!....it is always about saving their butts. Andrew Sullivan latest piece in the London Times is so right on and Samantha thanks for saying what we all are thinking! I am sure Barack or Michelle will not play the conciliatory game with those awful after the trench mouth warfare Hillary has throw out there...these people are toxic...I don't much blame Bill anymore for finding fun elsewhere...when I see this woman at work!

[IkeChicago]

You are so right, she think this approach could also steal some of his supporters.

[hugs4u]

I wouldnt want Hillary on the ticket even as a VP. But her pushing this idea is showing just how low she can go and will do or say anything to win.