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

[kingfishstew]

Speaking of which, do the superdelegates get a secret ballot? Anyone know?

[Rog49Thomas]

There is ample precedent in US political history for bitter opponents to unite to carry their party to victory.

After the primary season, let's hope that both Sister Hillary and Brother Barack are big enough to put the interests of the USA and Democratic Party ahead of their own personal agendas and "kiss and make up" - even if it is only a sham and work for the nominee of the party.

We simply can't afford the election of a Republican in 2008.. Too much is at stake.

[AdLib]

If we wanted to vote for a sham, we'd already be voting for Hillary.

[Rog49Thomas]

I'm puzzled.

If your candidate doesn't get the nomination, you'll sit on your hands and let Honest John take the White House?

And the reason for this behavior is precisely what?

Your candidate is the Christ and this election is the equivalent of a Rapture?

Honest John is better?

Sorry to be the skunk at the garden party, but no saints are running in this election (nor have any ever run)..

All the candidates - each one of them (including my candidate who may just be your candidate) are humans with all the frailties and foibles of humans. No different than you or me. No moral titans or impeccable souls running.

Elections are always about compromises - about picking the better of two options.
Sometimes the better of two options is getting poked in only one eye with a sharp stick rather than both.

[vitasackvillewesttexas]

better tell hillary about this make-up stuff. she's throwing shit bombs daily and endorsing mccain. maybe she didn't get the memo.

[faretheewell]

How about an Obamma/ anyone but Hillary ticket?

Sounds a lot better to me.

[nohat]

I bet Obama could sew it up with that one, farethee. It's great.

[joja]

Isn't it just a little hypocritical for the Clintons to want to have someone they've spent the last year trashing as their running mate? Wouldn't someone who's so odious to them be a drag on the ticket?

They seem to be attempting to trivialize Obama's candidacy -- once again -- and relegate him to second-position status. More of the "wait your turn, boy" mentality. disgusting!

If the Democratic leadership cannot see the damage they are allowing these two selfish egomaniacs (Bill & Hillary, both) to inflict upon the party, then they deserve the ass-whipping they've got coming to them in November.

We are so fucked.

[Rubiconski]

Scary Clinton people are everywhere on the internets begging for veep-hood.

Hillary is fuming...t­he networks and political sites do not believe that she rode bareback thru the hills of tora bora and single handidly brought bin laden and alqaeda to their knees...an­d now this uppity negro is unwilling to submit to the clinton power machine...­to damn with him!

[kingfishstew]

Barack isn't an 'Uppity Negro'. Get with the times Rubiconski! Ala Rush Limbaugh: He's the "Magic Negro"

Too bad that magic is going to walk all over Hilary this summer, and all over Rush and his cronies this Winter.

[ScandalousCandice]

To coin her phrase, he will "wave his magic wand" and blow her out of the water.

[Kalima]

Here come the creeps,bigots and racists. A bucket of holy water on your head. How can you live
daily with your consuming hate?

I almost pity your darkness but then again I don't.

[Nochnoi]

It is always a sad time when the morning comes.... and people are fresh awoke with vitriol and angst.... of course for me.... it means time for bed... ; )

[Bobby]

Not going to happen. Why? Because Hillary will not win the nomination. No matter how much she tries to go gutter level with her politics. Obama will win the nomination. And Hillary will NEVER be approached about VP. Some possible choice for VP for Obama? Governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico, former Senator John Edwards (again) or perhaps Governor Tim Kaine of Virginia. I could also see someone like Joe Biden as Secretary of State.

[nohat]

Overconfidence, when the Clintons are riding leather, is not a good idea. See Andrew Sullivan's article---yes, yes, yes, I know most posters on here hate his guts. But he seems to have the Clintons pegged just right. It's worth reading; even idiots can sometimes put out a worthy article. And you know it. And what he says is consistent with hundreds of other articles and books, etc.
Anyway, watch out, Obama, as you tour Israel.

[Bobby]

Yes, I know all about the Clinton political machine. It has definitely lost a lot of it's luster as of late. Hillary's Rove-like campaign is one reason. But I have also studied Slick Willie's past, and I'm not terribly impressed. I always hear people wonder why Bill and Poppy Bu$h are so friendly lately. Well, google Mena, Arkansas in the early 80's when Bill was Governor and Poppy was in the White House. It happened right about the time Iran/Contra was going on. The CIA was doing some massive drug running out of Mena. I don't care about political ideology, sometimes all it takes is power, corruption and money. Just look at all of Hillary's lobbyists.

[rlc41]

I always thought the first bush put dan quail as vp was to assure he wasn't assassinated while he was in office. Obviously hillary has not thought this through.

[kingfishstew]

Hehehehe

I hadn't thought of that. I had thought that Obama wouldn't last too long with Hillary as VP though.

[TOOO]

I think the word we're looking for here is "chutzpah.­"

[kingfishstew]

I'd have to consult a Yiddish dictionary first, but I think there's probably something stronger than chutzpah to be thrown out there!

[AdLib]

Like, "The ethics of a lox".

[nohat]

I just saw that new thread about Obama leaving the country soon, for Israel and Europe and Asia.
For god's sake, you never, as a candidate, leave the country in the middle of a hot election, any more than a general leaves the field in the middle of a hot battle. What is he thinking of?
Hillary will be rubbing her hands in glee! Who's advising him? I can't believe it, it shows poor judgement. Even if it were all right for a candidate to leave during an election, this one is unique.
The man will be leaving the field to Hillary, no ordinary opponent.
Does anyone else agree that it's a bad idea?

[kingfishstew]

Depends on how long he's gone. McCain is heading on his world tour. A few pictures with foreign heads of state won't hurt. Most of Hillary's claim to experience seems to come from the fact that she's shaken hands and shared a meal with a few foreign dignataries, after all.

[nohat]

Question to you all: if it's such a good idea, why isn't Hillary doing it?

[ScandalousCandice]

Israel is a good move on his part because people think he isn't in favor of them enough. Blah blah blah. It really depends on how long he is gone for. But at this point in the game, even if he loses every state, he will not lose it by margins worthy of giving Clinton any hope.

[nohat]

I see. And I don't suppose visiting Israel will hurt him with the Jewish vote in America, either. I still don't like it. Were it anyone but Hillary and Bill....

[AdLib]

It is unusual but there are 6 weeks until the next election. Maybe the idea is to get news coverage of how embraced he is around the world, giving him the chance to look presidential with international leaders and meanwhile get away from being a sitting target for Hillary's pot shots.

I said this in a post below, Obama has to do something aggressive to change the dynamics and force Hillary to react to his actions instead of allowing her to stay on offence.

[nohat]

That is possible.

[Nochnoi]

I think it shows great judgment..­.. Mississippi is on Tuesday, and after that it is a million years until the next state.... Many have spoken about his lack of experience relating to governments of foreign countries.­... This is actually going to be a great opportunity for him to show how good he actually is at Foreign Policy....­..

Hillary is going to have to sit and stew until he gets back....

[kingfishstew]

True. Besides, attack a man while he isn't even in the country isn't really being tough. It'll probably (hopefully) come of as just being more of an ass.

"Why couldn't you say that while Obama was within eartshot, Hillary?" ect, ect.

[nohat]

Hillary never sits. She stews, but she always stews on the road. You and I will just have to disagree on this one, Nochnoi. Until he gets back, safe and sound and without walking into something clever cooked up while he was gone, I won't be happy.

[joja]

nohat --

Where do you get your conclusions from -- Howie Wolfson's daily talking points?

Who says a candidate "never" leaves the country during an election? George W. did it in 2000 and it worked for him.

Just b/c the Clintons are running out of funds and can't flip for the cost of doing the same, they're trying to trash Obama for something they aren't able to do -- too fucking bad!

Besides, this gives Bill a chance to act like more of an asshole than he already is. Like you say, he has free reign now to throw as much shit at the fan as he can.

[nohat]

I get my conclusions where I get everything else, from my own weird mind. I can't agree that it is safe. I think you underestimate Bill and Hillary. We will have to wait and see, and I hope you are right.

[Arguman]

This is like Eric Cartman picking Kyle to be his best friend.

[Macready]

the clintons are sick twisted and evil . .. .they are totally ruthless .. .Obama has still won more statees, has more delegates and the popular vote . . . the clintons should drop out

Obama would be committing political suicide to team up with the clintons . . . the more I see of the clintons antics the more I loathe them .. . the sooner billary is out of the race the better .. . .

[ScandalousCandice]

Relax. He already said hell no he won't be VP. And he also said these talks are very premature. Meaning there isn't a shot in hell she will be his running mate.

This is posturing to put it in peoples heads that he needs her. But it's simply not true. And the more deafening message from her campaign is that she blew it and burnt her bridges.

[nohat]

Where has sparkandy gone?

[totaldisbelief]

Does Obama want to be the next Vince Foster ? Then we'd get stuck with Hillary.

[jcwtts1]

I thought i was going to have to read the whole string to here people as outraged and amused as myself. I was wrong. Way to go posters. Gotta tell you, having seen what happens to a clinton veep, not sure anyone really wants the job. I'd offer it to Dollar Bill Bradley today. He's a former Senator from Jersey. Liked by GOPs and Dems, has tons of FPE F Policy Experience, he is a white guy, which I think is necessary for Obama, and picking Hillary (which is really what all this bs is about) would be a disaster. The dick morris column for today on the hill tells the tale. Hillary lost on Tuesday night when she didn't pick up any delegates. By the time the caucus is counted she will have clearly lost Texas. Just as Al Gore discovered in 2000, wining the popular vote means nothing. It is delegates and electoral college math. The founders of this country were smart. I mean I disagree with them on many issues, but think they were stupid is.... well stupid. They thought about popular elections and they rejected them. They also left a mechanism in place to change anything the future didn't like... like slavery. Like women voting. If people want a popular election then fine, do it. Change the constitution. But what we got is what we got. The same can be said for the people who designed the democractic primary system. To believe they never thought about the process and it just happened to be this screwed up is silly. They thought about and rejected the popular vote system. They thought about and rejected the super delegate option. If we don't like it, and I don't, the time to change it isn't now, it is during the next four years. It is over. Hillary lost. She can try and do things like ask Obama to be Veep but she lost and he should laugh it off. He should pick a Veep for himself, he should make it clear that it won't be Hillary, and he should start staffing his cabinet, Biden for sec of state, Webb or someone similar for Sec of Defense, start getting your FP team into place and lets talk about how many jobs the bush tax cuts and NAFTA cost America.

J

[ScandalousCandice]

I think if Obama says he will take Edwards it will completely shut the Clinton's down and force them out of the game entirely. But too bad Edwards is a super pussy who had no spine to endorse a candidate. His disgusting pandering to see who would offer him a better job really blew that shot. And same for Richardson. He said after Texas whom ever had the popular vote, more states, and more delegates should be the nominee. And everyone knew that would be Obama. Yet no endorsement at all.

These two jerks have really just pissed me off. Their endorsements do matter. Well Edwards did anyway. But now they will both go down as political losers.

[nohat]

I have to agree with your remarks about Edwards and Richardson. They are waiting to see which way the wind blows. If I were Obama, and lost the Nom, I would say to them: "Where were you when I needed you?" It is political cowardice. Human, yes, but not very brave.
Edwards and Richardson, the terrible twins.

[kingfishstew]

Yeah, I'm kind of dumbfounded Edwards hasn't endorsed yet....mos­tly because people with power tend to want to use it...and he's kind of waited until time has kinda of taken his power away,

Hell, if they re-vote in florida, won't he loose some delegates? I figure he must have won some. I think he had like 26, a couple of them must have come from FL. Anywyas.

Too late now, although he'd make a decent VP pick for Obama, since he's popular, and isn't an open Clintonista.

[robXdion]

THANK YOU!!! Its about time someone states the obvious. Edwards wants to call Obama "soft" while he gets $400 haircuts. Then he talks about the poor while he lives in a 20 bedroom house. He should rent some of those rooms out. LOL! His platform was all a stunt. He was just as "soft" as Obama was in 2004. Obama was just better at pulling it off this time. Edwards' opinion and his 26 pledged delegates have become irrelevant. He really wants Hillary to win, but he can't figure out how to express it without looking like a hypocrite and brown noser.

And Gov. Guillermo Richardson is another pooseeee. He's so afraid of upsetting the Clintons, he can't step up and back his own words. They could end this. But they are letting the Clintons push the argument they still have a chance, which is insane.

[Nochnoi]

Your first sentence completely makes me not want to read the rest of your post......­..... As far as you being disappointed with peoples outrage, or lack thereof...­. well.... we have been talking about our combined distress regarding Hillary for some time now... Hours and hours... I suggest you actually read the posts....

Also... I would like to suggest that you read the Constitution again... I think you missed some bits and pieces....­.

[jpshotwheels]

No one has picked up on the comment by Joe Trippi yesterday on Face the Nation. When asked about this subject of VP, he commented Edwards would be a good choice. Meaning an Obama/Edwards ticket. Nothing is on the blogs about this comment and Joe Trippi, Obama, & Edwards would not have mentioned this if if hadn't been discussed by all of them.

That is better than an endorsement from Edwards and would bring over all of Edwards votes to Obama in the upcoming primaries. I will sit back today and see if anyone goes with the story.

[Nonamnesiac]

Although the idea sounds good, I think Obama should select Jim Webb of Va. for his VP, not Hillary. He's going to win New York anyway, and Clinton just doesn't have the experience necessary to be a good VP (or President).

[kingfishstew]

I'm not sure whom he should select. I just wish Claire McCaskill had been in the senate a little longer, as in tempermant, outlook and personality, I think she'd be a goot fit for the Obama camp and actually have a chance of sitting on the big seat in her own right. Although she doesn't bring washington experience, which Obama probably needs.

I think a General might be pushing it, although someone like Dodd, or one of the other old party warhouses might be better than just trying to flash someone whose been a military man. Webb would be a good choice though.

[nohat]

Has anyone come across HoraceKent lately? He was kind of new here, posted for 3-4 days, then vanished. Hopefully, he's been on different threads, and so hasn't vanished at all. He seemed kind of shy. I hope he wasn't run out of town by the James Gang.

[sparkandy]

I kinda wondered where he went, too. HoraceKent is one of a kind and kept things in perspective when everyone else was ripping out each other's throats.

[kingfishstew]

Well, we've got to practice for the convention don't we? No since in Obama and Clinton supporters showing up in Denver in anything less than top fighting form. I mean, you want to impression at Ragnarok, don't you?

[nohat]

It's sparkandy! Nohat here. Today, and here, there hasn't been much throat-ripping, mostly just distress. There have even been attempts to comfort each other in this dark hour, if you can believe it. Where have you been? Not that it's any of my business.
I hope Horace is all right. He is neat. And what do you, sparkandy, make of Hillary dangling the VP in front of Obama? I can't remember just now which candidate you support...