Pelosi On The Dream Ticket: "No, I Don't Think It's A Good Idea"

WASHINGTON — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton shouldn't share the Democratic presidential ticket unless they really want to.

"No, I don't think it's a good idea," Pelosi said in an interview with CNN talk show host Larry King aired Thursday night.

"I think first of all the candidate, whoever he or she may be, should choose his or her own vice presidential candidate," said Pelosi, who will chair the Democratic National Convention in Denver in August. "I think that's appropriate. That's where you would see the comfort level on not only how to run, but how to govern the country.

"And there's plenty of talent to go around to draw upon for a good, strong ticket. I'm not one of those who thinks that's a good ticket."

But Pelosi added that if Clinton and Obama "think that it's a good ticket, maybe it is. But I don't think that we should thrust the vice presidential choice onto the presidential nominee. That's her or his decision to make."

Pelosi also said she agrees with Democratic National Committee chairman Howard Dean that the nomination should be settled before the national convention.

"I don't want a brokered convention. I think there's too short a time _ maybe just about eight weeks between the end of the convention and the election. And I don't think that's enough time to bring everyone together," Pelosi said.

"I do think that the campaigns have to work their way through this, that we should have all the elections, let the people speak and then we'll find out who our nominee is."

The last Democratic primaries are June 3 in Montana and South Dakota.

Comments

[KeysDan]

An Obama/Clinton ticket is necessary to heal and unite the Democratic party. The policies of Senators Obama and Clinton, as well as their senatorial voting records, are pretty close. After this bruising primary, it is understandable that some Obama as well as Clinton supporters would be upset--after all, we are supposed to be fired up for our candidate. But, a coalition ticket would assure an Obama presidency and a Democratic sweep. A likely alternative is four more years of Republican thugs (bet McCain will pick a vp who will help him win, Huckabee? Jeb Bush??, Santorum???). Otherwise, avid supporters of Mr. Obama and Mrs. Clinton will see both of them return to the senate only to work differences out in that venue, as senators must). In a sense, this ticket reflects the Democratic primary process, wherein winners do not take all, but delegates are apportioned on voting. Opponents of this ticket would, I should think, be McCain's ardent followers.

[CallMeDeaconBlues]

OK can we trade you McCain (who is always posing as a Democrat) for Hillary (who is posing as a Repub) and a player to be named later?

[savemefromher]

The last thing anyone needs is for Hillary's camp to bring their toxicity and negatism to the Obama campaign.

[BWonka]

My dream ticket does NOT include anyone with the name "Clinton". Or any other Rethuglican.

[katheyquilts]

Okay...and WHY do we bother with a Convention?

[weavermiami]

Let's please stop calling it the 'dream ticket'. There isn't a Dem left who thinks this would be a good idea.

[Moderatenation]

Uh, This one does!

[CallMeDeaconBlues]

How about the "wet dream" ticket then?

[justice58]

Pelosi said NO to a dream ticket before Larry King finished his sentence! She knows Hillary being on that ticket would be a nightmare straight from the pit of hell! I wish the Media would STFU about Hillary being on that ticket! Not No----But hell No

Go Nancy Go Nancy

[BeckBerk]

The term "dream ticket" has ended up being code for one thing: Hillary will go the Convention with less delegates, less of the popular vote but she will get the nomination with "the young black guy" as (decorative) Veep.

Nancy Pelosi is absolutely right to reject this nonsense.

What kind of democracy will this be if Obama gets more delegates, more of the popular vote but he is offered a consolation ...bone just for being black? Give me a break! People will go out in the streets: white and black and Asian and Latinos and Jews alike.

[CheshireCat2]

Reid, Pelosi and Dean, we have not seen an act like this since Larry, Curly and Moe. Nyuck, nyuck, nyuck!

[MiddleRoad1]

No, that's Hillary, Bill and Penn

[CallMeDeaconBlues]

Can't argue that point. What a trio!

[BWonka]

Except for Condi, Dick and george - Dumb, Dumber and Dumbest. (Followed closely by the fools who love them and still believe that Mission Accomplished lie.)

[castrochavez08]

Reid and Pelosi are neocon dirtbags, contemptible.

Howard Dean is a good guy, an honest progressive trying hold back the right wing tide sweeping the party. He represents those who are fed up with Clinton dominance and lies.

He is no stooge, and should not be lumped in with Reid and Pelosi. But that leaves room for one stooge. I nominate CallMeDeaconBlues.

[CallMeDeaconBlues]

How nice and juvenile.

[UnbiasView]

What would be a good idea is for the Dems to stop bringing garbage to the table to talk about while America needs to address some serious problems.

Last week: Bill on beaches
This week: Bill to protect government watchdogs
Next week: Bill on combustible dust

I'm still waiting for Pelosi to unveal the Democrats plan to lower gas prices and end the war. This is what they ran on in 2006 and we were dumb enough to put them in power.

[mingjia]

I chuckle at all these wide-eyed Obama fans who act like teen girls at an early Beatles concert. They denigrate Hillary even though it's clear she is a very smart and a solid individual--and act like Obama is above the fray and always will be. Comical--naive in the extreme. This is politics, folks, an absurd and corrupting business, and anybody who thinks Obama is any different from all other pols should not have a voting card. What exactly do we know about Obama, except that he is married to a woman and associates with a church leader who (surprise!) want to stick it to the MAN--as if the Man is the chiefly responsible for the woes of African Americans in this country. There was a time for the White Guilt Thang--but I'm not buying that bag of potatoes in 2008. Let the two battle it out. I abhor the strong undercurrent of Obama entitlement that has come to characterize this site--everybody hatin' on Hillary because she won't let Barack save the world. Save us, Barack! Save us from all these mean, lying, untrustworthy politicians like....uh­, you. Whoops.

[MLFN]

Your patronizing chuckles can stop now. I am 60, caucasian, never screamed at Beatles contests and support Obama with wide open eyes and absolute terror of a smart woman shark who uses only toughness to impress as well as policy detail. Little vision, little reason to trust anyone who would use subtle racial references when she came w/ wealth and name recognition that should have gotten her to that infamous first day. Enough government supported housing for this entitled, advantaged white woman. Sorry, Charlie, it's time for a new resident of that White House this time. Enough of the C name in DC.

[BWonka]

Not a wide-eyed anything. Just someone who prefers honesty and trust in our leaders. Something the supporters of the GOP obviously know nothing about.

[CTmom13]

She's s smart lady....NO one wants A LIAR associated with them

[Beachrunner]

She understands that if it were an Obama/Clinton ticket and they won . . . . Hillary would soon be president due to Obama's tragic early demise, and Bill would be VP . . . . .

[AnotherTry]

Forget it Nancy! You and Obama could never win in November. Now Obama and Clinton, that will definitely win, no doubt.

Is she such a climber that she would put her career before her country? Never liked that Pelosi since taking impeachment off the table.

[2CoolCats]

Hillary is a nightmare and Pelosi knows it.

[CallMeDeaconBlues]

Yeah, between the two of them we can recreate the 2008 version of the Night of the Living Dead.

[KeysDan]

Mrs. Pelosi said, in response to Larry, that she really likes Bush, just his policies (that she funds) she dislikes. The House (unlike the Senate) has a substantial majority--where is her leadership? Even if the senate does not or can not go along, the House is a pulpit for leadership. Why has she not used it more effectively?

[Steverino]

"I don't think it's a good idea." Cripes, heaven forbid we win an election.

Is she only saying that because she doesn't like one of the candidates (Hillary, I'm guessing)? And would she say the same thing if she strongly favored both?

The harsh reality is that there is a huge chunk of the population out there who--despite the fact that Obama should be wrapping this up--came out in droves to show support for Hillary. They're not all going to vote for Obama, that's for sure. I know this because my aunt is one of them!

So what if H and O don't get along. Dealing with each other will be character building for each of them.

Why doesn't the Democratic party want to WIN more? Why must we always be the goody-two-shoes?

[Aleka4]

What a naive way to look at things.

Obama and Clinton may be "similar" on policy - supposedly, I think Clinton is far more republican than democrat, and i don't think she will be any different than Mccain at this point, save she wouldn't take away women's rights, and that is all I can see that she would do differently than McCain.

Obama is not beholden to corportations in the same way that Clinton is - her influence has already been bought and paid for, so if he truly DID want change, she'd have to oppose him on every turn in order to represent her corps. So, common sense would suggest that in that circumstance, nothing gets done.

It is a nightmare ticket.

[KPinSEA]

I'd think Hillary would be grateful for this "out" from accepting the VP call that she surely has no interest in answering. Influential U.S. Senator, or marginalized VP sent on goodwill missions as far from D.C. as Obama's staff can think of? Oooh, tough choice.