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

[SCG2]

I admire speaker Pelosi for speaking out, why should Obama be a fig leaf for Hillary's superdelegate grab? Who really believes anyone who would be Hillary's VP would be anything but part of the furniture, with Billy breathing down their neck. Her pick will be a spineless DLC'er future oval office seeker such as Bayh, who would fill the role of loyal boot shiner, such as Bush Sr. did for Reagan.

[castrochavez08]

This is a trial balloon to start preparing the sheep in the Democratic party for the "dream ticket".

The establishment who run the Democratic party may choose to have HRC as VP for Obama to ensure that he does not do anything too radical. Stuff like ending the war, giving Americans back some of their personal rights and freedoms, reforms to health care etc.

We will be told that it is best for the party, best for the nation, they will appeal to our sense of fair play and celebrate the idea that a woman and a black man would be a step forward socially.
If only HRC was not a neocon criminal, it would be true.

Hillary will be the embed for the Neocons and she will run the show, much like the CIA killer George HW Bush really ran the show in the Reagan years as VP. Let the POTUS make the speeches, kiss the babies, and host the black tie parties. The real business of war and expanding our control of the worlds resources, then done by Bush would now be done by Hillary Clinton.

Third party? Revolution? Leave the country? There are many difficult options. Voting for the nightmare ticket is not one of them.

[Steverino]

Dude, calm down. Hillary may have voted for the war like an idiot, but she is not one of the Neo Cons. Also, a President should be able to exert control over his VP.

Meanwhile, you talk about how H and O in the White House would ruin the country--we kind of have to win this election first. To me, the "dream ticket" is a means of doing that. Period. We can sort everything else out later, and the candidates can deal with their own (and each other's) egos later.

[IndyStacey]

She sure sounded like a neo-con when she spoke of obliterating Iran.

[happytrails]

Let's hope the people of San Francisco have the good sense to vote the useless Pelosi OUT of office. Putting her anywhere NEAR the ticket would be a sure -way to defeat in November.

[joeyp404]

I'm beginning to believe that Pelosi wouldn't know a good idea if it hit her in the head.

[TiffanyHusseinBanned]

Why should Obama make Hillary his VEEP?

Almost 60% of Democrats think she is a liar and is untrustworthy. Will that play well after Cheney has been in office?

Hillaryites are just precious.

Hillary would be midly acceptable if we hadn't had Cheney has a VEEP.

[EinChicago]

And yet she has more votes than Obama unless you disenfranchise two states and squint real hard and magically count caucus goers as one gazillion peoiple each.

So, if 60% of dems think she's a liar, and yet more dems prefer her than Obama, what does that say about Obama?

[hydedeho]

As has been said before ... if Obama asks her to be his VP he will be pimping himself out.
The image he has been cultivating for himself will be seen as a phony facade.

[TiffanyHusseinBanned]

I agree with Nancy.

[MaracaKabob]

I just want:
US Troops out of Iraq
Health care for everyone
America out of debt
Investment in renewable energy sources
Stem cell research
Regulations for banking to prevent more of this crap thats going on
Imported product safety
...the list goes on.

What I don't need is this media fueled fight between these two candidates. If there is gonna be a dream ticket, fine, let's get on with it. I get new baby arriving soon and things to do!!!!

[Moderatenation]

AMEN!

[RonnieDebb]

People simply do not trust Hillary, the majority CHUNK of the nation thinks she's a liar. What does that tell you about HER electibility?

Furthermore, her baggage TANKS Obama's baggage.

[2CoolCats]

Uh-huh... You are so right. She's stewing in the cesspool called her campaign.

[Jason357]

I'm thinking most of Hillary's support comes form people who want to be democrats in name only. They don't want ot vote McCain, but really aren't bothered by the vast similarities between Clinton and McCain.

[situationcritical]

Nancy Pelosi...w­orthless opinions from deep within.

[erichitchmo]

Amen. To think I was elated when she became speaker of the house.

[TiffanyHusseinBanned]

You should be elated even if you do not agree with her.

Nancy is a leader: a true leader. I don't agree with her about impeachment and war funding, but she is a leader. That's for darn sure.

[AZDemocrat500]

Obama is going to need Hillary supporters more then he needs Pelosi. Also is there personal animosity sprinkled in this equation, was her son or daughter once married to a Rodam.

[bowloforanges]

HRC is the only one who thinks this is a good idea.

Since that is the only way she can get on the ticket.

She is untrustwor­thy....

[TurnThePageGA]

Hillary ain't interested in being VP. My thoughts are that Obama consider someone in her camp like General Clark to bridge the two campaigns. Someone suggested Rendell because he seems to be a good attack dog. It doesnot balance the ticket with Rendell from the NE.

[TiffanyHusseinBanned]

Ugg no to Wesley Clark

I would fine with Rendell.

[2CoolCats]

Obama isn't interested in her being VP. She's proved herself completely untrustworthy. She'd probably have him assassinated so she could be president. He should stay the hell away from her and camp and make thoughtful choices having nothing to do with Clinton.

[truesoccermom]

In the general election, Hillary's negatives (most of the country doesn't trust her and the Republicans DESPISE her) will far outweigh her positives (appealing to older women and the uneducated working class) and energize the Republican base to vote against the ticket.
So what if Obama can't get all of the uninformed and uneducated white working class voters? They will probably vote for McCain anyway. However, Obama's new coalition of younger and independent educated voters will come out in droves. We have to stop worrying about the ignorant voters who care more about the wearing of flag pins than our actual standing in the world!

[lisakaz2]

It isn't a good idea. Obama should have someone like Dodd, Biden or Webb.

[estreya]

I love Dodd. I think that combination would be unbeatable.

[hira]

Agree 100%. The candidate should choose his or her own VP. Hillary will be worse than Dick Cheney as VP. Bill and Hillary are just too creative in mischief making; they will pollute any political environment.

[2CoolCats]

You're brilliant.­.. he should put a lot of distance between the two of them. She's bad news, which she has proven time and time again.

[CostaMesaJoe]

CLINTONISTAS have forgotten that their QUEEN is a PRO-WAR CANDIDATE.
A woman who couldn't even stand up to the NEOCON peer-pressure to invade Iraq.

A war that has nearly bankrupted our nation, lowered the dollar and ruined the economy.

I suppose CLINTONISTAS don't mind seeing Americans come home in boxes as long as THEIR QUEEN gets A SMALL CHANCE at the throne.

I don't think the DREAM TICKET is a good idea either.
Hillary's name should be nowhere near a ballot.
She would send many more to their deaths to assuage her NEOCON buddies...­..

[estreya]

You make a point here that's really baffled me for some time. Over the years, i've heard many a woman say, "If women ruled the world, there would be no wars." The words coming out of Hillary's mouth over the course of this election, combined with the decisions she's made and votes she's cast throughout the past several years, indicating that she's more "pro-war" than i would have ever dreamed. How does this mesh with the seemingly blind support she's getting among women? I just don't understand ...