Officials say Obama starts search for running mate

WASHINGTON — Likely Democratic nominee Barack Obama has begun a top-secret search for a running mate, fresh signs that the general election campaign is well under way and the primary race against Hillary Rodham Clinton is basically over.

Obama has asked former Fannie Mae CEO Jim Johnson to begin vetting potential vice presidential picks, Democratic officials said Thursday. Johnson did the same job for Democratic nominees John Kerry in 2004 and Walter Mondale in 1984.

Obama refused to acknowledge Johnson's role when The Associated Press asked the Illinois senator about it in the Captiol Thursday.

"I haven't hired him. He's not on retainer. I'm not paying him any money. He is a friend of mine. I know him," Obama said. "I am not commenting on vice presidential matters because I have not won this nomination."

The Democratic officials spoke on a condition of anonymity about a process that the campaign wants to keep quiet.

Vice presidential searches are usually closely held secrets, but Obama campaign officials say the effort is being handled by a particularly tight circle of advisers.

The campaign did not want to discuss the effort because they are still engaged in a fading primary campaign against Hillary Rodham Clinton, with three primaries left in Puerto Rico, South Dakota and Montana. The voting ends June 3. Obama has repeatedly declined to discuss possible running mates while the primary is ongoing.

"We're not commenting about this process," said Obama spokesman Bill Burton.

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But they are taking behind-the-scenes steps to move toward the general election campaign, with just 61 delegates needed to clinch the nomination according to the latest Associated Press count. Obama has 1,965 delegates to Clinton's 1,780, with 2,026 required to secure the party's nod under Democratic National Committee rules.

The Obama campaign is rapidly adding to its campaign staff, both at the headquarters and in general election swing states. Obama has been traveling to some of those battlegrounds _ Missouri, Michigan, Iowa and Florida in the last nine days _ while the campaign is registering voters across the country for the November vote. And top Obama organizer Paul Tewes is in discussions to take over the Democratic National Committee.

It's all part of an effort to lay the groundwork for an aggressive kickoff to a general election campaign. Republican John McCain has a head start and has been building his effort for several months since the GOP primary race wrapped up in early March.

McCain is hosting at least three Republicans mentioned as potential vice presidential running mates at his Sedona, Ariz., home this weekend _ Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. A top aide said it's a social event with more than two dozen guests not meant for veep vetting.

Obama's campaign refused to talk about who was being considered, but some in the party are calling for him to pick Clinton. Clinton spokesman Howard Wolfson said Thursday, "There have been no discussions with the Obama campaign about Senator Clinton being the V.P."

Other possible options are governors such as Arizona's Janet Napolitano, Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas and Tim Kaine of Virginia; foreign policy experts like former Georgia Sen. Sam Nunn, Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd or Delaware Sen. Joe Biden; or other senators such as Missouri's Claire McCaskill and Virginia's Jim Webb.

He could look outside the party to people such as war critic and Nebraska Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel or independent New York mayor Mike Bloomberg. Or he could look to one of his early prominent supporters such as former Sen. Tom Daschle of South Dakota or 2004 vice presidential nominee John Edwards. Or he could try to bring on a Clinton supporter like Indiana's Evan Bayh.

Johnson's role running the veep process was first reported on TheAtlantic.com.

___

Associated Press Writer Ann Sanner contributed to this report.

Comments

[Sctt859]

If you dont pick webb ill select mccain. Webb is pure awesomeness.

[thegreatgiginthesky]

Webb would make an awesome VP. He brings a lot of military experience. But I fear that taking him as a VP will just further anger the women voters who are behind Hillary.

[speakingtruth2power]

agreed

[dollars2donuts]

Why should Webb anger the women who support HIllary? I have heard before that he was criticized as sexist...d­oes anybody know why, and is there any validity to it?

[kellygrrrl]

oh brother!

[fanoftruthiness]

Ted Strickland. A Hillary supporter, popular Ohio governor and can therefore speak to hillbillie­s....er... I mean "working class white voters".

[IndieVisible]

LMAO!

[papla]

NO hilla monster

[harriscrl3]

I dont think Hilary is on that list hence why she has started her new Civil Rights movment for the people of Florida and Michigan

Carol

[williamg]

For all we know, her Florida and Michigan plight / farse may be an attempt to force herself on the ticket.

[wsb25]

Clark or Richardson

[TiffanyHusseinBanned]

Nope to Clark.

[NuttyProf]

If Obama picks Clark he makes good on his promise to be bipartisan. He would bring in the disaffected republican vote and seal the foreign policy credentials. He would truly show that he is able to WORK WITH and LISTEN TO someone he disagrees with AS HE SAID HE IS.

It would make some of the dems crazy but what will they do, vote for Walnuts?

Jim Webb would work too. Obama has got to be SMART with this VP thing.

[kellygrrrl]

Clark

[edwcorey]

Johnson did such a "great" job with Mondale and Kerry--why would Obama put him in charge of this? Ferraro was a disaster, with her gangster husband, and there were problems between Kerry and Edwards. Disappointing.

[bigbingtheory]

Edwards was a good pick for VP but Ferraro was a disaster. Her husband's mob ties sunk that ticket fast.

[thegreatgiginthesky]

Pick Sebelius, that should pretty much end the sexist bs that Clinton is having Ferraro spew

[Zogtastic]

I'll cast my non-existent vote in for Obama/Hagel '08

[speakingtruth2power]

The VP is Constitutionally important only if the POTUS retires or expires.

Otherwise the Atty Gen, and Secretaries of State, Defense and Interior

are all more powerful and influential positions than a conventional VP.

Due to Obama's thin resume, he must announce these as well to add

strength and experience to his image. Health and Commerce as well.

Some of these people could be plugged in other slots but my list is;

VP; Richardson

Atty Gen; Edwards

State; Biden

Defense; Webb

Interior; Sebelius

Commerce; Dodd

Health; Dr Dean

The above should all be out on the road campaigning for the whole ticket

and explaining the big picture of how we can hope to create real Change!

[thegreatgiginthesky]

So what happened with Cheney?

[bigbingtheory]

an abomination that's what happened with Cheney

[cmeans29]

Not far off from my thoughts. Sec. of State: Hagel . I'm not sure about Richardson as VP, although I respect him and believe he's earned a cabinet position.

[dollars2donuts]

Richardson is too chubby, and he's too weak on the stump...I like him but he's too rumpled and too relaxed. Not the best choice, IMO. No excitement, unlike w/Webb, who brings much more to the table and is much tougher and better speaker.

[cthomp7280]

Call me crazy, but asthetically you need to both look and play the part. Richardson looks like Teddy Ruxpin...n­ot exactly authoritative. Webb has that "no-bullsh*t" look on his face which commands some attention. Everything else looks spot on, excpet I would add Hagel to Homeland. Or either dissolve that phony cabinet position altogether.

[Bronxcutie]

His choice should be between Jim Webb and Chuck Hagel. Although Hagel is a moderate Republican, he is STILL part of the Rethugs! He is pro-life. This worries me! Still, maybe it could work and it would show that Obama is true to his word when he says that he wants to work across the aisle. Hillary could be Attorney General and John Edwards Secretary of Labor.

[Jaxxon]

While I like SOME of Hagels views, there is no way Obama should put him on the ticket. There are too many qualifies Dems in office to have a Rep. VP. I could see Hagel in his cabinet. That's a more appropriate place for Rep. in any Dem's administration.

[ThunderclapNewman]

Hagel is no moderate.
He is a hard-right conservative whose only reasonable view is on Iraq.

Other that that, he is the opposite of what Obama stands for.

[dollars2donuts]

Hagel is excellent on foreign policy, period, and he would make an excellent Sec of vet affairs or SecDef. But y'all are right, keep him away from domestic stuff.

[thecanadian]

Hillary as VP? Not a chance! That would give her free rain to wipe anyone and everything off the map....inc­luding her pending fraud cases coming up. If you read about it - you can see why!
http://www.peterpaul.com

[bigbingtheory]

Choosing a Republican running mate sounds good on paper but it would only encourage some yahoo to kill the president.

[philosopherkingtomas]

PLEASE not a token women governor! especially lack luster, barely competent governors such as Arizona's Janet Napolitano, and the poor and boring speaker from Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius .

[ObamaOhio08]

"Clinton; governors such as Arizona's Janet Napolitano, Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas and Tim Kaine of Virginia; foreign policy experts:Georgia Sen. Sam Nunn, Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd or Delaware Sen. Joe Biden; or other senators: Missouri's Claire McCaskill and Virginia's Jim Webb.

Look outside the party to people such as war critic and Nebraska Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel or New York mayor Mike Bloomberg. Or look to one of his early prominent supporters such as former Sen. Daschle or bring on a Clinton supporter like Indiana's Evan Bayh.
__________­__________­__________­__________­__

1. HRC would be a nightmare
2. Unfortunately, as much as I like Napolitano, Sebelius and McCaskill, I think that would be "too much" change for too many.
3. Bloomberg wouldn't bring in any state he wouldn't already get.
4. Daschle is nice and loyal, but uninspiring and lost his senate seat when he was Dem leader
5. Bayh, no. Too effete. Strickland, Gov. of Ohio? now THERE's a possibilit­y...and with him comes OH
6. Sam Nunn: would make BO look too young.
7. Dodd is a good guy, but for some reason he creeps me out. I also don't see him as a good bulldog
8. I am SOOO into Jim Webb as VEEP. But if not he, then Kaine. Both could net Virginia for Obama.
9. I really like Joe Biden, but methinks he puts his foot in his mouth too much
10. Hagel would scare the PANTS off the GOP! Oh, what sweet revenge!!!

Therefore: Webb, Kaine, Hagel, Strickland

[thegreatgiginthesky]

Is having Napolitano, Sebelius or McCaskill any worse than having Hillary on the ticket?

[ThunderclapNewman]

Nothing is worse than having Hillary on the ticket---unless he picked Cheney.

[DRaymond]

Well no surprise here, Every politically involved person in the country has been playing "who's the Veep" for both candidates for months.

My own opinion is that he should look outside of the Senate. I am thinking that Richardson would help him nationwide with the Hispanic vote. Bloomberg would give him an Ace on the economy issue. and help him with with the socially moderate/fiscally conservative independent voters as well as make the campaign genuinely look like it wants to be post-partisan.

If he wants to try to appease (!) the women's vote Napolitano and Sibelius would be better choices than Clinton. You don't want a veep that secretly wants the ticket to lose.

[mergina]

Oh great, he has chosen someone who helped pick v.p.'s for two losers in kerry and mondale. Doesn't anyone get it? Without the support, and i mean overall support of the Clinton minions and her, he cannot and will not win in November.

[speakingtruth2power]

Keep HRC on the list but NEVER ask her to join the ticket.

[Pepper14]

If Obama even considers picking Hillary he will immediately look weak, be accused of letting himself be blackmailed by the Clinton's and will spend all his time defending why he is a different kind of politican if he picks Hillary who is part of the Washington insiders. How will he be able to go after McCain on lobbyist when the Clinton's are up to their neck with them and the Clinton scandals will haunt him also. There is a reason the GOP wanted Hillary so bad is because I really believe that they have some new scandals on the Clintons that they were waiting to use. Now people can say how she is vetted and strong and all the other BS but Obama will spend all his time defending his VP and Bill Clinton. Jim Webb is a very unappealing man and he barley won in VA and I don't think he is a good choice. I don't think he will pick a woman because it would be like a slap in the face to Hillary and her supporters.

[debrouillard]

Obama is the most talent politician the USA has produced in atleast the last forty years. He has the heart of a lion ,he sticks to his believes and principles and keeps his intergrity in tact.

CLINTON WILL NEVER BE ANY WHERE NEAR BARACK,end of.

Barack does not given in to Blackmails and he has no reason to ,he is clean and proud of how he has lived his life thus far.His cupboard is not dirty.

He is not a power monger who will trade-in anything just to be called president. He will only relocate in to the white house if he is sure,he will implement is vision of a better America for every American. He is not going to have his hands tied by some witch.

Barack will rather not be nominee or lose in the GE rather than to move in to the white house and then dissapoint the youths he has inspired so much.He just wont do it.

Hillary ,its over for you,u can move back to Arkansas or where ever u are from.

We are turning the page.

BTW who is she fighting with,Barack is looking for his VP already.Th­e last pages of the hillary diary were read in IN and NC.

[thecanadian]

Absolutely right Pepper14!

Choosing Clinton for any important role - but as VP would be the kiss of death for him and all Americans who believe in him! What about her toxic baggage and court case coming up?

He has to know about it and so does the DNC!! Have a look and you decide if you want her
for VP. She faces a fraud case and is being investigated for money take.


http://peterfpaul.com

OR have a look at this one

http://www.tomflocco.com/fs/SenClintonGrenada.htm

Maybe the so called CLINTON supporters should have a look at these two links and then decide!

[LawSource]

YES, YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT!!

Because of what Clinton say and did on the campaign trail, makes it "SOME-WHAT" impossible for Obama to choose her!

SHE DRIVE'S A DEEP WEDGE in the VP position because of the VERY BAD and SOME TIMES NASTY Campaign that she run. SHE HAVE BEEN USING GOP "Right Wing-nuts" TO ATTACK HIM and SMEAR HIM IN places like Pennsylvania, Kentucky, West Virginia etc!

IT WOULD JUST BE A BAD Idea!!