Obama Hasn't Ruled Out Clinton As Vice President

Barack Obama told a potential donor to his campaign that Hillary Rodham Clinton is on his list of possible vice presidential running mates, but that her husband's status as a former president makes matters "complicated."

Jill Iscol, a faithful Democratic donor who was an ardent supporter of Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign, said Obama reached out to her because he heard she was unhappy about the way the New York senator had been treated by the Democratic Party and the media.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[ohmercy]

Clinton on the ticket will be unbeatable, the energy,intelligence,passion and commitment coming from the two of them will galvanize the country. The Primary wasn't as wildly exciting for nothing. Unfortunately I think the haters will piss all over the GE with their distorted and ill informed rhetoric and ugliness.

Still, I don't want her on the ticket. She is too competent and too much of a force in the senate. Not only that she is now the most powerful person in the Democratic party- aside from Obama as the presumptive head. If he loses the election she will then be the most powerful force along with Obama I suppose depending on how he lost, despite being a junior Senator. She has the contacts, she has the support, she has people calling and asking her to campaign and fund raise for them.
On top of that she works across party lines and gets things accomplished. She was only absent for 9% of votes(Obama was absent 22%) She is more Progressive than Obama. An independent group that diligently keeps track of all the members of Congress along with they work on and then analyzes it all considers her to be on the very liberal end of the spectrum. Obama is rated typical. www.govtrack.us
I think an analysis of his advisor's and policy team shows that pretty clearly.
Anyway that would be another plus for her on the ticket but a more important plus in the senate.

[Independent voter]

Also note that the civil fraud trial of Bill Clinton for defrauduing Hillary"s largest donor in 2000 into giving her campaign more than $1.2 million, pending in Los Angeles courts since 2003, is now preparing for a November, 2008 trial.

Although this trial has largely been ignored by the media, coverage is bound to be picked up as the date draws closer. Obama does not need the Clintons fraud trial tied around his neck.

[TrueIndy08]

Well... I'm nottotally against it.. but this scenario sure isn't my first choice!!!

As a woman, I honestly do not feel he needs a woman on his ticket... any woman!

While Hillary may have garnered tons of votes, I still feel like all those polls when asked about her honesty, her ngatives, etc.. will come back and we will lose INDY's... plus her finger waging husband does us no good... and vetting that donor list is nearly impossible!!!! This is a very HARD situation...

I would say NO VP for HRC!!! A cabinet spot, yes!!!

But, if he picks her, I guess I will go along with it... wouldn't be the first time he has disappointed me!

[CanuckforObama]

Enough in-fighting already. Obama/Clinton '08

Do you guys and gals want to win this thing or not? This ticket guarantees a Democratic victory this fall.

[keriheb]

I have not ruled out voting for someone other than Obama.

For all of the hoopla in the blogs regarding how angry peeps are with Obama and won't support him. There are even more people who don't want a part of the Clinton's Dog and Pony Show.

If Obama turns out to be more politician than authentic then this is one person who won't vote for him. His unbelievable vote for amnesty for the telephone companies and now Clinton as VP?

I won't vote for Clinton regardless of what she is running for. Let the republicans get back into office with McCain and let the entire ship sink. The democrats are just as much a part of the problems in the U.S. today as are the republicans.

No Obama Clinton ticket. I'll vote for McCain first. Obama may be smart but obviously he isn't smart enough to know his base will split if he brings that woman onto his ticket.

[westcoastsc]

Dear Barrack Obama,
The reason that you won is because the primary led people to discover what kind of people the Clintons really are. Do not listen to the people who lost the election for Hillary. Whatever you do, do not put a Clinton in your administration. You will regret it if you happen to survive it. Bring back the old Obama. We don't need a black George Bush or a black Clinton.

[Geauterre]

If Barack Obama is as wise as we should hope he is, he will keep Hillary - and Bill - as far from him as possible!

[JennyJay]

Did Obama simply miss all those "food taster " jokes that were circulating during the primaries????
Bill is not the problem here - - it is the INTENSE NEED of Hlliary to be the top dog. Every day of her life is focused on her being president. Just because she lost the primary . . . a small think like that will not stop her.

[marc1antony]

agree, quickest way to the presidency? by way of the veep position....

[ohmercy]

you are very sick people.
How pathetic, seriously.
It seems Obama can't even lead his people to be decent human beings.
How sad.

In an annoying mosquito kind of way.

[Kalima]

I certainly wouldn't be too happy to have BC roaming the WH, while his wife tried her
hardest to undermine my authority behind closed doors. There are still many skeletons
to uncover in that closet and I'm sure that O will have enough to deal with in his first
year in office.

[pleeezzze]

Uh ..Kalima , do they have a whitehouse in Japan ??

[Kalima]

What is your point?
Yes, we have plenty of white houses in Japan, I prefer a darker colour myself,
white gets dirty too fast. Answer your silly question, did I?

[Clarabell]

The biggest problem that I can see with BC in the White House is that every little movement will be recorded and reported -- not necessarily that he will seek the attention for himself, but that the Clinton haters will make a big deal out of everything and anything -- just like they do on this site. I am quite confident that Bill has enough interests and intellect to keep himself busy on his own. But would he be allowed to do so? That's the really big question.

[DCCommuter]

Hillary has been a negative all this election season. I would prefer if Obama pick someone else. If Hillary's 18 million really cared they would all send in $2 and her campaign debt would be wiped out. She attacked Obama over and over gain "Shame on You Barack Obama!" and now wants him to "help her" pay off her debt? She has the debt because she waited too long to get out of the race. She wasn't even ready on Day One to run her own campaign. If Hillary wants to be historic, she should run for president in 4 years. She is not old. Her mother appeared with her at her consession speech, so her life expentancy has at least 20 more years.

[closetodemfection]

DC - get informed. The debt has been paid off. He hasn't helped her at all with it, surprise surprise. O is the one with the financial problems now.

[JimR]

Hasn't helped her at all with it, huh? Perhaps you should take your own advice and get informed.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/06/25/obama.clinton.debt/

[Bettysdad]

Her debt has NOT been paid off; she just decided not to pay herself back.

Obama has no problems. He's raised such massive sums in the past, a slow month is meaningless.

[Pleidian]

Yes those pesky "old-boy" Beltway Bandits, eh? Even Bill Clinton has soiled his otherwise decent legacy with perplexing outbursts and seriously suspicious business dealings (see the work of Catherine Austin Fitts).

Yuk! I hope Obama goes elsewhere. I'm done with the Clintons now, although she can still be a really good senator if she doesnt buy into the Washington corruption.

[foreffectivegovernment]

Enough of this crap about Hillary Clinton getting Republican votes in Operation Chaos. This is what was really going on and Obama supporters were willing participants to it by not realizing it was reverse psychology being used by the Republicans.
http://www.thecityedition.com/Pages/Archive/Winter08/EmailAppeal.html?q=node/358
The tactic, called crossover voting, allowed Obama to capture the delegates in nearly all the red state caucuses, while trimming Clinton's delegate haul in the blue state primaries enough to open up an impressive lead. Republicans for Obama, for one, was not bashful in making its case in an email appeal linked to its home page before the March 4th contests. "Since Texas has an open primary," the appeal read, "Republicans and Independents should sign in at their polling place and request a Democratic ballot. They should then vote for Barack Obama... Just think, no more Clintons in the White House!"

[FACINGREALIT]

Barack had aleady SECURED the nomination BEFORE we voted in Texas. I live in Texas and the night of our rally - Barack won Wisconsin - 11th in a row. At that point Hillary needed Ohio and Texas just to stay viable but she had ALREADY lost after Super Tuesday she just would not accept that REALITY.

The Republicans voted for her in Texas to keep the race going - hoping to get information on Barack that would knock him out of the nomination but he had aleady WON before we VOTED. The proof - Hillary won the Primary - where the Repugs crossed over and voted for her and Obama won the Caucas and TOTAL DELEGATE count in Tex!as. Hillary tried to hinder the delegate count because Bill had said if she didn't win both Ohio and Texas she was OUT.

So enough of this nonsense - the Republicans didn't know more want to run against Barack then as they do now. It was ALWAYS Hillary they wanted.

[pupbayer]

foreffectivegovernment, YOU know what's going on, I know what's goingon...many of the posters here do NOT want to be confused by facts. They've been played and are still being played. They don't see it and they won't see it. They can't deal with it so they'll deny it. I thank you for continuing to try to get through to them. Unfortunately, I imagine they will only get it after it is too late and it slaps them in the face. We'll all pay for their ignorance and their vulnerability.

[ohmercy]

hey.
Agreed.
I p[osted to this before but have noticed not all my posts are getting through lateluy.

Must have something to do with making sense!
LOL

[seanosul]

"Republicans and Independents should sign in at their polling place and request a Democratic ballot. They should then vote for Barack Obama... Just think, no more Clintons in the White House!"

Sounds good to me.

As for Hillary being VP; remember Kennedy and Reagan.

[ohmercy]

YUP.
I've been saying that from the mionute rush and annC started with the operation chaos, vote hillary Clinton blah blah blah... they knew they woulde get all the Lefties and all the righties even more pissed off and irrationaly hysterical against Clinton.

Absurd.

whatever.
I gotta disengage from these idiots.
How the hell can they claim to be supporting Obama and claiming we need him to win and yet continue their campaign of ridicule, lies and smears against Clinton and their hateful attacks on anyone who supports her.
I'm a Clinton supporter but I'm not a PUMA. I watch them with interest though. It is interesting to watch Democracy in action!
Just like watching the grassroots fighting against the FISA bill. Even though our campaign ultimately failed due to the caving of Dem's (or collusion?) participating in the action, watching the growth, the money bombs etc. the myobama petitions was wonderful. There are already plans to try to over turn that. the ACLU has filed suits.
Firedoglake and emptywheel/Blue America and the rest of these are doing amazing work in their organizing. So watching PUMA and the umbrella organization, from watching a grass roots point of view is very exciting.
Will they succeed in their desires? I don't really think so because I don't think the SD's would ever take that action but this is democracy, for better and worse and its disingenuous and intellectually dishonest to believe that they shouldn't do what they believe in.
silly.

[jpetaluma]

I've finally come around to the conclusion that Hillary would make the best VP choice if we want to take back the White House. I'm finally ok with this scenerio. My main concern is Bill. How will this possibly work? Won't Bill try to interfere with Obama's decisions and attempt to steal the lime light? If I was reassured that Bill would not interfere, it would be a green light for me. Then Hillary could be president in 2016 and we would have 16 years in the White House. I month ago I was dead set against Hillary being VP. Now I think she (not Bill) is the best choice.

[TrueIndy08]

I'm still not convinced as you are... I will go along with it... but I would be happier with Biden... or WEBB... maybe there is still time to change his mind

[JimR]

I could not disagree with you more. Please look beyond the people that voted for her. Obama will need to attract support from independents and moderates if he wants to win the general election. She is too polarizing and doesn't poll well with them. She would also turn off many Obama supporters and energize the Republicans.

Terrible, terrible, AWFUL idea.

[ohmercy]

Bill would be off doing his foundation work which he is very committed to.

[SweetAngie]

The day I saw Gore on stage with Obama, arm and arm, I suddenly liked the idea of Hillary being Obama's running mate . . . and I never thought that would happen!

But, Bill Clinton is the wild card . . . Sorry, I have never forgiven his fall from grace, and now with his actions during the campaign . . . this could be bad news for Obama.

[Freesia2]

Something just popped out at me, from Jill Iscol's comments:

"We need to pick the most qualified, wisest, smartest, experienced person to serve our country alongside of Barack Obama."

We?

Since when do "we" pick the vice president. And who would that "we" be in her mind? Obviously, it is her and the other more powerful fundraisers for Hillary Clinton and die hard supporters.

Or could the "we" be ....me. Am I part of the we? Are you?

She voiced her opinion and her preference. Fair enough. I've often voiced mine. No Hillary.

But the choice of Vice President is the decision of the candidate. It is his privilege. Even Hillary Clinton's advocate Gov. Ed Rendell disapproved of the pressure to put her on the slot, publicly stating that you "don't demand" things of the candidate. Sen. Charlie Wrangle, her unwaivering supporter dug his heels in when he learned of a petition to demand she be given the slot. He thought it was bad form - inappropriate.

I just wonder who exactly Jill Iscol thinks she is. "We" almost spoken in the royal sense.

Well this "We" are not amused.

[Sabreen60]

Yeah, I picked that up as well. Also, she's been "vetted"??? Give me a break. She has Peter Paul hanging over head. There are also some "gates" that the rupugs would just love. Why do people think that they wanted her to win the nomination. Enough of the C.lintons.

[ohmercy]

So why are you here if you've had enough?