NYTimes: Clinton Is Being Vetted

Buried in an article on the veep-vetting process comes this piece of information:

Democrats said they thought it was less likely now than it was a month ago that Mr. Obama would choose Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York as his running mate, though they said she remained in consideration and that she was being vetted.

If he does not choose Mrs. Clinton, several Democrats said, it would be difficult for him to name any woman -- like Gov. Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas, someone for whom he has had warm words. Both Clinton and Obama advisers said such a move could create a backlash among women who supported Mrs. Clinton.

Clinton adviser Howard Wolfson said recently that she was not being vetted "as far as I know." The Huffington Post reported on Hillraisers who aren't bundling money for Obama but say they would if he picked Clinton for VP.

Comments

[MissAngela]

I think I'll skip the vote entirely if Clinton is VP...

And what's with these crazy Clinton supporters going over to McCain? How does that reflect on her?

[MrsPeel]

I used to think like you do. I've decided to trust Obama and his choice. Also, I've been inspired not to act like all recalcitrant PUMAs.

Food for thought.

[GHENT007]

LANDSLIDE !!!! LANDSLIDE!!!! Mccain is history!! p.s. somebody tell mccain that we lost the only war he was in!!

[helen]

If Obama doesn't pick Hillary he will lose a lot of votes from people who sit it out. So, in the end, he must pick her, if he wants to win.

[BOISATOOL]

Truth!

[TXOBAMAGIRL73]

He must please don't kid yourself..­..He doesn't have to do no such thing ...First ,of all over half the voters that voted for her in the early primaries have all ready changed their minds, because of her behavior in the latter parts. So what are you saying??? Is she holding them hostage, maybe she knows a Vulcan mind melded, please you don't reward for bad behavior.

[SeaBoatbuilder]

The part that I don't find to be adding up: if Hillary has so many supporters (the 18 million number seems to be the one thrown out there most often), then why does her campaign remain deeply in debt? Can't those 18 million people throw in two bucks apiece? I've been an Obama supporter all along, though I would be happy with either candidate as long as there's a Dem in the White House next year, and I sent her campaign $25 after she conceded. And while I find this whole PUMA thing quite baffling and without any logical basis (and the invective from both sides is quite astonishing), my only conclusion is that it's a much smaller problem than it appears due to the simple fact the HRC's campaign remains in debt.

[Aleka4]

Well the bulk of her 18 mill were

a: from Super tues, so early that she hadn't yet alienated everyone. Both CA and NY polls showed her original support dropped off so much she would have lost had they run the primary later. So they may have donated at the time, in Jan/Feb but later changed candidates. This is reflected in the amount of money she brought in.

b: the hicks in the appalachians who, while prejudiced enough to vote against O, or gullible enough to fall for her lies, also lacked the funds or the commitment to send her money.

c: Operation Chaos republicans, who changed the outcome of at least Texas primary and who certainly had no intention of backing any dem financially.

The money shows the true support. The press are stupid to forget that.

[rfstevens]

At least SHE voted against FISA!

[Rmtns]

I'll vote for Nader first!

[KillgoreTrout43]

Don't let us stop you.

[WFV]

Please do.

[MMimi]

Some of us care to much about this country to vote for someone like nader. you do know the next president will pick 2 supreme court justices, don't you? how far to the right do you want the supreme court to be?

[hepwa]

Go for it. Prove you care less about the country and more about yourself.

[calichic]

don't bother

[joeyp404]

Some people have a spine. Some just want to be elected.

[gotalife]

Yep, she is a winner.

[macbabe]

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/07/20/clinton_loaned_self_another_1.html

[Tommygun264]

And if she had been the nominee she would have voted for it and Obama would have voted against it. Don't pretend to be so naive.

[dm92]

She is not the nominee because she voted to authorize the war and she voted to designate the Iranian army a terrorist organization and she voted for the flag-burning bill - get over yourself!

[joeyp404]

Right, and since O became a senator he's done everything he could do get us out of the war, including funding it. And let's not even talk about going into Pakistan without authorization.

[FiveFortyOne]

I thought she might have a chance until I read this article. Apparently Hillary Clinton's debt GREW in June! This is literally "baggage" that will weigh down the ticket. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080721/ap_on_el_pr/campaign_money;_ylt=AsguUEi9mtIEneEqsu2J9was0NUE

[Trinidad707]

I doubt HRC wants the Vp slot...und­er MR No experience Obama, she'd probably rather wait at the sidlines and watch him lose to McCain....­...as with No White blue collar vote, no women, no jewish or catholic vote, no elderly or hispanic vote...No swing states except caucus Colorado. No Ca,Ny,TX, or Fl No Ohio, No PA no West Va ..The guy simply can't win.(It's like the dems are throwing the race) All you see is spin on tv......th­e other states Obama was strong in are Notoriously Red state wins come November ...and this time each state is winner gets all electorals none of the crazy unprecedented delegate split rigged things)He's toast. The delegates would be smarter to give Hillary the delegates at the convention at least she can beat McCain

[TheOneironaut]

*blink* What planat are YOU from? Your info is so skewed!! Its like you stopped watching everything since she conceded the race! Read some articles about the election NOW and come back with a more informed comment.

[GrouchoMarxist]

Ahhh...I see that the mavericky media is still pushing the mavericky non-story about an imaginary fight among Democrats.

How maverickly delicious, of them. They're almost as full of mavericky goodness as their friend, Senator Maverick.

[TheOneironaut]

Exactly! Isnt it maverickicious that they keep blowing up this "division" while glossing over the division in the conservative base! They were planning a whole separate convention for pete's sake but the PUMA's get front page news and spots on CNN!

[Triangle1]

Pretty much everyone who becomes president ends up with a destroyed reputation by the time they leave. As a No-Bama supporter, I hope he gets elected. It's always nice to see a pretty balloon explode with the prick of a pin.

[calichic]

you are truly a nihilist

[Youth4Obama]

I dont mind Hillary, she'd be okay... BUT BILL RICHARDSON IS THE #1 PICK!

[Kassandra]

Obama really, really needs to pick Clinton, not some no-name. He's got enough of a problem with that himself. People know her. It was the Republicans who stopped her healthcare initiative in the 90's or we'd have THAT little item taken care of already.

We really need to put aside our malice towards this woman who has worked very hard for us. I don't see where she has disappointed us anymore than Obama already has. SHE voted against FISA.

I suspect most on this board are too young to remember what a smart, energetic First Lady she was. But she was.......­.she's always been smarter than Bill.

Send Bill off to Peru as ambassador and get Clinton on the ticket. It's a no-brainer.

[Kache]

"It was the Republicans who stopped her healthcare initiative"

It was a Democratic Congress - both houses - who never even gave her initiative a Committee hearing. Not one single hearing.

[Kassandra]

No, it was not.

Bill Clinton had a "Democratic" Congress for two years only. During that time Hillary was working on her heathcare plan. She never got a chance to propose it to a Democratic congress.

Then came the Republicans in 1994 complete with Newt Gingrich and Tom Delay. They've been in control of Congress ever since and have obstructed, lied and cheated to stop any Democratic initiative proposed.

How soon we forget.

[lafrance]

this is mostly a bone thrown to the Traditional media to fill up their need for a Hillary story. They are so addicted to the Clintons that in order to keep them off their backs the Obama campaign throws them some for their addiction. One blogger said the Clintons are the media's crack pipe.
They cannot face not having the Clintons to gossip about and giggle over like a bunch of 1950s housewives at a coffee klatch.
any sign, no matter how nonsensical, that he may just be thinking of having Hillary sets them off on an orgy of dreaming and fantasy.
In reality, Hillary being Obama's vp is about as much as Bush. He is about a new era and Hillary is just soooooo 90s.

[Opinionater]

Even with the Republican opposition to Hillary, she could help him secure the election. A close race would go to the Repubs without her. Hill supporters will ring alot of doorbells and bring in new votes.

[gotalife]

4 more years of the old guy then she wins in a landslide.

Thanks to the netkooks.

[emmaspeaks]

Vetted or not, there is a big problem here. Hillary is old style politics. As much as we want to believe that having Sebelius as VP won't hurt, its tricky. I think she would be GREAT. Even so, I think Obama would have to have a great intro for her, good campaigning about having a woman, and a good way to deal with the Hillary supporters who would be against him for it. I hope he can do it, because it would be great. We're onto something new. Would it satisfy those Hillary supporters who want a woman in the White House, or would they be upset he didn't take Hillary. That could depend on the approach. All I know is that I would like to see it happen.

[afgail]

Obama/Clinton 08 Style AND substance. What more could you ask for?