Obama-Clinton Group VoteBoth Shuts Down

WASHINGTON — An effort to urge Barack Obama to pick former rival Hillary Rodham Clinton as his running mate is shutting down under the assumption she is not a contender for the No. 2 spot.

The two former Clinton staffers who started the group Vote Both say Obama's decision to offer Clinton a prime-time speaking role at the Democratic Party nominating convention and other signals suggest Obama will not chose her.

"Because it seems that Senator Obama has made his decision to offer the slot on the ticket to another candidate, we believe that continuing to ask him to pick Hillary is no longer helpful to our party's chances of winning in November," Adam Parkhomenko and Sam Arora wrote in an e-mail they planned to send Thursday to the 40,000-plus supporters who signed onto their online petition.

Obama spokesman Bill Burton said the campaign won't comment on the vice presidential search and hasn't finalized the convention speaking program. Obama and Clinton advisers have said Clinton is likely to speak on the convention's second night, Aug. 26, which is the 88th anniversary of the ratification of the amendment giving the women the right to vote.

Parkhomenko and Arora have a combined 10 years experience working for Clinton. Most recently Arora was a press aide to her presidential campaign and Parkhomenko was executive assistant to former Clinton campaign manager Patti Solis Doyle, who is now chief of staff for Obama's yet-to-be named vice presidential nominee.

In an interview, Arora was coy about what makes them so confident Clinton won't be chosen.

"All indications we have from people close to Senator Clinton and Senator Obama are that Hillary is not on the short list," Arora said. "We're looking at how we can _ if we can _ use Vote Both to help him because we want a Democrat in the White House."

Obama said this week that he wants a running mate who will help him change how business has been conducted in Washington _ seen by many as an indication that he won't pick Clinton.

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On the Net:

http://www.voteboth.com

Comments

[Klip]

Some people just take longer to learn...

[EinChicago]

"Obama and Clinton advisers have said Clinton is likely to speak on the convention's second night, Aug. 26, which is the 88th anniversary of the ratification of the amendment giving the women the right to vote.'
ironic. The single most misogynistic democratic candidate in history throughs a bone to the woman he denigrated and his supporters smeared on this night.

[Fabienne]

It would be so interesting if only one Clinton supporter gave us some facts to back up his or her statements. I would like to hear all of the "misogynistic" statements that came directly from the Obama camp. Could you please list them? If they exist, you should be able to do so.

[barackobama4prez]

If she had just conceded and stopped being so nasty she may have had a shot at VP. BUT, I don't really think she wanted VP anyway.

[Topfeeder]

She wanted VP and so did Bill. Read this months Vanity Fair article. My personal belief is that Bill will always be a problem for Hillary. I voted for him twice and think he is a master politician. It is the husband aspect he has problems with. Poor Hillary is head over heels in love with him though. There is no other reason for her to have stayed.

[barackobama4prez]

If they divorce soon you'll know why she stayed.

[clsmithj]

I completely agree with you here. I remember the Dem race got to the point of destruction that I remember thinking, hmm she just kissed her VP opportunity goodbye.

[pupbayer]

Yeah, nothing is worse than a woman with perseverance and determinat­ion...terr­ible qualities in a leader.

[barackobama4prez]

spin it the way you want. she LOST didn't she? I guess the rest of us didn't agree with you about her "qualities".

[GoodGuysandBadGuys]

those two things are good qualities in a leader, however clinton possesses so many other bad ones that those are dwarfed.

[dogman44]

Considering his tunnel vision inflexibility and hubristic stubbornness, you could
say that shrub possessed plenty of perseverance and determination. They were
terrible, no, dangerous qualities in him. Then again I'm convinced that he is the
anti-leader

[libs = kooks]

O'Bama is going with Edwards because of his exploratorive drilling techniques!

That will tame those evil speculators!!!





O'Bama/Edwards '08

[Rotwang]

Sorry. You must be THIS TALL to ride the coaster.

[dentuso]

You should consider putting your energy into learning about this election cycle.

[doctorwang]

I'll admit it- that was funny.

[standforpeace]

It is truly time to move on from the fixation on the Clintons. Now we need to do what we can on two fronts -- electing Obama/building the Democratic majority and holding these folks accountable for giving us some real progressive change from the last 8 years.

[barackobama4prez]

We're trying to move on..but she and her supporters just won't go away.

[Countdown09]

If Hill ever had a chance at the VP job, the overt negative actions by people like these two and PUMA ruined it. How could he have picked her without it appearing he caved under pressure from a bunch of disgruntled supporters. And Hill didn't do herself any favors either by holding her campaign debt of his head, refusing to campaign for him until they worked out how he could help pay her debt. And still Bill hasn't come out in public to endorse him. Add it all up, she never stood a chance of being VP.

[ohmercy]

liar liar pants on fire.

What does it do for you to just make things up?
Or is that what you really believe?

eesshhh.

I think its time to stop repeating media, neo-con and Hillary Hater spin about Clinton, don't you? The distorted, ill informed misinformation campaign fueled by so much hatred really needs to come to an end.

[scorpioleidy]

Welcome back to the real world, HRC supporters --- I could've told you months ago she wouldn't be welcome on our ticket!

[Lesjoan]

It's not "our ticket" I am a democrat that wanted Hillary. Your arrogance and Obama's arrogance will lose "us" the election!

[scorpioleidy]

I used "our" meaning Obama/O supporters' ticket---you're irrelevant!

[EinChicago]

No problem. We just won't vote for him.

After all, he's bound to not need us; he only lost the popular vote and sexcured teh nomination with the single lowest percentage of victiory in history.

yeah. He's a sure thing. *snicker*.

[GoodGuysandBadGuys]

"sexcured teh nomination with the single lowest percentage of victiory in history."

yeah, a no-name from nowhere against the most recognized name in politics. don't you think that the most recognized name in politics should be able to win in a landslide against someone like that? should tell you something.

[AdLib]

Don't forget to stomp your feet and hold your breath till you turn blue, infant.

[dentuso]

Dear G-d. What are you not getting? The PUMA movement has about 40 members. The ones on here are Repubs playing you and the other two like complete fools.

Have you been to one of the meetings yet? The largest rally to date had a total of 14 attendees in NY.

Will you please get over yourself? This is an extremely critical election, and there's absolutely no place for self-serving childishness.

Where you seriously believe you're "one of millions" who can turn this election - you're not. You're one of about a hundred people in this country who have personal issues that you're projecting onto this election. I think you're starting to understand it, to be honest.

Grow up.

[scorpioleidy]

Get over yourself ... we "need" you like we "need" her ... :-) ... try again in 8 yrs.

[McFlipFlop]

Obama won the popular vote against Hillary except in your Clintonian wet dreams.

[bpowell1]

Maybe if they had not tried to bully him into doing that she may have actually had a shot. But because the Clinton's are die hard strong arms they blew their own chance for everything in this election. It's like when someone is not playing the games that you normally plays and creates his own rules you don't even know where to start to fight this man. That is why McCain is coming with all of these silly tactics because he does not know how to fight. Barak has changed the game. You will forever see how the game will never be played again.

[scorpioleidy]

Exactly!

[barackobama4prez]

B a r a c k has DEFINITELY changed the game and you're right. They don't know how to fight his style of politics.

[RJII]

so tired of discussing hillary. why are we still talking bout hillary as VP, hillary's debt, hillary's PUMAS, jillary's fatcat donors.

hillary's moved on.

My focus is McCain and the horrible Bush thugs!

[Tom95134]

Here, here!

[hudsuckerproxy]

Amen. Feeding the Operation Chaos beast benefits no one but Team McSame.

[dentuso]

The saddest part about all this is that it's the nutjobs who keep pushing her on the country who are doing her the most harm. They don't quite understand (somehow) that history will look at Hil as it sees a couple dozen very loud and childish supporters who just can't let go. This is not a legacy that she wants.

[ohmercy]

soooo

why are you here reading this then?

[chicagoexpat]

Sooooo....
they've decide to go back to their original plan, and maybe offer Barack Obama the VP slot, I take it?

[dentuso]

lmao!

[ChiGuy]

Finally! An organization that believed in, and fought for their candidate, but eventually realized that the effort was not just futile, but harmful as well, and did what's best for the Democratic Party.

P.U.M.A., please learn a lesson from this.

[EinChicago]

I don't think there is any question that the majority of HRC supporters will look towards what's best for the party in 2012.

Don't expect them to turn up in November 2008, however.

[ChiGuy]

A majority??? LOL!!

Watch and learn, EC.
She doesn't have a lock on all 18 million. Most of them will still be voting Democratic. Even if for no other reason than they won't vote for a Republican with policies like McCrackers'.

Personally, I don't care what their motivation is as long as they do what's right for their country and get past the puerile, divisive bitterness.

[dentuso]

You just completely contradicted yourself entirely. In four years, you see the country as being the priority over your emotions, but right now you feel your emotions supercede your country...

Wow.

[LadyFist]

That'll show 'em!

[OKC Mateo]

Obama is getting full of himself...­.he still needs Hillary's help if he wants to win in November.

[condew]

Maybe he will get her help, maybe she cannot be a team player.

[Lesjoan]

I think it's the other way around Obama can't be a team player he is to full of himself!

[scorpioleidy]

you're a fool

[AKJM]

No, look at O's face; he has lost and he knows it.

[ChiGuy]

Newsflash: He'll take her help, but he doesn't NEED it.

[EinChicago]

Newsflash. He needs at least 85% of her supporters to vote for him or he is guaranteed to lose.

He needs her help desperately. he couldn't even eke out a decisive win amongst his own party and managed to get the nomination with the single lowest victory margin in either parties' history---and the lowest by a massive margin. Basically, he ran a 3 hour 59 minute marathon and because he just qualified for a 4 hr medal, you're proclaiming him teh greatest marathon runner in history.

[ABCD]

Riiiiiiight, because she has been so very helpful to him and his campaign up to this point. Why, if it wasn't for her, he would neeeever have won the primary. And, if it wasn't for her, he'd be NOTHING!!!! Oh, and yes...pig'­s can fly.

OK! Enough with the PUMA whining. You make her look bad. At least she is trying.

[ohmercy]

Yes, at least she is trying and while I find the PUMA stuff destructive and not in the best interest of America... screw the party... I'm amn American before I am a Democrat..­. I find the Hillary Haters just as destructive.
Maybe more so since the Puma group arose out of the fomenting of hatred by the Hiil Hater ObamaCon faction of his supporters.

Maybe if they get off the hate mongering there would actually be som,e reconciliation. However from reading the comments I see that it just won't happen.... the pure pleasure they take in baiting and hating is so destructive and ugly... they make Obama look very bad.

[jgalvan]

She may have had a chance of becoming VP pick around the time she started to attack him with all those lies, and than bringing up the assassination comment. And if that were not enough, staying in the race to the last, costing him time and money. NO WAY that she was ever vetted for this slot.

[firewmn]

A BREATH AWAY....No MORE... (good)

[Saxton]

I think Hillary can best serve by working with Mrs. Edwards and Ted Kennedy, forgive me as there may be more, to bring about universal health care once and for all. I would like to see her talents put to making this really happen for Americans.