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

[JennyJay]

Hilliary was such a pathetic, childish person in her nasty concession speech (wanting
people to E-mail more support, and not give up the campaign), it's hard to believe that
any adult could view her as VP material.. . In my book, she is too EMOTIONALLY INMATURE
to even be a Senator.

[jupitor]

Stay off hillary! How many times do you have to be told the Dem's want her supporters!

[orangepetal]

Dream on, millions, tens of millions of democrat voters will vote Mc Cain in November.

[DanniD]

"we believe that continuing to ask him to pick Hillary is no longer helpful to our party's chances of winning in November"

When was it ever helpful?

[PumaAnn]

It showed their loyalty and respect for her. She absolutely commands that from her supporters.

[olivia]

I lost any respect I had for her when she began the dirty campaign part of her campaign.

[PoliJunkie]

And we, the O supporters are the Kool-aid drinkers...."She absolutely commands that from her supporters." LOL!

[NoSandwiches]

No longer helpful? Never helpful, just like HC. Romney isn't asking anyone to help him with his 25 million dollar debt so the Republicans can concentrate their funds on helping their candidate. Huckabee didn't stay in the race to run against McCain--he stayed to run FOR Huckabee.
She and her big money backers have not helped the Democratic presumptive nominee. They don't send the right signals. Their 18 million don't feel loyal enough to send her their 10 and 20 dollar donations. They fail to inspsire the other 18 million voters to send their 10s and 20s to her. I bet she spends her convention speech telling us how historic her own run was. Hillary is all about Hillary.

[CtJean]

FINALLY!

AND REMINDER:

O's birthday is August 4th (and mine)

He'll be 47 - I won't

Let's give him a $$ party like no other

Please pass this on

[harvest9]

My Aunt, an Ohio resident and life-long Republican who is turning 77 on August 4th, is enthusiastically supporting Obama. I just sent a bundle of Obama '08 stickers and buttons to her, but perhaps a $77 contribution would be an even better gift. Great idea, and happy birthday to you!

[CocteausTwin]

It is time to donate like it is 1999!

[marymansour]

Thanks for the birthday reminder. I sent him another chunk of change yesterday.

[poco767b]

Donate $47

[OverIt]

Or any multiples of $47.

[skepticalindenver]

Real rocket scientists here.....most of us figured this out a month before the end of the primary, not 2 months after.....

[antmuk]

exactly!

[amst]

I'm not surprised at all that he most likely won't choose Hillary. While anything is possible, I just don't think she'd be the right choice for him. Not to say she wouldn't be "good" but he has to go with someone who isn't so "out there" and she wanted the nomination so badly, I think there are many hard feelings on her part, not to mention leftover bitterness that many of HRC supporters still have.

[WFV]

Yay, at least somebody got the message. Too bad others can't see the light as well.

[luvienne]

Good riddance.