The Necessary Audacity of Hillary Clinton as Vice President

The likelihood of the 24-hour tchochke mill churning out buttons, placards and key chains screaming Obama/Clinton '08 is about zero.

That's a huge loss and a big mistake. Normally, as we know, the choice of the vice-presidential candidate is far from an election-maker. But this is no ordinary year, as we also know.

The reasons for Senator Obama to choose Senator Clinton as his running mate are manifold, inter-connected, and urgent.

1. Practicality. She would make a meaningful, if not profound difference on the ticket. Her appeal to women and blue-collar voters is indisputably stronger than Obama's. Yes, he can get stronger, although it will be difficult in the face of McCain/Schmidt's relentless efforts to frame him as running for president of the United States of Arugala.

But he will never have her drawing power with the Krispy Kreme krowd, never be able to energize her base, which is so critical in Ohio, Indiana and Pennsylvania. And the value of the power and influence of the Clinton network as the race tightens is inestimable.

2. Fairness. Normally by the time a putative nominee has been determined, and the runner-up runs out of gas, the gap between them has become substantial, crippling the argument that any one candidate has a "claim" on the vice-presidential slot.

This year, however, on the strength of 18 million passionate voters, Hillary made it a horse race almost till the end. Say what you will about her mistakes, she threw herself into retail politics with a vengeance, and through that has earned a place on the ticket more than any vice-president in recent memory earned theirs.

To ignore the passion, grittiness and success of her efforts, and anoint a secondary figure like Evan Bayh, is a definitive act that would be hard to interpret as anything but a slap in the face. After all, when both fairness and logic point to Hillary, a rejection of her - from someone whose brand, in large part, stands for a clear-eyed, unemotional, pettiness-free analysis of the facts at hand - is unambiguous.

3. Obama's Personal Narrative. The "Not Ready to Lead" storyline that McCain has introduced essentially says that Obama is talented but immature. Given that the vast majority of reasons for spurning Senator Clinton are personal - the negative nature of the primary, the awkwardness of having Bill big-footing all over the White House, the country and the world - moving beyond her is essentially a validation of McCain's framing of Obama as not possessing the true qualities of leadership.

If she's not selected, the implicit message to voters will be that ego kept her off the ticket, reinforcing the dangerous cultural sub-texting going on right now that defines Obama as arrogantly self-confident.

4. The credibility of her voice. Who would be stronger making the argument that Obama is prepared to lead at 3AM...Hillary Clinton, or Evan Bayh? Who would you want as the archetypal pit-bull VP candidate, taking the low road while Obama remains Obama? Who is remotely as strong as her to stand beside him at the convention, and through the remainder of the campaign, as both a validation of his leadership abilities, a comforting bastion of continuity, and as someone who could lead the country at a moment's notice herself?

5. The stakes. If you believe this is a pivotal election, that it's absolutely critical that we reverse the failed geopolitical, social and economic policies of the last eight years, isn't it a moral and ethical responsibility to construct the strongest national argument for that? Hillary Clinton needs to be part of that argument.

When Hillary dropped out on June 7th -- a two+ month eternity ago -- the conventional veepdom wisdom was that a) he didn't need her; and b) she wouldn't take it. Like most conventional wisdom, it was, and is, wrong on both counts.

Comments

[Darnamell]

"PUMA. PUMA. Blah, blah, blah."

Clinton's policies may be similar to Obama, yet her style (or lack of it) would torpedo everything Obama has tried to cultivate with new voters, crossover voters, and Democrats like me who are happy to be rid of divisive Clinton-style politics.

If Obama cannot win with a sound plan, then it is HIS loss. But I guarantee you, if she is on the ticket, I would AT BEST, hold my nose in the voting booth. More likely though, if he feels the need to tie himself to someone who stirred racial divisions and wants him dead in order to win, then he doesn't have the confidence to lead after all.

Picking Clinton as a vice president is a self-fulfilling prophecy of failure and defeat.

[S1m0n]

A loss for Hillary, to be sure, but it's a win for America.

[08politicaljunkie]

I don't believe Hillary Clinton has even a small fraction of the support she once had. And all the crying, screaming, and whining we're hearing about, those "voices," are from a few with big mouths -- the "squeaky wheel syndrome."

Many of those who backed Clinton and are not yet backing Obama never will. They're not logical or rational in their decision-making. Just consider their remarks: "Since Hillary didn't get the nod, I'm voting for McCain." What sense does that make?

Regardless, many people no longer trust Clinton. She wasted their hard-earned money by mismanaging her campaign. She proved she was an incompetent manager and an ineffective leader. Otherwise, she wouldn't still be begging for money to relieve her campaign's debt. Otherwise, her campaign wouldn't be in so much debt.

And if Obama chooses Clinton to be his VP, I'll no longer trust Obama. In my eyes, Hillary has yet to redeem herself. And I want the CHANGE IN WASHINGTON that he's promised. I want to see DC get rid of the corporate lobbyists and the arm-twisters. If Obama chooses Clinton to be his VP, he risks losing my vote.

[Triciann]

This article is completely illogical unless you are a staunch Clinton supporter. Practically Hillary (and Bill) would undermine Obama. Fairness, I don't think the PUMAs et al understand the meaning of that word. Obama has shown better judgement than Hillary and has shown leadership in his campaign, whereas Hillary was here, there and everywhere doing what the men around her told her to do. During her campaign Hillary lost credibility. The stakes are high, as we the electorate understand, so it is time the Clintons et al started to work to elect Obama as president without having to be bought by the offer of the VP position. Loyalty is something worth talking about too. Many people around Obama have shown loyalty and integrity, another important quality.

[gvidal]

No question - Without Hillary Barack LOSES. Period.

[MrTessier]

Another possible reason for not choosing Hillary, regardless of the existence/non-existence of merits, is what it frees up McCain to do. He would have a significant problem picking Romney at this point, just like Obama because of what was said in the primaries. If he chooses Hillary, then McCain is free to go with Romney. I think that helps McCain a lot. I'm not a fan of Romney at all, but it would definitely help conservatives feel much more comfortable, and Hillary will give them a reason to rejoin the battle.

I think Obama will go with a younger up and comer and double down on his strengths. It leaves McCain with some pretty tough choices for VP. He needs someone with high profile to close the gap, but who is out there? Obama already has the lead so he can coast to a win without having to get dirty, or appease certain supporters, or take any risks.

Don't forget just how much Obama would close in the final week before all the primaries, there's no logical reason to assume that he won't be able to do the same again.

[TheExperience]

How IN THE HELL is Clinton going to come off as believable saying Obama is ready for the 3am phone call when it was HER AD that said he wasn't in the first place???

Hillary chose her path when she went negative with her "all or nothing" campaign. Now she gets nothing. It's the risk you take...

It has NOTHING to do with her being female, or anyone else being sexist. It has to do with easily-obtained footage of her screaming "shame on you, Barack Obama" that would find itself in a McCain ad the day after she was announced.

Deal with it, and move on.....................................

[bodo]

"18 million passionate voters" is another Clinton crock. Last time I counted there were about 2000 militant Clintonistas who intend to screech at Denver. The rest are not nearly as "passionate", merely sensible and rational. Most male blue collar voters merely voted for her because she was the only white person on the ticket, and they will now vote McCain for the same reason. There is nothing either Hillary or Obama can do about that. But not everybody is a racist. Most of the 18 million Clinton voters have decided to vote for Obama by now.

[gvidal]

Barack is posed for a loss with illogical supporters like you

[gvidal]

About 60% of the Clinton supporters will NOT vote for Barack - you are dreaming.

The only militants in the process are the crazy - Yes we can folk....

[Downtown]

HAHAHA, i want some of what you're smoking, dude!

[wdw101]

i wonder what percent of that 18 million were republican voters......

[WFV]

The portrait of the former candidate as a leader is laughable at best. The presumptive nominee would be insane to select her as a running mate.

[jvarga]

"3. Obama's Personal Narrative. The "Not Ready to Lead" storyline that McCain has introduced essentially says that Obama is talented but immature."

Uh yeah maybe you forgot but Senator Clinton introduced that storyline, and its one reason why she has no business being mentioned as VP. She campaigned for Senator McCain against Senator Obama during the primaries, why reward her after that maliciousness?

[siney]

i'm an HRC primary voter, but since early june have driven around with both Obama and HRC stickers on my car... i'm a lifelong dem and certainly have no problem supporting Obama and look forward to voting for him in november... i agree with the post; however, i can certainly see why Obama would not select her given the bill factor, et al... but for the love of God, if he chooses an evan bahy type i fear we will lose the election... please let it be biden, hagel, clark or even sebiluis....

[Thad]

Here's the problem:

"The "Not Ready to Lead" storyline that McCain has introduced essentially says that Obama is talented but immature."

McCain didn't introduce that storyline.

HILLARY CLINTON did.

[TommyObama]

The two were locked in a tight battle at that time, all gloves were off, and Hillary pulled out her biggest gun with that ad. Big surprise? Creative minds can take that very same ad footage, edit it, and turn it against McCain -- you're right that he'll use it, if they team up. I think America understands that Obama and Clinton were BOTH playing to win at the time.

A couple of nasty ads and speeches in a bruising primary are hardly a sound rationale against forming what would be the most powerful campaign team in recent memory. Obama picks Hillary and I don't see how they can lose. He doesn't pick her, and I can think of several ways he can, particularly with the lame and hand-wringing Democratic Party at his back.

Funny how we Obama supporters preach up and down to Clintonistas that THEY need to "get over it" and jump on board, yet we jump up and down at the thought of campaigning on a joint ticket. HE would be the President. SHE would be quite possibly the scrappiest and hardest working VP this country has ever had.

And she was right on Healthcare in 1994. Give the Lady her due, win the election, and THEN get over it.

[Darnamell]

I'd agree with that except for the race-baiting and assassination speak. THAT crossed the line.

[NTO08]

Nothing audacious about it...

[f4skyhawk]

If Obama does not choose Clinton it is due to her own ego. Not being able to get on board, carrying on a whisper campaign trying to intimidate Barack into choosing her. IF she had acted like previous ex-candidates I think we all would have been on board with her becoming VP. But her, the zealots who follow he blindly, and husband have pushed everyone away.

I agree it is a shame but dont blame Barack look again to Hillary and her crew behavior.

[Triciann]

You are right. Hillary could have been VP if she had run a more ethical campaign againt Obama and if Bill had not been so prominent. I am left with a feeling that the Clintons are dictatorial.

[TommyObama]

I'll say it again: Hillary's people aren't the only ones who need to get over the primary. So do we.

[Yohomegirl]

According to recent news Hil and her gang couldn't win their way out of a paper bag!