Seven Reasons Why Hillary Was the Better Choice

On June 4, the night Obama clinched the delegate count, many commentators were stunned that Hillary refused to go away. I wrote a blog saying Obama should freeze her out. Instead, he embraced her in a bid for her base. But he largely failed. Nearly three months later, she still commands an army of die-hard supporters. So the facts have changed. Now, instead of embracing her and the base she still commands, he's frozen her out.

Here are seven reasons why Hillary Clinton would have been the better choice to win in November than Joe Biden:

1. Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer. Obama would have done well to adhere to Sun-Tzu's 2,400-year old saying. Now there's nothing to stop the Clintons, if they choose, from undermining an Obama presidency so Hillary can run in 2012. If she's VP she can't mount a primary challenge four years from now.

2. Get them campaigning for you. Whatever you think of him, Bill Clinton is one of the best campaigners of the modern era. He and she will make some appearances for Obama. But it will be nothing like the support they could generate for Obama if Hillary were on the ticket. Remember Gore thought he could win without Bill campaigning hard for him.

3. Pick up the Scranton Vote. One of the arguments for Biden is that he can secure that base of white, blue-collar, Democratic voters in places like Scranton and Columbus. But didn't those voters form one of the two pillars of Hillary's formidable support? She owned Pennsylvania and Ohio, without which it is said Obama can't win. Even though Biden is white and talks tough, how many supporters did he have among that voting group? Hillary could have delivered them on a platter. Now they may just stay home, or worse yet, vote for McCain.

4. Hillary's women supporters. Women formed the second pillar of Hillary's base. Many of them say they would rather vote for McCain than Obama. How does Biden change that? Writing in The New Republic, Hillary spokesman Howard Wolfson said Biden "won't automatically bring along disaffected Hillary voters, especially those who are older women. But no one was going to do that besides Hillary anyway." According to John Zogby, "only 56% of Clinton-backers would vote for Obama, while 21% intend to vote for McCain." Biden making up that 21% is doubtful. Obama thought he could buy Hillary's supporters with the roll call vote next week in Denver. But they may now take that opportunity to stage pro-Hillary demonstrations that will make Obama look like a weak leader of a still divided party. For all his talk of uniting the country, he should have united the party first.

5. Hillary has more name recognition. For what it's worth and in our celebrity-driven culture it's worth a lot, Hillary Clinton is one of the most famous women in America and beyond. Maybe that was a problem for Obama, already one of the most famous men in the world. Remember what they said about Charles' envy of Diana's fame. Biden has been around a very long time, but except for two brief national campaigns, he hasn't commanded anywhere near the stage Hillary has. As my co-author Mike Gravel pointed out to me, Biden had about the same polling numbers as he did and Gravel was climbing out of obscurity, while Biden has been in the public eye for 30 years.

6. Biden is a loose cannon. The more one talks, the higher the odds of saying something stupid. And Biden has said many stupid things over the years. Like having to have an Indian accent to go into a Seven-Eleven and that his running mate was clean, at least. It's just a matter of time before he embarrasses Obama. Hillary is steely. She's way too disciplined to cause this problem. Biden is also overrated. Among an electorate that knows too little about international events, even when they directly impact their lives, Joe Biden looks like an expert on foreign affairs. He can rattle off the names of foreign leaders. But does that really make him a master of international intrigue? What diplomatic experience does he really bring? Biden voted for the Iraq war, like Hillary, so he doesn't add any better judgment than she would have brought.

7. Show Obama is sure of himself. By not picking Hillary, Obama demonstrates that he is too insecure to have her and her husband back in their old home while he tries to figure out how to run the White House and the country. Could he stand up to them and tell them who is president? With Hillary by his side we'd know that he'd value her and Bill's advice but be his own man. Bill and Hillary are formidable intellects. Obama won't feel threatened by Joe Biden.

Yes Hillary was a pain. Yes Bill and she played too loose with racial innuendo during the primary campaign. But if the object is to win the White House back from the Republicans, Obama has just made it doubly difficult without the Clintons by his side, working night and day for him. He has shown he couldn't put personal animosity and insecurities aside for the good of the party and perhaps ultimately of the country.

UPDATE: In response to many of the comments made, I am an Obama supporter and have never backed Hillary Clinton and disapproved of her behavior during the primaries. It is not about who we "like." Obama says it was a "personal" decision, but it should have been a political decision. I am writing this purely from a strategic, not emotional, point of view. She would have made the ticket stronger for the reason given above.

www.politicalodyssey.com

Comments

[EthylRosenberg]

This is just sad. We need to set up some kinda 'Reality Check Rehab' for folks who feel this country has the luxury of 'coulda shoulda' right now.
Come on progressive people! Let's put not drown ‘the good’ in the bathtub of what might have been better.We have 2 months left to keep the trickle down economics & war-first foreign policies of John McCain (& a nice woman that many of us would not have given a second interview to) from taking over the 10,000 nation-killing, people-smashing problems George Bush, et. al. are leaving behind.
No time left to lick the wound or nurse slights, parse the imperfections and wish for a perfect politics. OMGawd in heaven is that not 100% obvious?
We have to hit the ground marching right this red hot minute in full support of, the troops the Dems just put on the ground. Get to work or write a check. Quit carping, start moving.
Liberals! We've sucked it up for far lesser men & women than these in far less perilous times.
Get on the bus & do the right thing, the RATIONAL thing.
OBAMA BIDEN 08

[PollyTics]

The night after Obama's acceptance speech, I'm curious if our beloved author, Joe Lauria STILL believes that Hillary was the best choice.

So what is it Joe? Willing to admit that you just might be wrong about this?

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[Tor2ga]

Reason #8:

"John McCain is my friend. We've known each other for three decades. We've traveled the world together. It's a friendship that goes beyond politics.".

vs.

"No way, no how, no McCain"

[jsinclair]

We are so lucky to have Obama as the nominee.

Hillary now has 8 years to clean up her finances (and get Bill to do the same).

No more millions from foreign governments to lobby for them.

No more need-to-be-hidden tax returns (or library donor lists).

No more Cayman Island bank accounts. Or charities that pay out to the Clintons themselves (Clinton Family Fund).

No more of Bill brokering international deals for jet-set billionaire cronies.

Business and finances have always been a Clinton Achilles heel. Luckily, now she has some time to get her house (and her husband) in order.

[Wanjiru]

...as one of Sen. Obama's millions of supporters, I find this article to be offensive on many levels...

...Sen. Obama has ran an historically outstanding and very successful campaign and has done so not only with NO help from HRC, but with attacks on him both from her and from her husband, Bill Clinton...

...notwithstanding this, Sen. Obama has proven through his A-class campaign, to have among several other qualities, impressive judgement in the team he has selected so far to work for him...

...the notion that he now should have selected HRC as his running-mate, given all of the above, and that he made the wrong decision by not selecting her, has got to be one of the most absurd positions I have heard-even moreso coming from an Obama supporter!...

...for how far Sen. Obama has come, and how successful he has been, it is sad that you do not have more faith in him and in his judgement!...surely he has earned your trust by now, has he not???


Obama/Biden 2008!

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[steiney]

I don't know about this - After donating $2000 to Hillary (big mistake!), I was completely turned off by her campaign. I would have serious doubt about Obama had he caved in and chosen her as VP. And I would be less than entusiastic about the ticket. If only I could get my money back!!!

[Vermontah]

I cannont agree with the premise of your article.

1. Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer.
The Clintons will have no platform. Clinton would violate every unwritten law in the book by criticizing Obama.

2. Get them campaigning for you.
Bill campaigned ceaselessly for Hillary. Look where it got her. Gore completely ignored him and actually won in 2000, remember?

3. Pick up the Scranton Vote.
She's not credible as a blue-collar representative. Biden is. And while Hillary only discovered mid-campaign, after Edwards dropped out, that she's the fighter for the blue-collar white guy, Biden's been that for 35 years. Talk about experience.

4. Hillary's women supporters.
Michelle eliminated that argument last night. Clearly, women's issues will be at the forefront of Obama's administration.

5. Hillary has more name recognition.
By the time the general election actually happens, name recognition will not be an issue. Come on.

6. Biden is a loose cannon.
Oh, so we should rely on Bill Clinton instead?

7. Show Obama is sure of himself.
The most ridiculous. If he hadn't been sure of himself, he would have given in to the squawking of the Clinton supporters. He chose Biden not because he was pressured to do so, but because he wisely realized the Biden was the best-qualified candidate to help him govern.

This whole article is baloney.

[Joe Lauria - Huffpost Blogger]

"Biden was the best-qualified candidate to help him govern."

To help him govern? I agree, he would govern better with someone he is more comfortable with and he is clearly more comfortable with Biden than Hillary.

But aren't you getting ahead of yourself a little?. It's not a question now of helping him govern but of helping him get elected and on that basis I believe Hillary would have been the better chioce.

It is the vice presidency. It is a symbolic post. A perfect place to park her out of danger while she helps Obama win. And it would be a great advance for women to have a women vice president. You can see from her speech tonight how capable she is. But she didn't really back Obama all that much in the speech. She would have if she were on the ticket. What a wasted talent and energy and following for her not to be.

[doodle do]

i AGREE WITH jOE HERE 100% , I cant stand the Clintons but , why roll the dice and take a chance , I personally think had Barack been up in the POLLS by 15 points he would have pick Kaine of virginia because he compliments his change theme and is fresh and is a washinton outsider.

But picking Clinton is automatic ' you would have gotten her voters to come on board, because her supporters that came with her on this suppose journey would make sure they didn't disapoint her and show up in november.

Now you would think that issues should be the reason enough for these people put aside whatever hurt feelings and show up and vote but as we see thats easier said than done.

I think barcack wanted to pick Hillary his wife michelle was against it , the russia problems arose and they decide to ROLE THE DICE with Biden , lets hope its not a costly MISTAKE.
Barcack should know if you gonnna lose ;....Lose with it being your decision and not being by pressure.

[diogeron]

Until somebody shows me evidence that Michelle was the person who said "no" to Hillary being on the ticket, I have to assume it's just more of the typical thing that males do in trying to get two strong women in a mud wrestling contest for their own amusement.

[EthylRosenberg]

A a hip hip AMEN. The Clinotns & Obamas say this whole thing is a fluffed up froth of media speculation on top of normal rivalry in a hard fought contest. What good does it do anyone to sit around calling them liars with hidden agendas?

[Butler71]

Ditto to your comments. Hillary would have been part of the "Dream Team Ticket" had Obama chosen her. But without regard to her voters he picks the sexest, anti-military Biden. I can speak for many/ most of the latino community that supported Hillary 100%, who now will not vote for Obama because he's failed to show any support for our community and picked Biden. At least with Hillary on deck a party win is inevitable, now it's questionable.

[clearthinker2008]

sexist...it's sexist

Biden's wife is has a PHD in Education, not many sexist marry those. He has a fantastic voting record on issues that concern women. So, pull your head out of the sand and either vote for 0 or vote for Jmac.

[EthylRosenberg]

The chance has BEEN TAKEN. Now get with the program or prepare yourself for 4 more years of unrelenting tragedy & outrage. And the cold pain of knowing "you helped" make that possible by not moving on.
That's the choice you need to make TODAY, Mr. or Mrs. doodle_do & all you friends out in Internet-Land.

You'll have plenty of time later to sort out whether HRC might have done better. She & President Clinton and all of us for who Obama was a second choice are doing what we can to elect Obama-Biden. That's a powerful hint on what you should do if you respect them enought to have supported them in the primaries.
Two choices left. Choose the best one or eat the brave new world of dead-end discredited extremist Bush-Cheney-McSame republican HELL for another 4 years.

[kburlz]

7 reasons it's a good thing Obama didn't pick Hillary

1. Energizes an otherwise apathetic Republican base.
2. Bill Clinton's loose cannon mouth.
3. The electorate is not going to vote for that much change.
4. Old Clinton baggage.
5. 50% negative opinion.
6. She doesn't REALLY want Obama to win.
7. Bill hanging around the White House.

[swkidder]

I agree - an absurd post with zero relevance to present reality. Yes, Joe Biden can be a loose cannon - and Bill Clinton isn't? The world is not perfect, and you don't always get what you want. So let's suck it up and just deal with the slate as Barack Obama chose it.
Had Bill not been an issue, I would have been thrilled to see Hillary on the ticket - in either 1st or 2nd position. And if Bill had been willing to play 2nd/3rd Banana, we would all have welcomed his campaign skills. He is, without question, peerless in that regard.
But what we have now is Obama/Biden, and it's not a bad slate. Let's band together to get them elected. And then let's also band together in whatever interest groups are appropriate to promote the Progressive causes for which we have a special passion, and which we fear may not be implemented to the extent we would prefer under a moderate Democratic Administration.
My passion is Universal Healthcare - and there's no plan on the table, including H.S. 676 - that promotes a practice model that will do what we need done in this country. Anyone who'd like to discuss this - feel free to contact me at swkidder@m­indspring.­com.
In the meantime, let's get Obama elected ... unless, of course, we'd like to see how bad it really could get under John McCain?

[Nexus946]

It's possible the PUMAs and McCain were made for each other. They both hold their breath and turn blue when they don't get their way, are willing to make decisions based on emotion (primarily anger), and don't give a fig how their tantrums tear the country apart. Hillary egged on her obsessive fan(atic) base in by not graciously conceding, and now she's going to pay the price for it. No Hill in 2012, either way.

[diogeron]

well said

[YunekFlava]

People who support Obama don't post articles like this. Period.

[clearthinker2008]

Hillary isn't going to be the POTUS, she isn't going to be VEEP. Time to walk away.

[phoenix8]

This is an absurd post for someone that supports Obama. Get with the program! Move on...choices were made and if you really support Obama, do so by mobilizing people on the issues and strengths of the party, not on a half-assed analysis of why Clinton versus Biden. Elections are about people, about human beings with human emotions...it is not just about politics. Who wants to be saddled with a polarizing Hillary and a frustrated Bill? Obama made the best decision for the country. If he is to run the country he needs strong allies and people he can trust. Trust, the magic word.

[outsidein]

Insecure?! If Obama was insecure he'd have trouble winning OR embracing Hillary and Bill after the primaries. Not to mention the impeccable relationship he shares with his wife displays otherwise. This is a man who has remained humble and kept resilient fighting spirit despite the glaring attention given to him in such a short time.

And the only thing steely about Hillary is the shells she claims she has lodged in her backside. So quick to forget her gaffes and sickly attacks on a fellow Dem, now consistently quoted by the GOP. She herself chose to take out any opportunity to be his running mate when she took the low blows.

I've always respected Hillary but her behavior in the primaries was unacceptable as a Democrat. I hope her supporters will have the foresight to put the nations interests as a priority and support Barack. If they do not, this country will have dug itself in another well deserved hell hole. There is no need to try to 'fool' voters to support a candidate, especially when Obama and Biden are not just great people, they are the best for the job. 'May the best win.'

McCain. Country's worst.

[jlover]

i seldom get on this site.....but since i'm on it today.........obama is gonna win this election ! i'm telling you....he's going to win because ........... the MSM does not want him to win.....the CLINTONS do not want him to win...........the MCCAIN'S do not want him to win..........the REPUBS don't want him to win.........the RACISTS do not want him to win......the BUSH'S dont want him to win.......the CHRISTIAN COALITION does not want him to win.....see obama's going up against a formidable foe...HIST­ORY.....bu­t it's a new day....america will rise from the ashes of racism and hate,fustration and hopelesnes­s.....OBAM­A WILL WIN THIS ELECTION ! DAVID WILL DEFEAT GOLIATH ! ....AMERICA THIS IS OUR MOMENT... THIS IS OUR TIME ! WE WILL NEVER SEE ANOTHER CANDIDIATE LIKE THIS ONE,FOR A LONG TIME......­..........­..........­.......VOT­E OBAMA'BIDEN 2008