The Hillary: Still The Best Choice For VP

Duty calls us. We love to speculate. Political gambling comes with citizenship.

Now that the verbal jibes and donkey kicks of the primary campaign have ended up in file folders for future reference, it's time to take one last look at Hillary Clinton as Obama's potential running mate. Imagine not a dream ticket, but one that promises accountability and dependability to change politics in Washington.

Here are reasons why an Obama-Clinton ticket may be the best we can hope for at this time in our history:

1. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton became linked at the hip in the democratic primary, and it was their battle against each other that regenerated voting participation and hope in the American voter. The battle created the magic that we saw or felt during the primary. It was the battle itself that promised to fix America after Bush. The country needs that magic intensified to turn the corner in Washington politics, so Washington can put an end to opportunistic and band-aid solutions.

2. Is Hillary the only candidate who can help Obama turn the corner? Not at all. But who else on the shortlist is better? Picking a candidate to win a state belongs to the old way of doing politics. Choosing a candidate that deflates or challenges the platform of change seems regressive. Candidates such as Daschle, Nunn, Bayh, Kaine and even Biden and Sebelius have not excited the ticket. In the course of her primary campaign, Hillary Clinton transformed into a better politician, a woman who seemed to grow a small third ear that heard the needs of the average American, especially of women. Her problem was reaching that stage too late.

3. Are there other choices? Better choices? Sure. But most of them haven't emerged as possible candidates. Some risks are better left for brighter days. Two mainstream politicians, however, do come to mind: Barbara Boxer and Bill Richardson. Both seem realistic choices able to generate excitement because of their potential to embrace the kinds of starter changes America needs and Obama promises. Either of these two might surpass Clinton's appeal.

4. Secondary reasons for an Obama-Clinton ticket include dramatically decreases the "I told you so" finger pointing should Obama's administration fail to make good on its promises to the voters. In addition, Clinton has inside information that could prove useful in cleaning up Washington. Finally, although I don't agree with Clinton supporters who argue that the Democrats can win if and only if Obama chooses Clinton as his running mate, I do think choosing Clinton will give groups such as PUMA incentive to campaign for Obama in the general election.

Obama is about to make his first crucial political decision that applies to his upcoming administration, that of picking his running mate. We may all be surprised by his final choice. And I hope he does surprise us by picking someone who can help fix an America that wobbles dazed and confused after its work-over by the Bush administration. This time we can't afford to settle for just a new bunch of political managers running around trying to satisfy either small groups of lobbyists or all political sides. We need a team willing to turn Washington upside down for repair and updating. If anything needs scrutiny and surveillance right now, it's the political machine in Washington and not ordinary citizens. The running mate should re-enforce Obama's vision and be willing and able to apply it and continue it under ordinary and extraordinary circumstances.

Comments

[itsmyview]

Do you really know what would have been wrong with the Obama/Clinton ticket? It would have been like the story of the "Frog and the Scorpion" - with Sen. Hillary Clinton being the scorpion. Sen. Clinton was too much of a fighter -- to the point that made a good number of us wonder how much respect she would have given Sen. Barack Obama as president. Even recently, she jumped out of the box to provide a statement about Gov. Sarah Palin. Why did she even have to comment on this matter? It was a slight against Sen. Obama. This was even mentioned by a well-known political analyst the week Gov. Palin was chosen as the choice as contende for the Republican VP.

It is Sen. Clinton's nature to be an attacker; she was willing to do almost anything to win the nomination -- and it worked against her. Too much negativity that offended so many of the Democratic Party. The roll call at the DNC proves that an enormous percentage of Democratics support the Obama/Biden ticket. By the way, Sen. Joe Biden was my first and only choice! Go Obama/Biden!

[popfolly]

Why would Obama put his bid for the Presidency in severe jeopardy by appointing some lacklustre individual who has none of the talents and and charisma of Hillary. He seems to fear she might upstage him but given her ongoing support for him, she would be an asset, not a liability. This election is crucial. If McCain wins, be prepared for total chaos.

Bature and humanity are in concert locked into a monumental struggle for survival against the greed and ignorance of the status quo. An evoltionary leap in thibking is what's required. That ccan only happen if he choses Hillary.

[L.D. Janakos - Huffpost Blogger]

The Obama-Clinton ticket appears to be the strongest available ticket for the voters, so that we can hold both candidates accountable for their promises made during the primary season. That's the magic the primary battle created. Bill seems an innocuous distraction since Hillary will want to carve her own historical role during this administration. Besides, Obama seems capable of sorting through the Bill factor's positives and negatives.

[laylahb]

..and what do we do about Bill..

[messy]

No. She doesn't want to be treated like Spiro Agnew, Charles Dawes or Lyndon Johnson...in other words spend four years as an unwanted, unwelcome fifth wheel who can only get into the while house as part of a tour.

It's a favor to her that she's out of the running. (remember JFK in '56)

[rozz62]

New York, Aug.19:
At least 28 percent of the delegates likely to attend the Democratic Convention in Denver, want Hillary Clinton to be Barack Obama's running mate. Six percent favor Delaware Senator Joe Biden, and four percent mention two other unsuccessful Democratic candidates: New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson and former North Carolina Senator John Edwards. Support for Clinton as the first choice for the vice-presidential nomination is universal. Sixty-one percent of delegates pledged to Clinton name her as their choice for vice presidential candidate.

# of votes % of votes
Sen. Evan Bayh 32
4.8 %
Gov. Tom Kaine 51
7.6 %
Sen. Joseph Biden 175
26.3 %
Sen. Hillary Clinton 247
37.1 %
Some other person 160
24.0 %

[messy]

just about half fo the Hillary delegates want her on the ticket in order to stage a coup in the electoral college in december. Won't happen.

[rozz62]

Clinton is VP favorite among Dem delegates

Obama not selecting Clinton shows continued poor judgment for the Democratic Party!

REALCLEAR POLITICS;
Senator Hillary Clinton, without doubt, would be the ultimate and qualified VP surprise. She would be a big-league pick for Obama, and a gesture designed to unify the Democratic Party. She still polls higher against Mccain than Obama even after June. If you scroll down Obama's list of choices, the analysis hasn't really changed: Obama with anyone other than Clinton doesn't seem to add much at all, while an Obama-Clinton "Dream Ticket" would be nearly unstoppable. Eight weeks ago Obama probably felt like he didn't need her. Eight weeks later, he probably needs her more than he's willing to admit, and certainly more than she needs him. If Obama wants to win, and if his ego will allow it, he should pick Clinton.

CBS:
Senator Hillary Clinton is by far the favorite choice for the number two spot on the Democratic ticket, according to a CBS News/New York Times poll of delegates to the Democratic convention. By more than five to one, 56 percent superdelegates think putting Clinton on the ticket would help Obama win the election. Other people mentioned by at least 2 percent of delegates as possible Obama running mates include retired General Wesley Clark, Virginia Governor Tim Kaine, Virginia Senator Jim Webb, and Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius.

[Pupadup4oBama]

The running mate should re-enforce Obama's vision and be willing and able to apply it and continue it under ordinary and extraordinary circumstances.

Hillary is only capable of re-enforcing HER vision.

[mamacat]

1.) I agree with President Carter that on ideological grounds, it is not a good idea for Obama to pick Clinton as his veep candidate.

2.) I also think that without Hillary, Obama may lose this election.

Therefore, it would make me very happy to be able to vote for an Obama/Clinton ticket.

I will probably vote for Obama no matter who he chooses as his running mate, but I seriously doubt that he can win unless he chooses Hillary, and even then it may be a close thing. I do not think that most whites are ready to vote for a liberal Black presidential candidate, and because of the way the Electoral College is skewed in favor of smaller, predominantly white states, it is easy to see how Obama could lose.

[Fabienne]

Who's Hillary?