Obama-Hillary Dream Team Sounds More Like A Nightmare

Forget the so-called dream team scenario. It will not work. There are hundreds of very capable vice-presidential candidates waiting to be picked who are not named Hillary Clinton.

Senator Clinton has shown she is tenacious and persistent. She has shown she has spunk but enough already. Let's move on. The contest is over if one plays by the established rules. The only way this will linger on is if the Clinton camp -- as they seem to be doing -- keep changing the rules of the game. It is getting absurd.

There was an old television program called the Mary Tyler Moore Show and one famous episode had the new writer for the Minneapolis tv station discussing her job before a crusty and cynical old station manager named Lou Grant. Lou says to Mary " You've got spunk". Mary replies, " Why thank you Lou." And Lou bellows "I hate spunk."

A lot of us feel that way now. Senator Clinton has the spunk and tenacity to carry her campaign forward -- money is another matter -- but many Democrats are quite frankly tired and weary of hearing her talk about always working for us and for never giving up and for always saying she won Michigan and Florida and a host of other comments she always brings up in her talks.

Many loyal Democrats -- like John Edwards -- say gracious things about the senator from New York but after the final primaries on June 3rd -- it is time to keep the spunk but leave the spot light and be a loyal soldier and help to elect Obama and his running mate as our next president and vice-president.

The whole primary process has been good for bringing out more voters and it is fine to battle over the issues. But, in the end, one has to face the music and face up to reality and bow out of the race in a gracious manner. That time is only a few weeks away.

Senator Clinton, stop talking about everything except delegates because the rules of the game say the person with 2,025 delegates wins the nomination. Quit saying that the winner needs more because of Michigan and Florida or whatever else pops into her mind.

The country is in a cycle of change. Voters are calling out for change. Change is in the air with hopes that this election will be pivotal and the country can pursue another course after eight years of the current administration's policies.

Having a Clinton on the ticket would not sound like change was at hand. Change does not come from the people protecting the status quo or even worse trying to go back in time to protect and defend her husband's presidency in the 1990s.

Looking for real change Obama should not pick Senator Clinton. Break the mold. Don't choose the person who finished second for political reasons. Reach out to someone new and bring in someone with a positive approval rating who does not play fast and loose with the facts.

And, looking at our history since 1980 until now there has been a Bush or a Clinton on the national ticket -- for twenty-eight years. With two terms of Obama that would make a Bush or Clinton in the White House as president or vice-president for thirty-six years.

In a country of well over 300 million people we do not need to look for two political families to populate the White House forever. It is time for a real change.

Senator Obama and Senator Clinton may sound like a dream team to some people but to this writer it sounds more like a nightmare.

Comments

[JanetF]

Clinton and Obama differed on very few points. All of the angst being discussed reflects strong loyalties, but if Hillary were the nominee, she should pick her VP on general election criteria, just like Barack should. WE SHOULD EXPECT that Democrats will be loyal to either one.

[newshawk14]

JanetF, the nomination is not going to be won by Hillary, by any circumstances that I can foresee.
In which case you have to switch your focus to, what ensures the greatest likelihood of Obama
defeating McCain in November. Hillary as VP is not a winner. Sorry, but once in a while, one has
to face reality.

[newshawk14]

This would be a marriage made in hell, not in heaven. A lot of republicans, disillusioned with their
party, and a great man independents are planning to vote for Obama. If Hillary is on the ticket we'll
largely lose this support, and it ends up helping McCain, which no right thinking democrat should
be in favor of. We want an end to 8 yrs. of republican misrule.

[RobertCampbell]

If Obama asks Clinton to run for Vice President he should call her at 3 o'clock in the morning.

[ellen63]

Obama doesn't need two vice presidents which is what he would get with Hillary as VP. Also there
is too much repair work, after eight years of Bush, awaiting Obama. He can ill-afford to be distracted by ongoing Clinton psychodramas. The idea of a Clinton-Obama team would be akin to an atonal symphony with too many counterpuntal issues and styles: war opponent/ war supporter; poet/proser;
uniter/divider.

[ellen63]

Obama doesn't need two vice presidents, which is what he would get if he chose Hillary as his VP.
Nor does Obama, his lovely wife and children need an ongoing psychodrama in his Administration. Besides, with Hillary's ever-expanding campaign debt, the Clintons, America's most proficient and prolific "pickpockets," will be too busy trolling for cash to be of much use. Patricia Burstein

[admchriss]

Way too many HRC supporters are sore and saying they will not vote for Obama in the GE.

That they would vote (or not vote) in a way that would be to their detriment as far as women's rights, more dead and maimed young soldiers, a more dangerous world (cold war seems to be heating up again) is a testament to how hurt they are and how dangerous it is to make them even madder.

This is especially true if HRC decides to attempt to sabotage Barack's chance in November in an "I told you so" attempt to give herself another chance in 2012 (same results with more dead and maimed, more rights infringed upon ... etc.).

HRC needs to ease out and work with her supporters to unite the party with no strings attached (if she has any class or really does care about "the people" she claims she does).

[OverCoffee]

I'd love to see Dennis Kucinich as VP. That man would take a bullet to ensure justice and fairness for all, and if you visit his site or do a little googling, you'll learn he almost did years ago in an incredible effort to rid his city of corporate corruption.

[abby4ever]

***Forget the so-called dream team scenario. It will not work. There are hundreds of very capable vice-presidential candidates waiting to be picked who are not named Hillary Clinton.***
I wonder if this is right.
Here's something from Real Clear Politics, out today, that says Obama can virtually be forced---by superdelegates---to take Hillary onto the ticket as VP:
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/05/if_clinton_wants_to_be_vp_obam.html
It makes sense to me and I've heard it elsewhere in the past week.

[abby4ever]

I forgot to add that if Obama does a backroom deal with some superdelegates---who say they will endorse him as nominee just if he takes Hillary on as VP---, how will that effect his standing as the candidate of a new kind of politics? Will he cave in or will he stand on principle--and forfeit the nomination? What a test.

[ddharder]

I think the article oversimplifies things. Obama has been getting a large number of supers switching to his side since NC/IN. Those remaining on the fence may be pressured by Clinton to force O's hand in putting her on the ticket, but if he balks, what are they going to do? Throw the race to Clinton against the wishes of the primary voters? At this stage of the game most of them must know what a disaster that would be in November; not to mention the damage to the reputation of the democratic party.

The fallout would be a huge number of the black population staying home and a large percentage of the rest of O's supporters staying home in November. It would likely swing the election to the as of now unelectable McCain, but worse, would mean that the dems would fail to pick up the expected house and senate seats they are looking to gain this fall.

Obama is dealing from a position of strength here, not weakness as the article suggests.

[rbloom]

I voted for Sen. Obama and can't wait to see him in the White House, but really, I think folks need to get a grip. Sen. Clinton would be fine as a VP candidate and VP. She would not be my first choice -- that would probably be Gov. Richardson, for several reasons -- but she is a passionate and articulate spokesperson for the Democratic Party. She did fine on CNN last night, for example. And today, defending Obama against President Bush's low blow in Israel. If Sen. Obama decides to put her on the ticket to bring the party together heading into November, that's fine with me.
Posts like this and comments like most I've seen lately only piss off the half tof he Democratic Party across the country that voted for Sen. Clinton and make the Republicans think maybe they have a chance after all. And saying, "Well, she started it!" is just a third-grader's excuse.
There's such a thing as being a good winner, and Sen. Obama is showing the way: respect her right to continue, keep it civil and begin taking it to Sen. McCain. The politics of inclusion should surely include Sen. Clinton and her supporters!

[Bozena]

I agree with you. And I am sure that Ihe Obama/Clinton ticket is being seriously considered by Obama himself and his advisors. After all there are more than enough proofs that many Clinton's supporters are dead serious when they are saying that If deprived of a chance to vote for her--they will vote for...McCain. As outrageous and immature as they are ---such comments cannot be taken lightly because it could cost us another 4 years of the Bush era and that would be a nightmare.
We have got more than enough election proofs that the Democratic Party cannot match the Republican Party unity and determination to stay united. Just think of a few previous presidential elections we lost so we should have won.
We cannot afford another lost election.

[Boadicea]

The problem is not that we're tired of Hillary's talking. We're tired of her self-centeredness, her ego.

Even today when she "stood with Obama" regarding Bush's hideous remarks, she couldn't resist saying that she'd be a "stronger candidate" than Obama. For christ's sake! Give it a rest, Hillary! We know you think you're god's gift to America, we know that! This was not about you. It was about Bush, how unpresidential he is, and how disgusting the Republican swiftboating tactics are.

But then, she campaigns with those disgusting Republican tactics against a fellow Democrat, so even as she decries Bush's offensive remarks, she's taking a stab at Obama every chance she gets. Just like a Republican - no sense of decency..

No thanks. I defended Hillary for the last time on this site on Feb. 5.

[Lisette]

LETS JUST RETIRE THESE OLD WAR HORSES
CLINTON, MCCAIN AND BUSH
WE HAVE SO MANY MUCH BETTER POLITICIANS
WE ARE NOT STUCK WITH THIS PACK OF LOOSERS

[Boadicea]

Well said, sister! We have so many much better politicians.

[FCBarca]

Nightmare couldn't be more accurate

[JoeSun]

Spunk and tenacity? I beg to differ. After Super Tuesday, she fell asleep at the wheel. She spent two weeks to a month taking a break. That's why she's nearly 170 delegates behind!

Obama is the only one who has been working non-stop the whole primary season.

[useyourbrain]

She has been campaigning for two years now, has about 15 years on the Senator, and she actually does things in the Senate besides running for President.

As for the old, why is most of Obamas advisors and supporters the "old" way" Kennedy, Kerry, Dodd, DASCHLE!!!! -- Mr. lobbyist himself (married to the airline industries top lobbyist) -- was his mentor when he went to the Senate and his former Chief of Staff became Obama's chief of staff. So many of these Senators that support him also voted for the Iraq resolution -- so where does that put him? Ground Central of Hypocrisy!

[JoeSun]

No, actually, she doesn't.

Obama has actually passed substantive legislation on nuclear proliferation and ethics reform.

The most substantive thing Hillary has accomplished is renaming a statue in upstate New York.

[Sebastian11]

Unlike you "useyourbrain," Kennedy, Kerry, Dodd, and Daschle, are in fact using their brains.
They could have been backing Hillary, but chose not to. They may come from the "old way"
but have decided to go for Change. May be it's time that you begin to use your brain too, instead to use it just as a meaningless label.

[justobserve]

I agree with you wholeheartedly! Clinton is the very opposite of Obama. If she is on the ticket, Obama would have to defend her and her husband's records which no doubt will be brought up by the Repub. During the campaign she boasted of her experience but it also revealed how she had stolen her husband's presidency; so this is in fact her third term presidency. After that, it will be Chelsea's turn! To me, 8 years of the Bill/Hill Clinton are more than enough. No more Clinton. It seems voters also agreed so that is why she couldn't close despite being half way ahead of Obama at the beginning.

[personalpolitical]

THANK YOU! I've been calling to the "nightmare ticket" since the beginning, I vomit a little bit every time a pundit spews that word vomit, making themselves look stupid as hell. I'm embarrassed for everyone that brings it up and still pretends to be an expert or a journalist.

Hillary is a horrible choice, all around. Right now my vote is for Richardson, I think he is the best on the table right now.