Hillary Clinton and the Veepstakes -- a Logical Move for Her

With the last chances of winning the Democratic nomination slipping away, the question increasingly arises whether Hillary Clinton should hope for the number two spot.

The answer is a clear yes.

I am a big fan of Josh Marshall and Talking Points Memo and often agree with him, but I disagree with his conclusion that there's nothing in the two spot for her. He makes good points about her stature, but getting the number two nod helps by denying a stature-boost to someone else.

Look at things from the Clinton point of view -- she presumably would like to run for president again, and wants to best position herself for a 2012 or 2016 run.

Say that Obama-Clinton wins, meaning her next opportunity comes in eight years. As vice president she is the near-certain heir apparent and front-runner for the Dem nod in eight years. See: Gore, Al; Bush, George H. W.; Mondale, Walter; Humphrey; Hubert; Nixon, Richard. Sen. Hillary Clinton or Gov. Hillary Clinton would likely still have the stature to challenge a sitting VP, but if she were the vice, the field of Dems on her par would be narrowed.

Say that Obama-Clinton loses, meaning she runs in 2012. She is the presumptive front-runner anyway ("I warned Democrats what would happen and did everything in my power in the primary and general elections to prevent it ..."), but again -- whoever does run with Obama gets a stature-boost. Better for her to be on the ticket and deny a possible rival the spotlight boost.

To be clear: I'm not saying that Obama should select her (I actually have my doubts on that) or that such crass political calculations should be the main basis upon which to seek or accept the VP slot (they shouldn't); or even that the VP slot is inherently worthwhile (in point of fact it should be abolished). But ... crass political considerations remain unavoidable, and there they are.

Comments

[Mogamboguru]

NO, NO, NO, NO, NO! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! NO WAY! NO! Period.

[kawika]

Why Obama/Inouye?
Why Inouye,
A long standing member in the Senate
Medal of Honor Recipient...
A member of the Watergate Comittee..
Has worked with members accross the isles.
Obama and Inouye have an affinity:
Both have been born in a State where there are no ethnic majorities!

[likeicare]

Hillary is the WORST possible name the Dems could load at the top of their ticket -- it guarantees that everyone on it will sink like a rock!

She doesn't deserve to be "rewarded" with such a consolation prize, either, especially after showing that she's willing to tear down the whole fucking party if she doesn't get her way. How could anyone even entertain such a thought!

Pure suicide for the Democratic Party. Might as well declare McSame the winner right now and save a lot of money and effort.

[SeriousBlack]

Exactly - Besides the fact that she simply doesn't deserve it because of her actions over the last 3 months, the entire underlying premise that Obama "needs" her as vice-president to win the general is flawed. There is as valid an opposing argument that all of the conservatives and right-wingers who dislike Obama for particular reasons, COMBINED with all of the conservatives and right-wingers who detest the Clintons, would add up to the biggest negatives scenario possible. Even bigger than what would end up being a relatively small number of Clinton supporters who refuse to vote for Obama in the general... Yes, there are vocal Obama-haters that we see many posts from on sites like this (as well as the most ardent Clinton-haters), but let's not overestimate the actual percentage effect of that in November when we're all alone in the voting booth looking at the choice of a Democrat vs. McCain, after several months of that Democrat campaigning against McCain and seeing even more starkly what a disaster a McCain presidency would be.

Come on, people - above and beyond the fact that McCain has ALREADY clearly lost it, just keep repeating (whether you're an Obama supporter OR a Clinton supporter, and whether Obama OR Clinton is the nominee (even though it looks like Obama just about has it wrapped up)), "supreme court appointments, supreme court appointments..."

[kawika]

Dan Inouye adresses the pasr...
Barack Obama faces the future...
Obama/Inouye 2008!

[kawika]

No way!
Think
Obama/Dan Inouye 2008!

[sssteverrr]

We will have been extraordinarily fortunate if we elect either the first African American or the first women to the presidency. It seems like an amazing stretch to try to accomplish both in one election.

I have supported Obama all the way and It is just plain silly to suggest that Clinton would be the most effective running mate for Obama. He needs a highly respected, non-idealogical, white man with extensive experience in Washington D.C. and a strong military record.

The idea of Hilly is just silly.

[Doofus]

Suppose you had to pick from this list, so as
to have a VP who would add some votes to
the margin of victory?

Bob Graham, FL (27 Electoral votes)
Bob Casey, PA (21)
John Edwards, NC (15)
Sam Nunn, GA (15)
Jon Corzine, NJ (15)
Jim Webb, VA (13)
Evan Bayh, IN (11)
Claire McCaskill, MO (11)
Wes Clark, AR (6)
Kathleen Sibelius, KA (6)
Bill Richardson, NM (5) [but NM is already considered 'Blue']

[Doofus]

My guess would be, in no particular order of preference: Casey, Corzine, Webb, Bayh, McCaskill

Others ruled out as not so likely to bring votes at all, or would just not bring *enough* votes.

[kawika]

Senator Dan Inouye (medal of Hinr recipient) D from HI...as VP

[dhfsfc]

I know six electoral votes isn't much, but my favorite is Wes Clark. I know he supported Hillary. But he would go a long way to making people comfortable with Obama's foreign policy and military resume.

[Doofus]

Senator Inouye, almost 85 I believe, though otherwise worthy, is just too old.
Wes Clark is arguably too military with not enough politically savvy. That's
where Jim Webb comes in. Combined senatorial & governorship experience
would be good (Corzine or Graham). Those of the other gender would be good
(Sebelius!, KS!, or McCaskill). The choice MUST take into account electoral vote
contributions. Nunn & Graham (both also too old?) & Edwards probably don't
bring their state's votes.

[SeanGardner]

Hillary Clinton is owed nothing! Kansas Govenor Kathleen Sebelius deserves the Vice-Presidency. As I have argued many times on this and other blogs, Gov. Sebelius is a middle-aged white female - and she represents "in visual terms" the very demographic that will feel aggrieved when Clinton drops out. So picking her is a no brainer.

Let's take Clinton's arguments she made in West Virginia today:

(1) That she did better than Obama with Catholic voters - Gov. Sebelius is Catholic, so if Obama picks Sebelius that takes care of that problem.

(2) That she did better than Obama with white working class voters - Gov. Sebelius won those voters overwhemingly during her first run for govenor, and in her re-election, which she won in a landslide.

So there you go: Sebelius is strong with all of the groups Hillary beats Obama with. Plus, unlike Hillary, Sebelius is popular with African-Americans - arguably the most loyal Democratic voters. And, she is so popular with Republicans and Independents too that she is affectionately called "QUEEN OF THE HEARTLAND".

Kathleen Sebelius for Vice-President!!!!

I found an article on line this evening that makes some of the same arguments I have been making for an Obama/Sebelius ticket. Here is that article: http://www.nowpublic.com/politics/white-female-obama-kathleen-sebelius-obamas-vp

Also, here is her bio: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kathleen_Sebelius

Hillary Clinton is "divisive"! Kathleen Sebelius is "inclusive! Sebelius for VP!!!

[okmama]

I agree with you on Kathleen Sebelius. I am orginally from KS..now in OK. I was very impressed with her Democratic response to Bush after one of his last speeches. (didn't watch his speech). She is orginally from Ohio...married a man from KS and moved there. So this could actually help him in Ohio also. Also this would give her 8 yrs. as VP experience and give her an excellent chance then at being our first female POTUS. Also being a govenor that means she isn't already enmeshed in Washington politics. Could it turn KS blue?

[LivingStardust]

Wow. Exactly what I was going to say. Go Gov. Sebelius!

And Hillary?

GO HOME.

[JamieStarr]

Sure. That's a real logical move as exhibited by Presidents Gore and Mondale.

You get one shot at it these days. She missed her shot.

[Manx]

Hillary Clinton has the highest negative rating of any presidential primary candidate ever. She is considered now as an anachronism - the old politics of yesterday. Four or eight years from now, she will be regarded as even more out of date and her negative ratings won't change, especially after the sleazy, scorched-earth campaign she has run against Obama.

Maybe Obama could appoint her as the ambassador to Bosnia - with the provision that she pay for her own bullet-proof pantsuits.

[jeffers1961]

HIllary has been selected the most admired woman in America six years running. All the negative ratings are solely to do with this campaign, and mostly from people who support Obama. You're so caught up in your anti-Hillary hysteria you seem to actually be believing the propaganda.

[LiberTLover]

I used to admire her too, but please don't blame Obama supporters for her high negatives. She was the one who decided to treat a fellow Democrat worse than the ultra right wingnuts. There were many, many things that Obama could have brought up to do the same to her, including mentioning her current $17 million civil fraud trial but he did not. She earned her negatives all on her own.

[ddharder]

Propaganda? You haven't been paying attention to the sheer hatred she has instilled in the republican base for over a decade now. The only hope McCain has of firing up this base to come out and vote for him is to have a Clinton, especially this one, on the ticket.

[knighthowl]

I actually voted for her in the primary, but that was before we learned that she is a delusional pathogical liar. All the negative ratings are due to Hillary's own mouth. To the extent there is anti-Hillary hysteria, she brought it upon herself. And seems to be intent on continuing to do so.

[oafishcad]

Senator Obama has given no indication that he wants an Obama-Clinton ticket. He has in fact rejected it whenever it was brought up. The choice of Vice President will be the first real decision he will have to make as candidate for the party. I hope his decision is better than Gore's. Boy was that a mistake. And he will be the candidate for the party, not the candidate of only those who supported him so far. Many Obamabots might get upset if he picks a Hillary supporter. They might realize he's a human being.

[MizLiz]

Obama would do far better to get in bed with two water moccasins rather than have Hill and Bill as Vice President. Oh yes, both of them would be totally involved on their own account, not to mention plotting ways to bring Barack down.

People don't change. What you see now is what will always be there, and it's just plain ugly.

[drblack]

She won't play second fiddle and I don't think Obama and her get along anymore .
She would be a terrible choice with her extremely high negatives.

[jj]

With Obama's campaign of 'change' and the inevitability of constantly dealing with Bill and Hillary speaking from a platform of entitlement and a reminder of the 'good ol' clinton years' why on god's green earth would obama even consider a shared ticket?

There are far better VP noms to court her supposed solid base of white middle class workers.

[MizLiz]

Bill Richardson for V.P.

[FCBarca]

UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES CAN THERE EVER BE A POSSIBILITY OF HILLARY ON AN OBAMA TICKET....NO WAY JOSE