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

[oafishcad]

Does the supreme hatred of all things Clinton extend to the votes of those of us who voted for her in the primaries? Just wondering, I mean ,wouldn't it sully Obama to get my vote in the fall?

[KarateKid]

Supreme hatred are YOUR words, not ours. You Clintonistas have your panties so bunched up you can't see straight anymore and you overexaggerate everything. Read what some of YOU say, trying to bend the rules to favor you and blaming Obama for Michigan and Florida.

And, please, spare us of your threats to stay home or vote for McCain. You do that and you are nothing but faux Democrats and you will be cutting off your noses to spite your faces, and that will say a lot about your intelligence.

[oafishcad]

More insults. Yeah keep insulting. Way to win friends and influence people. And yes, hatred is not too strong a word for the things I've read here. Obomabots are scary people. Very.

[FlowerGirl]

The VP slot makes sense for her, but her dirty campaign has made it impossible for such to be considered. All she is doing now is trying to sabbotage his chances for the general election, so she can try again in 2012. But that isn't going to work out for her. She has exposed herself now and in 2012, we will remember. The fact is thgat she is a loser because we, the people, want a better class of person for our president.
She would have done better to bow out with grace, but graace is one of the things she sorely lacks.

[Doofus]

Someone said, many months ago, channeling Karl Rove, the only thing
better for the Repos than having Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton as the
Demo candidate, is having them BOTH on the ticket. Oooooo! Oooooo!!

Now, that'd be the Repo line, not mine. I'm happy to take my chances on
Barack Obama. Having both, though, is totally crazy. Too many folks don't
like one, or the other, or both. Wouldn't be prudent, at this juncture.

[pilgrim7]

Hillary is divisive, polarizing and self-seeking. I wouldn't be surprised if she is now demanding behind the scenes to be given the VP slot or else. Putting her on his ticket is like the black guy on the Apprentice show who was insulted when asked to share the honor with the female runnerup. Anybody but Hillary would be acceptable. Hillary represents the old schol of dirty, gutter politics as usual. Isn't that what Obama was making his case against? Is it about his being elected president or about his being a president of change? What are her qualifications to lead this country. She lacks judgment and any sense of economic reality. "Economists are "as close to unanimous as you can get" in viewing the proposal as a "horrible idea," said Joseph J. Doyle Jr., a Massachusetts Institute of Technology economist who has studied gas tax holidays. Hillary dismisses them all as "elitist." She is economical­ly-challen­ged, shows poor management skills and bankrupted her campaign. She's a deadbeat who owes well over $10 million in debt and then some. She brought no jobs to New Yorkers though she promised them 200,000 jobs when running for senator. She promises everything but could never deliver on anything. In her eyes, dodging sniper fire was the only significant accomplishment she could claim considering her 35 years of experience.

Obama always speaks so highly of Hillary. Putting her on his ticket seems like political masochism.

[CaribMan]

There we go again " WIN AT ALL COST" Dont you guys pay attention to the politics of now?? You think all these new registered voters would have been on board to here all these COBWEB LADEN WASHINGTON SPECIAL INTREST CROONIES? Obama brought most of these new voters in . Never before so many people croosed party lines to vote in a primary. This freshman is beating the CLINTON DYNASTY, THE DNC ,he is beating an entire establishment not an easy task. She still dont know what hit her. Picture this BILL in the whitehouse with NOTHING TO DO.

[lisakaz2]

I don't see what she really brings to the table except bullying and negtivity. I'd rather have Wesley Clark.

[oafishcad]

Clark is the best choice. He supported Hillary, and would help bring those voters to Obama ( No matter all the insults hurled on this blog at Hillary supporters) He's also more progressive than conservative Democrat Obama.

[EmmaHussein]

Ugh. Although her style of politics would have been vastly superior to Bush and his cronies, her time has passed. I feel bad for her in a way, but change is necessary and it incurs casualties.

Obama is trying to contrast himself to politicians like her. This primary was about the American people making a choice. While I see why Clinton appealed to so many voters, it is evident that most Americans feel the need for new direction and fresh leadership.

Hillary has ridiculed and tried to destroy everything Obama stands for, and I do not see how this will enrich his campaign. I am excited to see who he picks as a VP...mostl­y because I want to see who out there shares his vision and what new dimension they can bring to this wonderful idea of change and hope.

[ANGEL1070]

Gracious! Do not let Hillary the Horrible, the Dangerous, the new Queen of Denial, be anything other than what she is....Go, quickly back to the Senate.! Billy Boy...go back to good works...he­lping with the AIDS issues, and water for Africa. Your antics only remind all of us with a memory and love of our nation of all the naughty things the Billary's have done and are again capable of doing and next time perhaps worse. Miss H is a dangerous woman and one must question how many personalities live in that body? Who in their right mind would want the people who do not believe in change breathing down their necks...an­d too many body bags in their past.

VP NO WAY.....to­o frightening to even contemplate.

If she keeps up her antics she will end up ruining any future polictal career she hopes to have and that would not be a bad thing in the long run. Please Miss Hillary...­.look at your dear husband's face as you were delivering your speach of denial....­he knows it is thankfully over. Why don't you?

[kcnativnla]

You Clinton supporters are hilarious. In a CHANGE year, now that your candidate can no longer fairly get to the nomination, you're trying to start a campaign to make Obama bring the Clinton machine into the fold.

That goes against everything Obama's CHANGE candidacy is supposed to be about.

You know it. I know it.

Give - It - Up!

[oafishcad]

Bush's daddy took the VP slot under Reagan, though he thought Reagan's voodoo economics would be bad for the USA (which it was). It's really scary to me how hateful so many of Obama's supporters are. I'd like to thank, on behalf of other Hilary supporters, them for insulting my intelligence, my integrity, my patriotism and all the other aspects of my person that have been insulted here for not supporting Saint Barrack before the scion of Satan Clinton. Maybe you should look on Ms. Clinton as Barrak's insurance policy against violence, like Quayle was for Bush daddy. Good thing Senator Obama is less vitriolic than his supporters or I'd vote Green.

[KarateKid]

I'd vote for Hillary if Bill puts in writing that he would agree to a castration if Hillary wins.

Get it, Clintonistas, why some of us despise the Clinton name?

[oafishcad]

Nope, don't get it. Really you Obamabots need to learn a new tune other than hate all things Clinton.

[BigSid]

NEWSFLASH:

If Obama wants to win the general, he will pick Hillary (assuming he's the nominee). If he wants to lose, he will let his ego get in the way and he will choose someone else.

Obama's smart enough to know that, but he was also smart enough to know Rev. Wright was trouble long before he denounced him.

I'm not sure of Obama's judgment at this point considering how long he held off on leaving Trintiy Church and Wright.

He will have to pick Hillary if he wants to win.

[Indubio]

Democrats will increase their margins in both houses of Congress and win the presidency. The election won't be close...at least that's how I read the political tea leaves. It won't matter who Obama picks as a running mate. Presuming that Obama intends to use his VP as more than window dressing, he should pick someone that enhances his lack of foreign policy experience. Wesley Clark comes to mind but Joe Biden or Chris Dodd would also make fine VP choices. Obama should also think about 8 years from now; preferably he'll pick a running mate who can step into the presidency in 2016. Clinton should return to the Senate and stay there since it is where she can do the most good for herse;f, Democrats, and the country. I seriously doubt it will matter who the GOP selects as their presidential nominee or as VP: McCain is simply the presumptive sacrificial lamb. The GOP had a chance to distance itself from Bush and they elected not to do so; they married Bush's bankrupt foreign and domestic policies. By doignthis, they placated the loony wing nuts of their party's base but lost any chance of winning in November. I would further note that, McCain has huge personal baggage that is just beginning to surface. It will be amusing watching the GOP feed on itself looking for a scapegoat when they get buried in the next election.

[FlowerGirl]

Obama is intelligent enough to realize thaat picking Hillary is the one thing that would guarantee his defeat. If she ever shuts her shrill mouth, we can get on to beating the weak McCain.
While Clinton keeps saying that Obama can't beat McCain, I wonder how she thinks he has been beating her.

[newshawk14]

I think this article is utter nonsense I'm including a link to an article by Robert Parry, who broke the Iran-Contra story. http://www.consortiumnews.com/2008/050308.html
After reading it, I think you'll understand how and why, I've come to despise the Clintons. God
help us if Hillary or McCain is elected. I think Obama needs a VP with very strong national
security or economic credentials. I personally have a soft spot for General Wesley Clark.
Hillary has far too much baggage, and would ensure that a number of people would never
vote for the ticket.

[MsLiz]

That was a good article, thanks for the reference.

[newshawk14]

Thank you. I'm a little disappointed that no one else seems to have read the article.
Robert Parry is an outstanding investigative reporter. I've read his three books and
boy, do they ever change your way of looking at things.

[jah2008]

The answer is NO, NO, and NO!

I did not support Obama so Hillary and Bill could be on his ticket.

My Top 10 reasons why Hillary should not be on the ticket:

1. Hillary and Bill Clinton represents "politics of old" which negates Obama's core message - Change, past vs. future.

2. Reiterate #1 - We need to "change the game played in Washington­."

3. Hillary and Bill are a liability, not asset. They have the biggest baggage.

4. This is the best gift presented to the Republicans. (Karl Rove will wet his pants)

5. Two senators on the ticket is a bad idea. We need a governor.

6. Hillary and Bill will chase Obama around the white house, eventually ruining Obama's presidency.

7. McCain will use every negative attack already used by Hillary. "Unqualified to be Commander-in-Chief"

8. Hillary wouldn't give a sh*t whether they lose or not because that is exactly what she wants and blame the loss on Obama. She will say "I told you so."

9. I would have considered it 3 months ago. But Hillary today is not the Hillary that ran in January. She has been divisive, nasty, not trustworthy, and I believe she's the new Karl Rove.

10.. The most important of all, Obama will lose his core supporters like myself. Hillary's supporters may cross over, but I will withdraw my support should he choose Hillary as his running mate.

NO THANK YOU!

[lindaqqq]

well said.
After what they did to Gore Obama should run as fast as he can away from her

[BigSid]

I'LL GIVE ONE REASON IN REPLY TO YOUR TEN.

1. If Obama wants to win the general (assuming he gets the nomination) he will have to choose Hillary.

It's just that simple, guys. If you have to ask why I say that, the you wouldn't get it even if I explained it. If you don't believe it, you better hope your man, Obama, believes it.

His only path to victory is with Hillary on the ticket. No rationale for him not choosing her makes one bit on sense.

If Hillary were announced as the nominee today, I would say the same about her. She would have to pick him.

[Rowena]

And why is that, Sid? Because YOU won't vote for him unless Clinton is on the ticket? Putting Clinton on the ticket, to quote Nancy Pelosi, is "not gonna happen." She is everything he is running against. He may put a woman on the ticket, but not that woman. As the pundit said, "if he put Clinton on the ticket he'd have to hire a food-taste­r."

[LionEater]

This is ridiculous. Hillary would be a terrible VP choice. Period. I don't know what you owe the Clintons, but she's done, and Obama absolutely shouldn't pick her--especially after all the dirt she's thrown.

[MsLiz]

The article was about the reasons Hillary should want to be VP candidate, not whether it is good for Obama or the nation or the party.

[LeoMarvin]

Stop nitpicking. It's the Internet.

[Turnow]

Come on. How many times is this ridiculous idea going to trundled out. As if it already hasn't long ago been rendered to cliché status.

Why would any presidential candidate want to choose a running mate of whom over half the voters consider negatively?

[shep1900]

Because so many millions of other voters look at _him_ negatively? Can't win an election with 25% of the electorate--which is all he currently has.