President Obama, Vice President Webb, Sen Majority Leader Clinton

All things point to Barack Obama winning the Democratic nomination for President after March 4. Should that happen, the Democrats should do the following:

1. Clinton should concede and allow Obama a clear shot at McCain from then on.
2. Obama should make Sen. James Webb of Virginia his VP, thus taking the military aspect out of the campaign. McCain may have served in Vietnam, but Webb has sons IN IRAQ.
3. The Democrats should make sure that Clinton is elected Majority Leader of the Senate replacing the ineffective Harry Reid.

Imagine what America would be like with Obama as President, Webb as VP, Hillary Clinton as Senate Majority Leader and the subsequent cabinet.

Will all of our problems end? Of course not. Will we have a shot at making America be what it should be? Yes, a shot.

The haters, the polluters, the war mongers and thieves can't be eliminated, but they can be limited.

Just over the hill, there may be sunshine. Not heaven, but enough light to allow us to see our better selves.

Comments

[MajMike]

I like Webb too, but I also like Anthony Zinni, another guy who would help negate McCain's military/foreign policy advantage. Having heard them both speak I prefer Zinni, he almost matches the power of Obama and is a commanding presence.

I would be happy with either though.

[Norge]

Kucinich, UN embassador mentioned above is a terrific choice, just terrific, I could not have thought of a better choice than Kucinich.

VP should be non military, non corporate connections and clean clean clean, Mr. Gore are you clean or making money money money from a clean climate.

My choice for VP would be non other than the man, Dr. Ron Paul. Anti tax, anti military, anti intervention, anti corruption in government and the smaller the government the better for the governed. Meaning less less less police state. People would need to disipline themselves and has always been, the more freedoms people enjoy, the more self disipline is required.

Yes, a black man and the white doctor from below the mason dixi line.
Wow that would be fun.

[LionEater]

I was feeling you until you wrote "Ron Paul." Then I knew what you were up to.

[NABNYC]

Why would you give Clinton Senate Majority leader? Exactly what has she done in the Senate other than vote for war, support Bush, and pass a flag-burning law? She only reason she's running for president is because she and her husband are the most pro-corporate Democrats in recent decades, so collected the most bribes.

Bad idea. If we want a new leader in the Senate, why not pick someone who is known for pushing the policies that are important to us, the people? Not a pro-corporate sell-out like Hillary Clinton. I would take Reid over Clinton. Remember, Reid has spoken out repeatedly about the need to end this war in Iraq while Hillary remained a big supporter of the war, and then a supporter of a new war against Iran, until this campaign forced her to change her tune.

In fact, I'd pick Russ Feingold. He's a man of principle. He's on the right side of most of the issues and he has a spine.

[JamesMatsui]

John McCain has sons in Iraq also! Hello! No one can compete against McCain when it comes to national security, we need to live with that.

[ElkoJohn]

`
yer kiddin', right?
"The Iraq War was a good idea" John McCain
check it out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gwqEneBKUs
.

[Nipper20]

No Jim Webb. Hillary for Supreme Court! Wesley Clark for VP.

[LionEater]

There is NO WAY Obama or McCain would EVER appoint Hillary to the Supreme Court.

[win2kpro]

As long as we are dreaming, I'll dream too.

President-Barack Obama
Vice President-Joe Biden
Department of State-Chris Dodd
Department of Justice-John Edwards
Department of Defense-Jim Webb
Department of Health & Human Services-Bill Richardson
Department of Veterans Affairs-Max Cleland
Department of Agriculture ?
Department of the Interior ?
Department of Education ?
Department of Energy ?
Department of Transportation ?
Department of the Treasury ?
Department of Homeland Security ?
Department of Housing & Urban Developement ?

[LionEater]

This one is good. I like the Biden VP choice because he adds experience and foreign policy knowledge to the ticket. He is a known commodity which can make Obama the candidate more attractive.

President: Obama
VP: Biden
Attorney General: Edwards
Sec of State: Sebelius

[thegools]

I don't like the idea of taking so many Democrats out of the Senate...especially so many able ones.

I really don't like the idea of Webb as VP. He is my Senator. I worked hard to get him there, because I wanted him there. As VP he would be effectively muted robbingus of his voice (and vote) in the Senate. And, he would not be very viable as a future president. He is 62 and thus would be 70 at the end of an eight year Obama (or Hillary). Too Old...a la McCaine.

[Sensnbility]

How about applying some sound democratic principles to the selection of the cabinet and semi-cabinet? To this end I am now gathering all suggestions for these positions on the Obama web site. If you want to add a suggestions just search the Obama site blogs using the keyword 'cabinet'. My aim is not to argue but to take as many suggestions as possible.

Here is what I have so far:

VP: Edward Kennedy (D); Anthon Zinni (?)
House Speaker: Nancy Pelosi (D); Hillary Clinton (D)
Senate Pres: Harry Reid (D)
Secretary of State: Joseph Biden (D) (try again!)
Secretary of Treasury: Michael Bloomberg (I); Warren Buffet (?)
Secretary of Defense: Wesley Clark (D)
Attorney General: John Edwards (D)
Secretary of Interior: Christine Gregoire (D); Ben Nighthorse Campbell (R)
Secretary of Agriculture: Tom Harkin (D)
Secretary of Commerce: Warren Buffet (D); Michael Bllomberg (I)
Secretary of Labor: Antonio Villaraigosa (D); Edward Kennedy (D)
Secretary of Health: Anthony Fauci (N/A); John Kitzhaber (D)
Secretary of Housing: David Gottfried (N/A) (Developer and Founder of US Green Building Council)
Secretary of Transportation: Nick Rahall (D)
Secretary of Energy: Al Gore (D)
Secretary of Education: Chris Dodd (D)
Secretary of Veteran Affairs: David Petraeus (R)
Secretary of Homeland Security: Arnold Schwarzenneger (R)
EPA Administrator: Barbara Boxer (D); Christine Gregoire (D)
World Bank President: Jeffrey Sachs (N/A)
UN Ambassador: Dennis Kucinich (D), Bill Clinton (D)

[timm0]

Good lord - NEVER Webb. He only recently changed his party affiliation to Dem and his votes on critical issues bely his true colors.

Regardless, the logic for VP being of military heritage is severely flawed. Confidence in Obama on military matters would be far better served by pre-appointing a solid Secretary of Defense and an experienced, terrorism "czar" (sorry, i hate that word, too, but couldn't come up with a better one). You don't need militarily experienced people in the Oval Office, you need them in the military or as your advisers. You need level-headed, rational decision-makers in the Oval Office...

[Hopalongpoppyseed]

Director of National Security, Secretary of Security, etc.

[metropolitan]

webb also does not have the temperament to ever be president, so having him as VP would not be the best strategy. he's hot tempered, loud, crude. yeah we love him, but not in the oval office.
obama is probably going to lean more towards someone like tom daschle who has been very supportive of obama, is from the south and has an impeccable resume.

[RileysMom]

centerist Democrats will not vote for Obama - nope - they will run away from the wind blowing the party WAY LEFT again and alienating the blue collars that will run to McCain.....

I'm one of them and I am not alone

Keep in mind - of the Democrats that have voted in the primary's - HALF of them voted and feel passionatly about HRC. DO NOT just expect them to fall in love with Obama - you have a Major split in the party and alot of healing to do

Obama and especially his supporters are a little too zealous for most blue collar moderates - not to mention there will be alot of hurt feelings....

just making a speech is not enough to be right on the war - he had no skin in the game - so no you've still got alot of work to do

[payforthepizza]

hey RileysMom,
thanks for your comment. I was wondering if you culd be specific about him makes you think "far-left?"
He doesn't strike me like that, but I'm more of a progressive than a centerist, and I'd like to hear specifics so we can start working to heal the divide asap.

Thanks!

[LeftRight]

Sorry, Webb cannot be the veep nominee, not since the new spying bill he voted FOR.

[altohone]

Neither Reid nor Hillary should be majority leader. The DLC'ers should be sidelined.

Whoever is VP, must also sell as a potential president, and Webb would be very different than Obama in policy. He's got a bit of a wild streak, and used to be a Republican.

Being right about Iraq does not a good choice make.

Unless Feingold is willing, we need to look outside of the Senate.

[existentist]

If Webb voted for telecomm immunity, he should not be the VP nominee...

[finally]

My favorite VP candidate is Anthony Zinni - vietnam vet, 3-star general (marines) , retired, early sixites, unbelievable speaker yet also top commander under Clinton and special envoy to the Middle East under Bush. (go to www.wamu.org and look for Zinni in the archives of the Diane Rehm show - 50 minutes of the most fascination conversation) - AND he can take ALL the air out of McCain's tires, and then some! (Plus, he's from the swinging state of PA!)

[milo9]

Ageed! Is he part of the solution or part of the problem? His FISA vote showed to me that he is part of the problem.

[jackbauer0396]

I realize that we liberals always like to stick to our principles... but I believe this may be a time when they could be sacrificed... you KNOW the GOP slime machine is going to paint Obama as a super-liberal. We need something that'll balance the ticket.

What sells me on Webb is his exchange with President Bush during a reception for new Congressmen.

Bush asked, "How's your boy?"

Webb responded, "I'd like to get them out of Iraq, Mr. President."

to which Bush responded, "That's not what I asked you. How's your boy?"

and Webb said, "That's between me and my boy, Mr. President."

Ballsy.

[Querent]

That's just shooting his mouth off. It doesn't amount to anything. I'm still waiting for one example of a solid progressive vote from Webb on any constitutional issue or any Iraq-related issue.

As for "this may be a time," this is going to be the first Democratic landslide in many, many years. This is certainly not the time to make concessions to the Repigs.

[courgood]

Webb would be a brilliant VP choice!!! Note that not only are his sons in Iraq but he like McCain is also a Vietnam vet.
His snub of Bush @ the White House on new Senators' day -- when Bush dared ask how his sons were doing was priceless and his wearing a son's combat boots on the campaign trail every single day was poignant. He never wavered in his anti-war stance.
If you saw him on trail in VA his tough talk would put McCain's to shame - esp b/c he's not a panderer. He's a tough S.O.B who'd be a huge asset in gen'l and in White House.
Right on!!

[Querent]

Yeah, he's really good at tough talk. It's just ACTION he can't seem to produce. No Webb.

[thegools]

Webb has only one son, and it is true he is in Iraq.

[Obamacan]

Hillary needs to be run out of the senate NOT placed leader of it!
We are on the cusp of getting the clintons out of power, why in everything that is holy, would we want her as Majority leader!?!

Harry Reid is doing fine, we just need a Filibuster proof congress, which we will get in Nov.Patience padawan.

[milo9]

Harry Reid sucks big time. He messes in his Depends everytime he mounts the podium to "stand up to Bush". The telecom immunity went forward because of his mismanagement of legislative procedure. Senator Reid must step down as Senate Majority Leader.

[Querent]

Harry Reid is doing fine. If you're a Repig, you probably love it. Harry Reid has done NOTHING. He's lazy. He's yellow. He has zero grasp of parliamentary procedure. He has no presence. He has no gravitas. He has no idea how to make an argument. Nobody respects him. The Repigs have rolled him so often that he now rolls over for them without even being asked. He's a Bush enabler because he's yellow.

Harry Reid is one of the weakest majority leaders ever, and he's not even on our side. By "our" I mean progressives. Clinton might be better, but Clinton is not in line. Durbin or Dodd. I vote for Dodd.

[finally]

Agreed - time for REid to move on!

[lovethesinner]

Excellent suggestion. Webb especially.

And Hillary, everyone would argue, is the human version of a policy think tank, and LOYALTY is what makes the senate work. Loyalty is Hillarys NATURAL element. (I'm saying this with all due respect) But, I'm sure everyone would agree on this also...

Hillary has shown some ability to favor the lobbys. She and Bill are tied to big business. Does that matter as Majority Leader? I don't know.

But, then... could anything be worse than Harry Reid: that grey palor that makes his face look like the back side of an aspen leaf; those hand postures; backing down on important votes for no reason; and that voice like a patient if addled priest, giving last rights to nearly every last resolution on the war?

You know, the more I think about it, Hillary standing in front of that microphone playing legislative bad cop to Obama's executive good cop sounds like a very formidible team.

But, if she won't take it, and tries to take this down to the wire, they should hang her out to dry. Loyalty works both ways.

If Hillary's willing to divide the party just to prove she's got game... there's nothing to be gracious about. (Enjoy your committee, Senator. Good luck with your re-election!)

GObama!

[Querent]

Webb would be a disaster as Vice. He might do for Sec. of Defense. At least that would get him out of the Senate.

[thegools]

What's your deal? Do you prefer a GOP controlled Senate? How about President George Allen?

I live in Virginia and I am very pleased with the guy's overall performance. He doesn't match my views 100%, but then again, if I were to constantly seek out those exactly like myself, I would live a life of solitude.