Enough already - Obama doesn't OWE Hillary the VP slot
puremagic
Posts: 1,907
An Obama/Clinton ticket would be a Republican wet dream come true. It's a Democrat doomsday ticket that could never win the White House. The Clinton's, yes, the Bill/Hilary package deal, brings too much old baggage, They bring too much uncertainty and absolutely no level of stability to Obama's road to the White House.
Many people say that if Obama doesn't pick Hilary then her supporters will not support Obama. How stupid is this? If I am a Hilary supporter and she loses the nomination, then I need to get my platform into the hands of the nominee, not sit home on my ass and be pissed.
Anyone who followed only the scrolls regarding Hilary/Obama knows that too much water has passed under this bridge. It's damaged to the point where I could see Hilary as a Cabinet member, but a stronger support beam would be needed for the VP.
I know people like to climb the ladder of success over the backs of others, but the Clinton's need to chill. Obama hasn't even made it to the ladder yet. If look close, that ladder is special made by the Republican party so his climb is going to be rocky at best, he doesn't need the added pressure of having to look over both shoulders.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/23/us/politics/23veep.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
As Race Wanes, Talk of Clinton as No. 2 Grows
While Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton and her advisers insist that she is determined to win the Democratic nomination, friends of the couple say that former President Bill Clinton, for one, has begun privately contemplating a different outcome for her: As Senator Barack Obama’s running mate.
The reports about Mr. Clinton’s musings surface as the Obama camp has quietly begun the process of searching for a partner on the Democratic ticket.
The prospect of an Obama-Clinton ticket has been fodder for political gossip for months, with some Democratic leaders pushing the idea as a way to unify the party. The Obama and Clinton campaigns have consistently shrugged off the idea, however, and Mrs. Clinton has been adamant that she is only interested in the presidency.
Yet anyone who knows the Clintons is well aware that, at times, they come to politics with different motivations. Both of them want to return to the White House; Mrs. Clinton, of New York, also enjoys being a senator, while Mr. Clinton, according to associates, sees the vice presidency as perhaps her best path to becoming president someday if she loses the nominating fight. And Mr. Clinton has his own ideas about his wife’s best interests — even if she sometimes does not share them.
A spokesman for Mrs. Clinton’s campaign said Thursday that Mr. Clinton had not had private conversations in which he was pushing her for the vice presidency or arguing that she deserved it, and that he believed the choice of a running mate was a personal one for the nominee.
Friends of the former president say his musings have been more casual: He believes that an Obama-Clinton ticket could help unify the party, and he thinks she has earned a meeting with Mr. Obama to discuss the possibility.
According to these friends, who spoke on condition of anonymity so as not to be identified revealing private talks, Mr. Clinton believes that his wife’s victories in major primary battles, like Ohio and Pennsylvania, and the 16 million votes cast for her candidacy make her the proper choice for Mr. Obama.
“If she’s not going to be the nominee, then he wants her in the second spot,” said one friend of the Clintons. “In the long run, it’s the best way for her to run again in 2016.”
Time magazine first reported Mr. Clinton’s interest in the No. 2 slot for Mrs. Clinton on Thursday.
Clinton advisers were emphatic that neither Mr. Clinton nor anyone else in the campaign had given up on Mrs. Clinton’s candidacy, and they emphasized that no efforts were being made to position Mrs. Clinton to be the running mate with the Illinois senator.
“Senator Clinton is solely focused on being the Democratic nominee,” said Howard Wolfson, the Clinton campaign’s communications director. “I have seen no interest on her part in being vice president.”
The chief strategist for the Obama campaign, David Axelrod, said Thursday that no overtures had been made by Mr. Clinton or any prominent supporters to place Mrs. Clinton on the ticket.
“There have been no contacts between the campaigns, and no one is looking for a deal of any kind,” Mr. Axelrod said in an interview. “She’s running for the nomination for president, as we are. We’re focusing on closing out the nominating fight. We’ll deal with vice presidential questions in sequence.”
Mr. Obama has asked a tight circle of advisers to set up a confidential search for prospective running mates, with a goal of having an early list of names to begin sifting through shortly after the final two primaries on June 3.
With the Democratic National Convention three months away, Mr. Obama is already about two months behind the period when preliminary vetting would normally have begun. The search will be guided by Jim Johnson, a longtime Democratic hand in Washington.
Mr. Johnson, who is a vice chairman of the Obama campaign, led the vice presidential searches for Senator John Kerry, Democrat of Massachusetts, in 2004 and for Walter F. Mondale in 1984. In recent weeks, officials said, he started to compile information — largely biographical and political — for a list of potential running mates.
Democratic officials on Thursday discussed Mr. Johnson’s role on condition of anonymity because Mr. Obama had demanded that the process be kept secret and they did not want him to know they were talking about it. Advisers to Mr. Obama declined to discuss the search or any elements of the process.
Mr. Obama declined on Thursday to discuss the role Mr. Johnson would be playing.
“I haven’t hired him,” Mr. Obama told reporters at the Capitol. “He’s not on retainer. I’m not paying him any money. He is a friend of mine. I know him. I am not commenting on vice presidential matters because I have not won this nomination.”
Mr. Obama, who this week crossed the threshold of winning a majority of pledged delegates, intends to wait until next month before declaring victory in the Democratic nominating fight.
A wide array of Democrats — from Congress, governor’s offices, the military and the private sector — will be included on an early list of possible ticket mates. Mr. Obama has told his associates that he wants to keep an open mind and to cast a wide net, even possibly including independents or Republicans.
The growing discussion about a ticket of Mr. Obama and Mrs. Clinton is largely being fueled by Clinton supporters, although it is a suggestion that Obama supporters do not dismiss. Also expected to be included on a list will be most of the former Democratic presidential candidates — Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico, former Senator John Edwards of North Carolina and Senators Joseph R. Biden Jr. of Delaware and Christopher J. Dodd of Connecticut.
Prominent supporters of Mrs. Clinton also are sure to be included, like Senator Evan Bayh of Indiana and Gov. Ted Strickland of Ohio.
Jerry Crawford, a Des Moines lawyer who is the Midwest co-chairman of the Clinton campaign, said in an interview Thursday that he supported the notion of Mrs. Clinton serving as a vice presidential candidate for Mr. Obama should he become the nominee. Mr. Crawford said he was “freelancing” and had not spoken with the Clintons about it, but he called the partnership “more of an irresistible force than either of them alone.”
Some Democratic supporters of Mrs. Clinton said Thursday that it was premature to talk about slotting her as Mr. Obama’s running mate.
“I can see it happening, though I still like the idea of Clinton-Obama much more,” said Denny Farrell, a New York assemblyman who is a convention superdelegate.
The idea of an Obama-Clinton ticket is on the minds of some voters, too.
At the end of a meeting with voters Thursday in Boca Raton, Fla., a man asked whether Mr. Obama would consider picking any candidate, even someone who might be challenging to him.
“Two weeks from now, we will know who wins the Democratic nomination,” Mr. Obama replied. “I don’t want to jump the gun. I will tell you though that my goal is to have the best possible government — and that means me winning. So I am very practical-minded guy.”
Many people say that if Obama doesn't pick Hilary then her supporters will not support Obama. How stupid is this? If I am a Hilary supporter and she loses the nomination, then I need to get my platform into the hands of the nominee, not sit home on my ass and be pissed.
Anyone who followed only the scrolls regarding Hilary/Obama knows that too much water has passed under this bridge. It's damaged to the point where I could see Hilary as a Cabinet member, but a stronger support beam would be needed for the VP.
I know people like to climb the ladder of success over the backs of others, but the Clinton's need to chill. Obama hasn't even made it to the ladder yet. If look close, that ladder is special made by the Republican party so his climb is going to be rocky at best, he doesn't need the added pressure of having to look over both shoulders.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/23/us/politics/23veep.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
As Race Wanes, Talk of Clinton as No. 2 Grows
While Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton and her advisers insist that she is determined to win the Democratic nomination, friends of the couple say that former President Bill Clinton, for one, has begun privately contemplating a different outcome for her: As Senator Barack Obama’s running mate.
The reports about Mr. Clinton’s musings surface as the Obama camp has quietly begun the process of searching for a partner on the Democratic ticket.
The prospect of an Obama-Clinton ticket has been fodder for political gossip for months, with some Democratic leaders pushing the idea as a way to unify the party. The Obama and Clinton campaigns have consistently shrugged off the idea, however, and Mrs. Clinton has been adamant that she is only interested in the presidency.
Yet anyone who knows the Clintons is well aware that, at times, they come to politics with different motivations. Both of them want to return to the White House; Mrs. Clinton, of New York, also enjoys being a senator, while Mr. Clinton, according to associates, sees the vice presidency as perhaps her best path to becoming president someday if she loses the nominating fight. And Mr. Clinton has his own ideas about his wife’s best interests — even if she sometimes does not share them.
A spokesman for Mrs. Clinton’s campaign said Thursday that Mr. Clinton had not had private conversations in which he was pushing her for the vice presidency or arguing that she deserved it, and that he believed the choice of a running mate was a personal one for the nominee.
Friends of the former president say his musings have been more casual: He believes that an Obama-Clinton ticket could help unify the party, and he thinks she has earned a meeting with Mr. Obama to discuss the possibility.
According to these friends, who spoke on condition of anonymity so as not to be identified revealing private talks, Mr. Clinton believes that his wife’s victories in major primary battles, like Ohio and Pennsylvania, and the 16 million votes cast for her candidacy make her the proper choice for Mr. Obama.
“If she’s not going to be the nominee, then he wants her in the second spot,” said one friend of the Clintons. “In the long run, it’s the best way for her to run again in 2016.”
Time magazine first reported Mr. Clinton’s interest in the No. 2 slot for Mrs. Clinton on Thursday.
Clinton advisers were emphatic that neither Mr. Clinton nor anyone else in the campaign had given up on Mrs. Clinton’s candidacy, and they emphasized that no efforts were being made to position Mrs. Clinton to be the running mate with the Illinois senator.
“Senator Clinton is solely focused on being the Democratic nominee,” said Howard Wolfson, the Clinton campaign’s communications director. “I have seen no interest on her part in being vice president.”
The chief strategist for the Obama campaign, David Axelrod, said Thursday that no overtures had been made by Mr. Clinton or any prominent supporters to place Mrs. Clinton on the ticket.
“There have been no contacts between the campaigns, and no one is looking for a deal of any kind,” Mr. Axelrod said in an interview. “She’s running for the nomination for president, as we are. We’re focusing on closing out the nominating fight. We’ll deal with vice presidential questions in sequence.”
Mr. Obama has asked a tight circle of advisers to set up a confidential search for prospective running mates, with a goal of having an early list of names to begin sifting through shortly after the final two primaries on June 3.
With the Democratic National Convention three months away, Mr. Obama is already about two months behind the period when preliminary vetting would normally have begun. The search will be guided by Jim Johnson, a longtime Democratic hand in Washington.
Mr. Johnson, who is a vice chairman of the Obama campaign, led the vice presidential searches for Senator John Kerry, Democrat of Massachusetts, in 2004 and for Walter F. Mondale in 1984. In recent weeks, officials said, he started to compile information — largely biographical and political — for a list of potential running mates.
Democratic officials on Thursday discussed Mr. Johnson’s role on condition of anonymity because Mr. Obama had demanded that the process be kept secret and they did not want him to know they were talking about it. Advisers to Mr. Obama declined to discuss the search or any elements of the process.
Mr. Obama declined on Thursday to discuss the role Mr. Johnson would be playing.
“I haven’t hired him,” Mr. Obama told reporters at the Capitol. “He’s not on retainer. I’m not paying him any money. He is a friend of mine. I know him. I am not commenting on vice presidential matters because I have not won this nomination.”
Mr. Obama, who this week crossed the threshold of winning a majority of pledged delegates, intends to wait until next month before declaring victory in the Democratic nominating fight.
A wide array of Democrats — from Congress, governor’s offices, the military and the private sector — will be included on an early list of possible ticket mates. Mr. Obama has told his associates that he wants to keep an open mind and to cast a wide net, even possibly including independents or Republicans.
The growing discussion about a ticket of Mr. Obama and Mrs. Clinton is largely being fueled by Clinton supporters, although it is a suggestion that Obama supporters do not dismiss. Also expected to be included on a list will be most of the former Democratic presidential candidates — Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico, former Senator John Edwards of North Carolina and Senators Joseph R. Biden Jr. of Delaware and Christopher J. Dodd of Connecticut.
Prominent supporters of Mrs. Clinton also are sure to be included, like Senator Evan Bayh of Indiana and Gov. Ted Strickland of Ohio.
Jerry Crawford, a Des Moines lawyer who is the Midwest co-chairman of the Clinton campaign, said in an interview Thursday that he supported the notion of Mrs. Clinton serving as a vice presidential candidate for Mr. Obama should he become the nominee. Mr. Crawford said he was “freelancing” and had not spoken with the Clintons about it, but he called the partnership “more of an irresistible force than either of them alone.”
Some Democratic supporters of Mrs. Clinton said Thursday that it was premature to talk about slotting her as Mr. Obama’s running mate.
“I can see it happening, though I still like the idea of Clinton-Obama much more,” said Denny Farrell, a New York assemblyman who is a convention superdelegate.
The idea of an Obama-Clinton ticket is on the minds of some voters, too.
At the end of a meeting with voters Thursday in Boca Raton, Fla., a man asked whether Mr. Obama would consider picking any candidate, even someone who might be challenging to him.
“Two weeks from now, we will know who wins the Democratic nomination,” Mr. Obama replied. “I don’t want to jump the gun. I will tell you though that my goal is to have the best possible government — and that means me winning. So I am very practical-minded guy.”
SIN EATERS--We take the moral excrement we find in this equation and we bury it down deep inside of us so that the rest of our case can stay pure. That is the job. We are morally indefensible and absolutely necessary.
Post edited by Unknown User on
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Hilary used every trick in the book to win and she still failed to overtake Obama. Why should Obama have to spend any more time watching his back from the Clinton's?
After all that has been said and done, would you want someone working next to you with the attitude they should have had your job and always downplaying your position. Of course not, and Obama's not different.
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THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information.
Clinton Says She's Open to Veep Slot
By BETH FOUHY and DEVLIN BARRETT,
AP
Posted: 2008-06-03 15:52:22
Filed Under: Elections News, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton
WASHINGTON (June 3) - Hillary Rodham Clinton has told congressional colleagues she would be open to becoming Barack Obama's vice presidential nominee, saying she would consider it if it would help Democrats win the White House.
Clinton, a New York senator, made the comment on a conference call with other New York lawmakers Tuesday, according a participant on the call.
The senator's remarks came in response to a question from Democratic Rep. Nydia Velazquez who said she believed the best way for Obama to win over key voting blocs, including Hispanics, would be for him to choose Clinton as his running mate.
"I am open to it," Clinton replied, if it would help the party's prospects in November.
cross the river to the eastside
i live in ohio, and i know a ton of people here that are now saying they will vote GOP in november.
the dems need ohio, and having her as the VP would go a long way in helping in states like OH and PA.
"To question your government is not unpatriotic --
to not question your government is unpatriotic."
-- Sen. Chuck Hagel
I agree that this may be the case.
I'm assuming Bill Clinton made deals with a lot of lobbyists while in office. Lobbyists who may see Hillary as a president (or VP) in their pocket. Perhaps they will pressure Obama into selecting her as VP on the idea that they want someone they feel they already know and have an established business relationship with in the White House.
It's all about networking, right?
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"We've laid the groundwork. It's like planting the seeds. And next year, it's spring." - Nader
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Prepare for tending to your garden, America.
and reveling in it's loyalty. It's made by forming coalitions
over specific principles, goals, and policies.
http://i36.tinypic.com/66j31x.jpg
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I agree. Many independents are really turned off by her and will not vote for Barack just because she is on the ticket. And I don't think there are a lot of "HIllary faithful" out there that won't vote for Barack w/o Hillary on the ticket as well. To me it wouldn't make much sense.
How about Kucinich?