Hillary Clinton for Vice President, A Possibility?
Michael Goodwin writes for New York Daily News that Hillary Clinton has convinced him that she would make a good running mate for Barack Obama, the Democratic nominee. According to Goodwin, he first had his doubts, thinking that Obama does not need her, but their latest appearance together and Obama’s flip-flopping have given him the impression that his initial assessment was wrong.
Last Obama supporters forget; Clinton could actually count on half of the Democratic votes. She was beaten by Obama, yes, but not by a wide margin. She came close. Very close even. And that in an incredibly passionate, often even aggressive, primary year. Like Obama she was able to energize millions of voters, and ten thousands of (Internet )activists. Like Obama she created a true base for herself; a base that supported and still supports her passionately.
Goodwin knew all that a month ago or so of course, but he thought that Hillary would not be Obama’s VP because Obama was playing politics so well. He had his own base fired up, and this liberal base was ready to take over the country. Furthermore, he - like so many others - got the impression that Hillary and Obama did not get along. Sometimes it’s as simple as that; Hillary and Obama gave people the impression that a unity ticket would be out of the question for personal reasons, not political ones.
But that has changed. Recently, Obama and Clinton appeared together; both gave a speech. Clinton endorsed Obama in hers, and gave him her full support. When she did, she seemed to have impressed a lot of people, especially journalists. Goodwin even goes so far as to write that Clinton’s speech was better than Obama; a big compliment indeed. Those who watched her deliver the speech say they got the impression that she truly meant what she said, and that she had accepted her defeat. Unlike her husband Bill - who seems to dislike Obama tremendously, not entire strange considering the fact that Obama’s campaign did its best to portray Bill as a racist - Hillary seems to be able to deal with a defeat… even if the fight was dirty.
Still, many Obama supporters - many of whom greatly dislike Hillary - will ask ‘why would Obama choose her as his running mate, polls show he does not need her.’ Goodwin deals with that question: ‘But those polls could change in a heartbeat, and they will if he keeps muddying his brand with too many changes.’
Obama has flip-flopped too much in recent weeks, and he’ll probably flip-flop even more before November. This may cost him support. He, then, needs someone who hasn’t flip-flopped in recent weeks (if because of nothing else, than because she did not have to flip-flop because she lost).
Additionally, Obama will have to fight to win the support of white, middle class voters. This is Hillary’s base. Furthermore, if he has Hillary as his running mate, women will probably turn out in large droves to vote for the two of them (it will definitely break the glass ceiling; for the first time in history, a woman will only be one step away from the presidency). Obama can use the support of these two bases.
Lastly, as Goodwin puts it, re. his flip-flopping in an attempt to appeal to independent and moderate voters: ‘While those shifts are probably necessary to reach a general election audience, they undercut his claims of a new kind of truth-in-advertising politics. So, if he’s going to act like a Clinton, why not team up with one?’
Indeed, why not?
Why not? you ask. Pretty simple, really.
Obama’s big selling point is that he is a step away from the way politics has been run here for the last couple of decades. He may not, in fact almost certainly will not, be able to make the entire journey in one leap. But to select Senator Clinton for VP would be to totally trash the entire message. To the point that, I submit, it would lose him an election which he otherwise is likely to win.
Yes, a lot of Democrats voted for Clinton. But the question is not, did they do so? The question is, given a choice between Obama and McCain, are they so unhappy at not winning the nomination for their candidate that they will vote for McCain? Some of them certainly sounded like it in the immediate aftermath of the primaries. But the numbers are dropping as the immediate pain fades and reality sets in. Just for openers, all those who were offended as feminists because the woman did not win are going to take one look at McCain’s positions on the issues nearest and dearest to their hearts, and decide that Obama would be far, far better.
AMNESTY IS COMING! AMNESTY IS COMING!
You have read the newspapers?
Either Senator Obama or McCain, once they step into the White House, are going to relentlessly push for a path to citizenship, for the estimated 30 + million plus illegal aliens and families. Even Mrs. Clinton would have demanded nothing less. It’s going to cost you! Cost you dearly in even more government handouts! More than you ever suspected? You know the predator employers are not paying anything extra for their up-keep. All the little politicians, Governors, Mayors are all going to genuflect to the new potential voters. Like the Europe Union you will become the second class citizens, as new legalized immigrants get priority. It has happened in England and it’s going to happen here! The Democrats are hiding from the federal SAVE ACT (H.R.4088), because it will add more ruthless power to the 1986 enforcement bill.
Without the SAVE ACT, the consequences are unthinkable. Millions more patiently waiting in third world countries, will sweep down on through the perforated border fence and drown us in a economic disaster. Demand the SAVE ACT! (2022243121 ) Go here for the unsuppressed truth. Not what the liberal biased media tells you. NUMBERSUSA.
I disagree with you on that; I think that most voters already realize that he’s more of the same, in so many ways. Additionally, those who still confuse rhetoric with reality will probably believe that he’ll be able to keep Clinton in check since he’ll be the VP, etc.
O, and in the meantime, the party has to be united.
Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama made their truce official today, with a joint appearance in Unity, New Hampshire. Let’s just hope it works out better than the Treaty of Versaille. The punditry seemed to focus most on the stagecraft of it all, which included matching outfits (blue pantsuit for her, blue tie for him), sort of like that tour the Beastie Boys did in jumpsuits. And of course, it was in a town called "Unity." Thank god they didn’t pick "Bitter Recriminations, New Hampshire." Not a good message to send.As for the speeches? Our liveblog: http://www.236.com/news/2008/06/27/liveunityblogging_barack_obama_7413.php
Michael, you may believe that Obama is really more of the same. And you may even be correct.
But that doesn’t change the fact that what he is mostly selling is "change." And a Clinton VP candidacy would seriously undercut that message. Perhaps especially if you are correct, that many Americans will see thru to the reality of just another politician like any other, the last thing he can afford to do is highlight it. Right?
As for Obama possibly considering Clinton as his VP and the reasons that he shouldn’t…some say that it’s because of his ‘new’ image for Washington..you know, new politics. Well where do YOU guys live that believe this garbage? Haven’t you seen him flip flip and flop all over? Let me just give you a very small taste. This link will show that Obama says NO to bringing home the troops - yes it was in 2004. http://youtube.com/watch?v=2kFrFIFizkU and NOW yes in 2008 he has changed his mind. Hmmmm…well. Surprised? I’m not. Now here’s another option. This link will take you 10 reasons WHY obama is WRONG and it deals strictly with POLICY only. http://elect2009.wordpress.com/2008/06/26/concerns-about-obama/
Now the choice is clear. McCain or Obama. Personally I ‘am’ a Democrat and my choice is so simple. I see this…obama sat in that church for TWENTY years and listened to the hate filled sermons. That right there did it for me. Wasn’t he the least bit offended I wondered? His mom afterall was WHITE! Now we have McCain. A war hero. Who do you feel safer with intrusting them into overseeing our country? For me it’s very simple. McCain.
If Clinton has that desire, than she can continue to do whatever she can to get Obama elected. If her supporters have their panties in a bunch over her incompetence in running a campaign - they can get over it - or live with a Republican in the office for at least 4 more years. It’s that simple.The last thing he needs is 2 Clintons on his ticket, it’s his election to lose - and putting that name on his ticket will hand him defeat.
McCain was NOT a war hero.
He was merely an incompetent pilot, so bad,
that he was shot down by N. Vietnam.
Being a failure DOES NOT mean you can claim to be a hero.
How can anyone ???? consider voting for a pussy so whipped,
he kissed the evil one. (bushleague II, the moron)
/Hillary - the only logical choice for Hussein O.
Right, how is any Clinton’s record for military anyway…..
People can say anything they want about how a Clinton on an Obama ticket will hand defeat to them, but obviously they have no clue or understanding that the pros at worst slightly outweigh the cons. Look at most polls, and an Obama Clinton ticket brings an additional three percent vs. a McCain Romney ticket, in comparison to a mere Obama vs McCain scenario. Truth is, true conservatives aren’t going to vote for Obama anyway, so with or without Clinton he’s not going to get those votes. With Clinton, he is sure to regain a significant portion of Clinton supporters who vow to vote for McCain. In all honesty, people don’t really vote for VP when they’re in the voting booth. People obviously need to just chill out.
I voted for Obama, and think that as the democratic nominee he is entitled to choose whoever he wants as his running mate.
That said, however, I pretty much agree with Lawrence. Choosing Clinton will surely guarantee victory as almost all democrats will have been united through such an action.
People are so disgusted with the republicans now, even some of their own supporters. Many conservatives attracted to Obama are fed up with the way Washington is handling things and will vote third party or democratic. True conservatives, as the previous poster mentioned, really aren’t going to vote for Obama being that he’s the most liberal senator, so having Clinton isn’t going to lose him those votes anyways.
Clinton got just as many votes as Obama did, and when the popular vote is considered it was an extremely close race. Can Obama win without Clinton? Of course it’s possible. But can Obama win with Clinton? It’s a sure thing.
The voice of someone who’s ignored reports and stories. You’d have to have your head in the sand to ignore the sheer polarization HRC brings to any ticket. Her on it will mobilize Republican voters to vote for McCain, her off the ticket has already had several Republican voters even where I work be looking at Obama with quite a bit of interest.
You’re not looking to get the hard core Conservative votes - you’re looking for the independents, the right leaning ones. The ones that win elections.
Put her on and lose.
And I am saying that for every voter much like these so called Republican voters that you work with, there is another Hillary supporter who is out there campaigning for Senator McCain because they are pissed as hell that their candidate lost. I for one was on the fence as well, but pulled the lever for Obama when he impressed me with his historic speech that dealt with racism in America shortly after the Wright fiasco.
But let’s not fool ourselves. You’re obviously only considering one possible swing group. Do you honestly think that all Hillary supporters are going to swing to Obama come November? Reagen won the presidency by a hefty margin due to the so called Reagen Democrats. You can’t possibly think that all the 18 million people that voted for Clinton are going to come around. Already there is a Clinton delegate to the DNC that has vowed to vote McCain.
As I stated before, in the end, Obama is completely entitled to choose and I for one am really glad he clinched the nomination and this battle is over. He will surely have my support either way because Obama is going to be a great president, with or without Clinton. He has a broad appeal that crosses party lines, but don’t even think of kidding yourself and think that he really doesn’t need the Clintons. Call the Clintons as polarizing as you want, love um, hate um, but they have an impeccable recording of being successfully elected to office - but don’t even think about denying the fact that they have been the ONLY democrats in recent history to have such a phenomenal record of electibility. 2 for 2 for the Presidency, 2 for 2 for the U.S. Senate.
Perhaps you should actually look at the demographics of the battleground states. Every election only a handful of states ultimately decide the fate of the presidency; this year as the potential to be different. For the first time in decades, a democratic leaning state like Pennsylvania is in play because Obama has failed to connect to white collar working class voters. Obama’s strength lies in densely urban areas, but despite winning the populous district of Philadelphia by an almost 2 to 1 margin, he lost the state by 10 percentage points. Florida, which infamously handed Bush the presidency in 2000, is leaning republican due to its older population, yet another demographic Obama has trouble with. Obama and Clinton would fit perfectly like a jigsaw puzzle, complementing each other. I’m not saying that Clinton is without faults, because she has a lot of them - but electability is one that I believe will favor him should he choose her.
"You’re not looking to get the hard core Conservative votes - you’re looking for the independents, the right leaning ones. The ones that win elections."
And here in lies your shortsightedness. This election is anything but a traditional one. With the historic candidacy of the first viable African-American and (now former) woman candidate for the nation’s highest office, conventional wisdom carries less weight. A unified Democratic party would instantly spell disaster for McCain. This election is not going to be decided merely by the small percentage of independents that you claim will be turned on or off by a potential VP pick, it’s going to be decided by black conservatives, Democratic "closet racists," environmental activists, and yes, "Hillary Democrats."
I’m one of those Hilary supporters and have many many friends who are as well. We all say we will not vote for Obama if he doesn’t pick Hilary for V.P. That said, I realizBae a lot of you will say, "oh you’ll come around." WRONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You will be surprised to see how many of us will just simply write her name in in the fall…..
Don’t say we didn’t warn you!!!!!!!