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Rumors have been abounding today since Hillary Clinton responded to questions this morning as to whether or not the two nominees should join forces, here’s the video from earlier today when she spoke with Harry Smith on the CBS Early Show:
The story on it from The Politico:
The morning after reviving her candidacy with two big primary wins, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) hinted Wednesday that she and Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) may wind up as ticket mates.
“That may, you know, be where this is headed, but of course we have to decide who’s on the top of ticket,†Clinton said with a laugh on the CBS’s “The Early Show.†“I think that the people of Ohio very clearly said that it should be me.”
Clinton’s wins in Texas and Ohio mean the race will go on for at least seven weeks, to the Pennsylvania primary on April 22. Each side expects to harden its attacks on the other, creating potential complications in swiftly becoming a ticket.
Democratic strategists say Clinton would be more likely to pick Obama than vice versa, for two big reasons:
Obama has attracted tens of thousands of young supporters who are loyal to him, not to the Democratic Party. Clinton, on the other hand, has strong support among party regulars.
To Clinton’s assertion that Obama should be her VP, Obama responded, also from The Politico:
“We are just focused on winning the nomination. That is my focus. I respect Sen. Clinton. She has been a tenacious opponent. It is premature to talk about a joint ticket.”
Here’s video of Obama responding as well:
Amazingly, if you examine the math, Clinton doesn’t seem to be in the position of dictating whether or not Obama should be her Vice President. Obama has every reason to shoot her down at this point, he’s still leading and all the math seems to indicate he will eventually still wind up with more pledged delegates.
However, I’m wondering if this is a strategy on the part of Clinton. Perhaps she’d be able to garner more votes if Democratic voters think Obama would be her chosen VP. Most Democratic voters, when asked, can’t name too many differences between the them and, therefore, they would love to see them both on the ticket in some order.
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In your article, you state that Hillary hinted at a joint ticket. In fact, and as the video you supplied proves, it was Harry Smith who “hinted” at a joint ticket, by saying that “folks in Ohio” would like to see that. Her comments were a response to that. I think it would have truthful to say, that the idea of a joint ticket is not unappealing to Sen. Clinton, who said “it may be coming to that.” Right now she is focused on being the top name, on any ticket.
These kinds of comments are irresponsible and make the entire idea look like it came from someone it didn’t.
Thanks for catching that, I’ve changed the wording.
If Clinton made Obama her VP, or very strongly hinted she’d make Obama her VP, then I think a good number of Obama supporters would jump ship for the possibility of having Barack in the White House for a potential 16 years.
nzpudding
I don’t think he would want to be her VP because that would preclude him from running in 2012.
Obviously Clinton will have to make Obama her V.P. if she gets the nomination, she would have no choice because of how many states and delegates he has won and also because of the enormous popularity he has among young people and black people.
Obama doesn’t have to pick her as his V.P. and she may be a divisive figure that takes away from his positive “change” mantra though considering how close the race has been it could be smart to ensure the Democratic party is united and that key states like California, New York, Ohio and Florida will go Obama’s way in the general.
If Obama doesn’t pick Clinton the he should either pick Bill Richardson as he has executive experience and would ensure he locks down the hispanic demographic or should pick an experienced military democrat.
Stalin
I know it would preclude him from running in 2012, that’s why I said “the possibility of having Barack in the White House for a potential 16 years”
Nate, the headline here says “Clinton says Obama should be her VP”, I’m not hearing that anywhere in the videos. Just for the sake of being accurate here……….
On the subject of a potential Obama administration (or Clinton II’s), there is an interesting project in pure democracy just getting started on the web: automated and continuously updated ‘approval style’ voting on VP, cabinet, and major posts. Approval style voting means you can vote for as many of the choices as you approve. The site will remain open indefinitely for follow up research:
http://puredem.wordpress.com
This reminds me of the movie Top Gun:
“You can be my VP anytime. BullSh!t…you can be mine”
I’d go with a Hillary/Obama ticket! I’d probably go the other way around, but I firmly believe Hillary will be the better President.
I really hope there is a Hillary/Obama ticket. When are democrats going to learn that you can’t win the presidency with far left senetors?
I don’t think a unity ticket would work. I gotta go with Stalin–two way liberal senators would have no chance of winning.
What about the possibility of a Clinton/Gore or an Obama/Gore ticket?
If they want to unify the party, they need to bring in Al Gore. He’ll bring back the youth and the black votes (Obama’s demographic) and blue collar workers and establishment liberals (Clinton’s demographic). I’m surprised they aren’t trying to work with him. Besides, Al Gore was a moderate in office (at least compared to the likes of Obama, Kennedy, McGovern, Dukakis). A Gore ticket would be much stronger.
http://www.associatedcont.....a_and.html
Tina
While I appreciate what you are saying, Al Gore was another one of those liberal left senetors that I was talking about.
Here is the deal. The two candidates should agree: No more attacks. At the end of the primaries, the candidate with the most delegates get the nomination. The other candidate gets the Vice Presidential nomination.
Rich,
Obama would love that, but Hillary will do anything to get the nomination, to the detriment of the democratic party.
WHY DIDN’T ARE MICHIGAN GOVERMENT TELL US VOTERS TO STAY HOME
DON’T VOTE??, BECAUSE IT WONT MATTER!!!
THIS IS JUST ANOTHER REASON WE SHOULD GET RID OF EVERYONE OF YOU USLESS WASTFULL PEOPLE WHO THINK YOUR HELPING WE THE PEOPLE!!
I DON’T REMEMBER GIVING YOU THE RIGHT TO DECIDE IF YOU CAN
MAKE UP MY MIND FOR ME?
I’M SURE 99% OF WE THE PEOPLE FEEL THE SAME WAY.
JUST DO WHAT YOU WERE ELECTED TO DO.
THEN WE WOULDN’T HAVE HALF THE CRAP YOU GET US INVOLVED IN.