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Obama/Clinton Ticket Can and Must Happen
By Tommy ChristopherMar 28th 2008 3:00PM
Filed Under:eHillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Featured Stories, Veepstakes
There is a gathering consensus among political observers that Senator Hillary Clinton cannot win the Democratic Presidential nomination, and that she should step aside soon for the good of the party. Recent polling data shows better news for McCain than Clinton or Obama. As David Knowles reports, Senator Patrick Leahy has joined that chorus urging her to step aside. I agree with Leahy's assessment, with a single caveat. From Leahy's remarks:
"There is no way that Senator Clinton is going to win enough delegates to get the nomination. She ought to withdraw and she ought to be backing Senator Obama. Now, obviously that's a decision that only she can make. Frankly I feel that she would have a tremendous career in the Senate."In my view, Hillary Clinton's most valuable contribution will be at Barack Obama's side as his vice president, not as a senator. The case for Hillary is an easy one to make based on her qualifications. It's a tougher sale to her supporters, and perhaps to the candidate herself. One campaign insider told me he felt there was little chance of Senator Clinton joining the bottom of an Obama ticket, for a number of reasons.
After the jump, I'll make my case to Senators Clinton and Obama, and to you, the readers. Please read the whole thing before you form your opinion.
First, let me address Hillary's supporters, who may take umbrage at the notion that Senator Clinton can't catch up to Obama. I know that this campaign has been the subject of a bitter proxy war between two intensely loyal groups of supporters, and there may be some hard feelings. I would be the first person to urge Obama's supporters to show unity with their fellow Democrats, and set aside the vitriol that has been exchanged on these pages. I would also ask that you judge this argument on its merits. Many of you have expressed the opinion that, because I have voiced criticism of the conduct of the Clinton campaign, I must be anti-Hillary. Nothing could be further from the truth, as evidenced by a perusal of my previous writings.
Hillary's path to nomination, based solely on the math, is a narrow and twisted one even by her own campaign's admission, with some political analysts giving her as little as a 5% chance of success. When you add to that recent polling data that shows Obama's and Clinton's favorability ratings diverging in Barack's direction. The study seems to indicate, and Pew concludes, that Obama has weathered the Reverend Wright storm. Additionally, the demands of a knock-down, drag-out campaign are not likely to improve Hillary's favorability. Barring some huge misshap, it is extremely unlikely that Hillary will make the miraculous gains needed to catch Barack.
The Clinton campaign has grossly overstated the flexibility of pledged and Superdelegates in an effort to keep the race alive, but they ignore the political reality that no delegate will overturn the will of the people if there is a clear leader. I know a lot of political observers seem to relish telling Hillary to give it up, but that's an unproductive attitude. Senator Clinton waged a fierce campaign, she is a great American, and she is owed a graceful exit. Her call to voters not to switch to McCain may have been the first sign that reality is setting in.
The same Pew study showed some surprising numbers on the issue of the Vice Presidency. This is whe
re I would like to address Barack Obama's supporters. A greatly disproportionate number of you don't want to see Hillary on the ticket. I chalk this up to several factors. First, Hillary has unquestionably fought a more aggressive, at times controversial, campaign than Obama. This may be cause for a more embittered Obama base. Her style of politics, like it or not, has served her well, but you should take her at her word that, when the nominee is picked, she will support him.
It reminds me of a favorite scene from that famous political drama, "Rocky 3." Rocky is fighting in an exhibition match against Hulk Hogan, who fights hard and nasty, hurling insults all the while, but at the end, when Rocky implausibly beats him, the Hulkster's demeanor softens, he smiles, shakes his hand, and they're friends. This race seemed anything but friendly, yet at the end of the day, as they both say, they will be friends.
Another contributor to this is that Barack's supporters are disproportionately young, and probably not used to this style of politics. It's not for everyone, I don't like it, but while I researched yesterday's piece, I saw that the 1988 campaign was as bad or worse than this, with a startling number of similarities. The 1990's were a time of brutal politics that make this campaign look like a game of tiddly-winks. To those voters disillusioned by this, I say forgive and forget. Hillary Clinton will benefit you much more than any other VP will.
As I've said before, Hillary can deliver women voters who might otherwise defect to McCain, who also does well with women. This was the crux of my argument with Harold Ickes on Tuesday's conference call. The Clinton campaign has argued that primary losses in battleground states will translate to general election losses, as well. I asked him if he thought that the presence of Senator Clinton on Obama's ticket, or on the campaign trail, would effectively render that argument moot. He responded with simple denial that Hillary could possibly not be the nominee.
Jonathan Alter last night on Countdown floated the notion that the 32% of Hillary supporters who promise to flip to McCain will come to their senses by November, but he didn't address McCain's strong appeal to women voters. 32% of Hillary supporters is a large bloc, certainly large enough to swing the general election. Barack would be a fool to risk that. Conversely, Obama's mainly young supporters are less likely to actually stick with McCain, who does poorly with that demo.
Some wonder if Hillary would accept such a nod, which is, I believe, the biggest possible obstacle. It is, to be sure, a tough sale to ask someone of Hillary Clinton's stature to play second-banana. My vision, though, of a Hillary Vice Presidency, is that of an Anti-Cheney, a powerful political force, but for good, not evil. I am really torn as to whether she would accept, but my instinct is that she would, for the same reason I believe Barack Obama will offer it to her.
This campaign has been called historic, and I would agree with that characterization, but I would do so because I have never seen a campaign between two smarter politicians. An Obama/Clinton campaign is the smart move, and I trust them to make it happen.
Coming Soon: McCain Defectors: Know What You're In For
Recent Comments
(Page 3 of 269)NO OBAMA4:53PMMar 28th 2008
No OBAMA!
Jack4:54PMMar 28th 2008
Obama should be in jail...As a Terrorist!
Obama is a Republican plant. They know he can't be McCain. He is stealing votes of the non-thinkers. Don't be fooled by a Fool...Obama is the biggest bag of hot air since Bush! Don't think we have forgotton that you belong to a FAKE "Church of Christ". That you have sat there willingly, listening to preaching of hate on America by a FAKE "Man of God". And given money to them. You have ads out that say that you don't take money from American industry...Your money has to come from somewhere. The only people that you wouldn't take money from are people that wouldn't give it to you...like ME! Then who do you take money from if not Americans? Terrroists? Are you trying to take out America from the inside? You and all of your FAKE Christians.
Next headline..."Obama votes for Clinton"
Bobbie4:58PMMar 28th 2008
Let's stop all the hysteria. Obama will win and he needs a Vice President with REAL experience, (not that of a tag-along wife) What about Richardson -
he has real international and national political experience - great success with other leaders and he is personable and balances the ticket as he is from the South!
NO OBAMA4:59PMMar 28th 2008
HOW DID OBAMA GET SO MUCH MONEY? WE WOULD ALL LIKE TO KNOW! THE FBI SHOULD CHECK INTO IT!
Tommy Christopher4:59PMMar 28th 2008
DL, you know I love ya, but you're pulling quotes out of their supporting context to rebut them. I do appreciate the effort, and I'd like to hear your idea for the Dem ticket.
Let me hit a couple of your points, real quick. The delegate rules are what they are to allow for very specific, extraordinary circumstances. The practical reality is, if and when Obama goes to Denver with the delegate and popular vote lead, there is no way the delegates will flip. A receiver on a football team has a choice which end zone to run towards, it is in the rules.
As for Carville, I hope you saw my article on him a few days ago, and the one about the Judas comment. Carville is a singular personality, and he plays politics well, and he plays them hard. I like him, I think he's great at "messaging", but his agreement with the DLC on the Battleground strategy is wrong.
The similarities to 1988 that I spoke of were the Dukakis tank thing, the Willie Horton issue, the Biden Plagiarism issue, the Dukakis flag salute issue, I think those are pretty remarkable comparisons.
The Limbaugh Effect? Insignificant. With Obama delivering 25 million young voters and Hillary shoring up his support with women, they're unstoppable.
NO OBAMA5:00PMMar 28th 2008
NcCAIN FOR THE RICH
HILLARY FOR THE MIDDLE CLASS
OBAMA FOR THE WEFARE
Andrewcas5:02PMMar 28th 2008
We have many problems – poor economy (thanks Bush &Cheney), a war that is costing $9 billion a month, job losses, inflation that soon will follow oil prices, foreclosures of homes, no health insurance for millions, and a promise of continued tax cuts to the most wealthy (Mc Cain) . . . THE MISERY INDEX WILL SKYROCKET !!!!! and now we know that we have a racial problem that will divide this country! ONLY OBAMA is capable of solving this last one as he is bi-racial. The good news is that he can also tackle all of the rest,
UNITED WE STAND, DIVIDED WE FALL !!!
tzada5:04PMMar 28th 2008
To Katherine4:46PMMar 28th 2008
Was it a print article or on TV?
Sam Burke5:06PMMar 28th 2008
I for one, a die hard liberal democrat, would rather vote for George W. Bush then to ever consider voting for that rascist, black agenda fake of a candidate Obama and more and more Clinton supporters are vowing to do the same. He will not get ANY of her backers votes after everything he's done to slam her into the ground and does not deserve any. Face it- it's McCains presidency and every one knows it. We have the media including this site to thank for it!
jpgoodrow5:07PMMar 28th 2008
THE BLOGGER HAS THE HEADLINE ALL WRONG.
It is a CLINTON/OBAMA Ticket that must happen because anyone with a functional IQ knows Obama cannot defeat Mccain in a general election.
And Clinton knows it too.
Katherine5:10PMMar 28th 2008
TV. It's just her voice though I think, but it's SURE her alright!
I sincerely do NOT like her.
Big Bill5:15PMMar 28th 2008
The republicans continue to stack the deck, they've been voting in democratic caucauses at every chance to artificially embolden Obama. Hillary is the Democrat they most fear.
GO HILLARY
Go HOME Obama!
TFitz10175:20PMMar 28th 2008
No, Sam! Bad Sam! Sam Bad!
**************************************************
Sam Burke5:06PMMar 28th 2008
I for one, a die hard liberal democrat, would rather vote for George W. Bush then to ever consider voting for that rascist, black agenda fake of a candidate Obama
chloe pickering5:20PMMar 28th 2008
get real.....why would hillary want a loser on her ticket. talk about baggage. what part of obamas daddy wright dont some of you people get ? obama should be losing his senate seat shortly. and maybe even prison time. the truth is out there for anybody with a brain to see the judgement defeceit obamas life of lies. and then theres lovely old barbara wawa said obama was sexy. did somebody start the kool-aid stand again ?
Jim5:24PMMar 28th 2008
We will never go for an Obama/Clinton Ticket
Say No to Obama..
Obama once described the white race as "that ghostly figure that haunted black dreams."
"That hate hadn't gone away," he wrote, blaming "white people -- some cruel, some ignorant, sometimes a single face, sometimes just a faceless image of a system claiming power over our lives."
Jim5:26PMMar 28th 2008
Obama is going to get destroyed in Pennsylvania.. Massacred at the stake.. He doesn't have a chance..
Big Bill5:27PMMar 28th 2008
The republicans continue to stack the deck, they've been voting in democratic caucauses at every chance to artificially embolden Obama.
Hillary is the Democrat they most fear.
GO HILLARY
Go HOME Obama!
Joyce5:28PMMar 28th 2008
Smooth talkers don't do it for me & shouldn't for anyone else either. Those in the media are getting to be experts at it too. Let's deal with the real issues that need attention instead of focusing on the "crap" as a means of distraction which is exactly what the media is doing. Frankly, I don't know why any one would want the job, but Hillary Clinton is the one with the capability & foresight to handle the tasks at hand & undo the "Bush mess." You young people are the ones who will pay for that for years to come, so you had better realize now that Hillary is the best equipped to pave the way. The fact that she has been in the White House gives her the knowledge of what it is going to take. That cannot be left to a novice. WE NEED HILLARY MORE THAN YOU THINK!
ksmabba5:30PMMar 28th 2008
John
Give up the Wright crap already. Anyone (and not just Obama supporters) should be ready to do so by now. Get off it already and come up with something substantive. I guess you can't since you have to resort to silly junk like that which is so yesterday. I feel sorry for you.
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Peggy4:52PMMar 28th 2008
Tommy, throughout the day, I'm sure a number of people will wonder WHAT is in the peace pipe you are now smoking. I'm not one of them. You make an intelligent, persuasive argument for the ticket. The unfortunate part of this is that, like many people, I cannot support Obama no matter who is second on the ticket. I have too many concerns about his judgement and integrity to support him. There is an arrogance about him that does not set well with a lot of people. I do not believe he would listen to Clinton or anyone else who dared to question his decisions. I would be more than happy to vote for a Clinton/Obama ticket. Then, in 8 years, when he is more experienced and willing to take advise, he could and would be the candidate of choice. I believe that the country is ready for a black man to lead us. However, I don't think Obama is the right choice at this time.