If Obama wants her, Bill shouldn't stop Barack from picking Hillary as his VP

[Tom Rinaldo]

This is a slight recent shift in my thinking. Until now I was more concerned about the potentially awkward complications of having former President Clinton as First Husband to the soon to be current Vice President. For the record I am nuetral about who Obama should chose. If he went with my favorite it would be Wes Clark, and I see some good reasons for picking Joe Biden also. But there are a number of potentially good choices, Hillary being one of them. Each offer pros and cons, in Hillary's case perhaps both the pros and cons are stronger for her than with some of the others. Still I think the Presidential nominee needs to pick someone who s/he feels comfortable working with, and Barack Obama is the only one who can really make that call. So I'm not advocating for Hillary, just making an observation.

Recent events with both Barack Obama and Bill Clinton now leave me thinking it could work out fine if Bill unofficially joined the Obama team as husband to the Vice President. Barack Obama's overseas trip in my mind helped establish that he has sufficent stature and charisma on the world stage to not fear being upstaged as President by the glare of attention sometimes associated with Bill Clinton. Obama can hold his own in the spot light. And on Bill Clinton's part I am starting to see his very low profile of late less as pouting and more as leaving the stage free for Both Barack Obama and his wife Hillary to make their own marks on the electorate. Bill has been careful not to draw attention away from either of them.

In hindsight I think Bill Clinton could not maintain any sense of detachment as a former U.S. President while it was his own wife embroiled in a tight contest to run for President herself. The heat of that battle continues to cool with the increasingly effective balm of time and space. I think Bill still has the political chops needed to support Hillaery in her new role of supporting the Presidential nominee, Barack Obama, should it come to be that the two of them end up running as a ticket. In that scenario Bill Clinton helping Barack Obama win and suceed will be helping Hillary win and suceed also. Hillary Clinton is the new designated primary flag carrier for the Clinton brand in politics now. I think former President Clinton has had time to adjust to that now.

[chimpymustgo]

1. Tom, what a great post. I think Hillary is clearly the best person for VP - second place is a

distant second.

This sense that she and Obama don't get along may well be one of the many media manufactured myths - that's their specialty. Bill Clinton is on his way to Africa to visit 9 countries as part of his AIDS project. He has moved on, and left the stage for Obama. It's disappointing that some of the less mature among us ascribe their own pettiness to Bill. He's an adult - on the world stage.

An Obama/Clinton team would be unstoppable in November - and our best hope to really solve the country's problems with smart, new solutions.

[JTFrog]

2. ROFLMAO.

Yeah that's it. Bill is stopping Obama from picking her.

Thanks for the laugh.

[Tom Rinaldo]

7. Laughter is healthy. Glad to help

There were numerous prior "leaks" reported on in the press from the Obama campaign that Hillary being married to an ex-President was a complicating factor in considering her as VP. Compicating factor, not the one and only important consideration.

Now that Obama has my permission to disregard Bill and pick Hillary I am certain that he will do just that, aren't you?

How seriously do you take discussion on DU? It's just a message board for crying out loud. Point me to all of your earth shattering insights published here and I'll be sure to bookmark them.

[Andy823]

18. Hmmmm, let's see now.

Hillary gets the VP slot, and McCain and the entire republican party start up the adds where she is saying that her and McCain bring years of experience to the race, while Obama only brings a "speach"! Or how her and McCain have passed the threshold test to be commander and chief, but she don't know about Obama! Oh, yeah, I can hardly wait to see every thing she and Bill said about him used as ads for the republicans to show the American people that even his VP choice doesn't think he is qualified to be our next president! :sarcasm:

[RichGirl]

21. It works both ways.

Keep in mind, most of the notable right wing commentators were agressively against McCain and they went into mourning when he won the nomination. There's plenty of video on it. You could create five minutes of just Limbaugh alone trashing McCain. I don't think it would be wise for either side to open that can of worms.

[monmouth]

3. Uh, don't think Obama wants her....n/t

[chimpymustgo]

4. If he's really smart, he does.

[salguine]

14. I'm really smart, and I don't want her.

[RichGirl]

22. Smart as you are...

..you aren't the one making the decision.

[emilyg]

30. I'm smarter than you

I want her.

[musicblind]

37. I'm super double cross my heart smarter than anyone in the universe

and I think that Hillary would make a great VP!





geesh.

[babylonsister]

5. Will Bill consider being vetted? Wouldn't that be a problem, and

if it's a problem, why would Obama need any distractions like that?

[Tom Rinaldo]

Maybe. It all get factored into the choice I'm sure

Those pluses and minusses gotta get crunched. Like I said, I'm not advocating for Hillary, just making an observation about one possible factor.

[nc4bo]

6. His use of the word "govern" a couple times sorta shifted my thinking....

but who really knows for sure.

[Apollo11]

8. Putting Hillary (and Bill) on the ticket would dilute Obama's message of "CHANGE"

Don't get me wrong I am a huge fan of Hillary and I think when you look at her performance in TV debates and interviews - in many ways she is a stronger performer than Barack Obama.

My guess is that Obama will pick a Governor with appeal to so-called moderates. Someone like Sebelius.

[Tom Rinaldo]

10. That's a risk, but not certain

A ticket with a black man and a woman running together is a pretty powerful change message right there. Ande Hillary has altered some public perceptions of her. A lot of people view her as who she was on the campaign trail during the second half of the primaries now, and not simply as a long time Washington fixture.

[chimpymustgo]

15. Kathleen Sebelius has in no way proven she is qualified to be a heartbeat from the

Presidency. Why in the world should she be on the ticket? What does she bring to the national/world stage?

Furthermore, it would be a slap to Hillary and her supporters. But most of all - KS brings NOTHING.

[RichGirl]

23. This is the single most ridiculous argument against Clinton!

What could be a bigger change than having a woman on the ticket??? You think a white guy is change? Still....I supported Clinton because I thought she'd make the best president, NOT because she's a woman. So, having said that I would NOT want Sebelius to be VP or potentially president because I don't think she has what it takes.

[Beacool]

27. Hear, hear!!!

I totally agree with you, Hillary is more than qualified to be president, let alone vice president.

[dkf]

9. The main credo of the Obama campaign is "no drama".

I have a feeling that is impossible for the Clintons.

[Tom Rinaldo]

11. True. Obama would have to roll the dice on that one

and adjust his credo to an extent to take on Hillary.

[dkf]

12. Yeah, but its not a one time deal...its possibly 8 years worth.

I have a feeling that asking Bill to stay out of trouble for 8 years is beyond his capacity.

[RichGirl]

24. You people are just too much!!!

Since the end of his presidental term and the beginning of Hillary's campaign, Bill Clinton has done nothing but GOOD all around the world!!! He has redeemed himself in many peoples eyes after the impeachment debacle and gained the love and respect of the entire world. Yet, because he is an excellent campaigner and worked hard for his wife you people act like it's been just one crazy scheme or scandal after another for Bill...as if he's an out of control college kid! That has not been the case. He is human and we all know it is harder to think clearly and rationally when emotions are involved...so working for Hillary had to be very stressful. Yet, he still did a good job.

Whether Hillary is VP or not, I know without a doubt that Bill will work hard for Obama and in the event that she is VP, Bill will do whatever is asked of him by President Obama.

[chimpymustgo]

34. Same goes for Biden and Bayh - emodiments of the status quo. You can define change any way

you want to. I'm looking for the best team to WIN and GOVERN.

Obama/Clinton

[sourmilk]

13. Neither Obama nor the USA needs Hillary as VP.

There are MUCH better options with far fewer negatives.

Wes Clark is just one of many that immediately spring to mind.

[Adelante]

19. Clark

:thumbsup:

[Lucky 13]

16. And putting a Clinton on the ticket acheives CHANGE... how?

No, the days of Bushes or Clintons in the executive branch are over. He will pick someone who shares his vision for CHANGE and without the liabilities of Hill.

[Mass]

17. Ironically, I've come to see Hillary Clinton as a good candidate for VP.

She is certainly as or most qualified and as much as a liberal as most of those whose names are pushed around.

This said, it is difficult to see how it would fit with the standard he has pushed yesterday (not saying that she does not fit the standard, but it is certainly how it would be seen), and more importantly, however Bill would behave, he would still be the story (hell, when he was invisible in his wife's campaign, the story was that he was invisible. when he was campaigning, the story was that he was winning or losing votes for her. I suspect that he hurt her as much as he helped her). And half of the newsstory would be whether Obama and Clinton agree on something or not, with all the unnamed sources being used to make a story, whether it exists or not).

So, unfortunately, ot seems likely that this will not happen (and I am the first surprised to say unfortunately, but, among the top names, the only one that I find attractive is Biden).

[TexasObserver]

20. She would be the VP, if she had not given McCain a half dozen TV commercials.

Hillary took herself out of the game with several of her statements that simply disqualify her from being on the ticket with Obama. You can't say that McCain has a lifetime of experience to be president, is qualified to be president, and Obama gave a good speech one time, and expect to be on that ticket.

Hillary made some really bad decisions during the primary season. She did not show the good judgment to avoid those kind of deal killers.

If Hillary had avoided giving the GOP and McCain TV commercials they could only dream of having from the mouth of a Democrat, she'd be the consensus choice in the party for VP. She killed her own chances, and went back repeatedly to do it again.

[Jazzgirl]

28. One of those statements about "hard working Americans,

white Americans" comes to mind. Don't think the pukes wouldn't use that statement in an ad along with the rest of the ammunition that she's given them.

[TexasObserver]

36. Yes. I wish those things had not occurred.

She created the narrative that MSM and GOP pundits have used to constantly slam Obama the past two months. In today's world of youtube and instant video, that cannot be done. That's the problem with a scorched earth philosophy. If it doesn't work, it's you that gets scorched, not the target.

She literally burned her bridges to the White House.

[grantcart]

25. All your points are valid - It would be awkward with President Clinton

still near the action - but he is smart enough to stay on script.

However I think that yesterday's MTP interview seemed to indicate that he was moving away from all 'old hands' and Senators.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x6550657

[Tom Rinaldo]

26. I suspect you are right

However were Obama to want a VP who did not at first glance appear to be someone who represented a new way of getting things done if would be smart politics on his part to begin proactive spin now. He could best do that by framing his VP choice as having personal qualities that allowed that person to break free from the way things used to be done, and at the time he announced his choice he would not blink when he told the media that this is exactly the type of person he was describing in the MTP intervew. The "ready to govern" part gives him some wiggle room for accepting an experienced Senator who he could claim is ready to embrace fresh ideas and approaches in the executive branch.

But again, I suspect you are right. I am just playing devil's advocate with this reply.

[AtomicKitten]

29. She is the antithesis to his brand.

The +/-drama that follows both Clintons around would be an impediment to his governance. Plus there's the matter of those pesky suckerpunch comments she made during the primary that will be made into TV spots.

You know how Hillary kept saying she never quits? Well, she should have a couple months earlier than she did. If she had done so and done so graciously, she might have had a snowball's chance in hell. Now, I think a snowball has a better chance at VP.

[PresidentObama]

32. I don't think we should try and make his choice for him, or assume she isn't going to be VP.

Leave it up to Barack.

He'll do the right thing, and pick whose best for him. Whether that's Hillary or not is his choice.

...Oh, and hello friend :)

[AtomicKitten]

33. I'm so worn out from the length of this election season, even speculating

on his VP choice makes my head hurt. I have every confidence he will make the choice that is best for him, and that's all that really matters as we move forward as a party.

:hi:

[PresidentObama]

35. Agreed. Last week I said he shouldn't pick Tim Kaine because he's pro-life. Then I realized it's...

...his choice to make. If he wanted to pick Kaine, he'll pick him. And frankily, looking at Kaine's qualifications and strong points I would probably re-think what I said because he'd be a strong pick. In the end, we should all put our own personal opinions to the side about who he should pick and let him make the right choice.

The only choice I would revolt against is Sam Nunn because of his views on gay rights.

Other than that, whether I think the person is the best choice or not, I'll let Barack make the best decision for himself and his campaign.

Cheers!

[PresidentObama]

31. I'd love him to pick her, but it's his decision. We shouldn't try and make it for him.

If he chooses to disqualify her because of the former President being her husband, that's up to him. But I don't think that would be the reasoning behind the decision. In the end, it's up to Barack Obama. He makes the decision, and I have to believe he'll make a wise one. Hillary Clinton would be a wise one. But he has to weigh the pro's and con's, and think about if he can work with her and make a good ticket with her.

Either way, the Clintons will be vital to helping elect Obama in the fall.