Interesting that the "unity" idea comes (Lowell - 4/7/2008 3:47:16 PM)
just as the polls show Obama surging ahead.
Also, see Rasmussen, which shows a 10-point Obama lead (51%-41%) over Clinton.
There's just one problem: it's got Hillary Clinton at the top of the ticket and Barack Obama (leading in the delegate count, popular vote, # of primaries won, etc., etc.) at the bottom. As you can see from the comments here, people aren't exactly reacting warmly to that idea. I mean, if Adam's new website simply called for a unity ticket of the two leading Democratic contenders, but didn't specify the order, that might make it a bit less suspicious, given that the people who set this site up are diehard Clinton supporters. Or, if the site were pushing for Hillary Clinton to be Barack Obama's running mate, that could have some credibility and might be something Democrats could get behind. As it is now, however, I doubt many (any?) Obama supporters would sign this petition or support it in any way.
Perhaps this is actually a roundabout effort to push Hillary Clinton for VP, without coming out and saying so? As one commenter puts it:
The timing is odd indeed. The meaning that comes across is that it is late in the game and the only way to get Clinton on the ticket is on Obama's coattails. So, despite the hocus-pocus of Clinton/Obama, the true meaning of this effort is to at least get Hillary on the ticket, so the hidden premise is Obama/Clinton. However, I don't think it will work. Obama has several better choices, including at least one female, Kathleen Sebelius, two-time governor of Kansas, an early Obama supporter.
Who knows, but the entire thing is a bit odd if you ask me. Personally, my preferred ticket is Obama-Webb (or Obama-Clark, Obama-Napolitano, Obama-Sebelius...). Maybe President Obama might consider Hillary Clinton for a cabinet post, perhaps she could run for Senate Majority Leader, or maybe she could just stay as a fine U.S. Senator from the great state of New York? Maybe we should start a website pushing those alternatives. Just a thought. :)
UPDATE: Adam tells me, "The initial launch is in support of the ticket I want, Clinton-Obama. But when I launch the larger unity site next week, it will have a section for those or support the other way around."
Frankly, I'd like her to just go away. A few months ago I thought she would make a very effective Senate Majority Leader (Harry Reid has indicated that he'd like to pass the torch to someone else next year). Since that time she has convinced me that she is a liar who will do anything, slander anyone and kiss up to racists in the pursuit of power. I don't want someone of such poor character and low ethics to be running the justice department or to hold any position in government at all.
Hillary Clinton and Mark Penn are the Democratic party's echo of Bush and Rove. In fact, it can be argued that a large measure of their case for the nomination has been that only people as ruthless and unethical as Bush and Rove can guarantee a Democratic victory. I want them both gone. I don't want my party corrupted with that.
But what's in it for her as VP? If she takes that she's at best 8 years from a shot at President. She'd be getting much closer to an (artificial) age ceiling by then. Not out of the question by any means, but the older she gets the more that age discrimination would creep in. She may feel that a long shot this year is a better opportunity than a clean start in 8 years. Plus, given the Clinton mentality, I doubt she's even considering a VP scenario.
Perhaps she could approach Obama in the name party unity. Perhaps he would accept. It's a very long shot but I am glad to see when people like Adam push for a resolution to this infighting.
If anyone wants a real back room deal to be worked out, that doesn't happen as a result of websites and ads. It's a question of what 2 people think, those being Obama and Clinton. If Clinton was willing to settle for VP and if Obama was willing to give it to her then this deal would have been made a long time ago.
I think you are right about the age thing with Clinton. Over the last couple months she appears to have suddenly aged dramatically. The pace of this campaign seems to be taking a real physical toll on her. In 8 years, the moment will have passed. Listen to the reasons that most (not all) of her supporters cite for backing her. It's mostly relatively uninformed voters who know next to nothing about either candidate except that Hillary Clinton is Bill Clinton's wife and she was somehow 'strong' during the Monica Lewinski thing (as if that had any bearing on qualifications for President...).
In 8 years, it will have been almost 20 years since the Lewinski scandal. Old, old hat. There will be a generation of voters who weren't even born when that went down. And a chunk of her current base of older voters will be dead by then.
Hillary Clinton's campaign has been ALL ABOUT her time as first lady. It's like her career in the Senate never happened. She doesn't really have much to brag about from her years in the Senate. Trumpeting and voting for a flag-burning amendment, failing to even read the intelligence report before voting to invade Iraq, failing to bother to read the PATRIOT act before voting for it, voting to declare part of the Iranian military a terrorist organization, etc. etc. Her record since her days of presiding over tea parties as first lady has been AWFUL. No wonder she makes up stories about sniper fire and nightmarish hospitals. Anything but talking about her record in the Senate.
My point being that if she hadn't managed to do anything worth bragging about in her 7 years as a US Senator, she sure as hell isn't going to be able to do better as Vice President. 8 years from now, a lot of people will have trouble even remembering why they once thought she'd make a good president.
Nah, it was now or never for Hillary Clinton.
Crap, I tried to do that with a straight face, but just couldn't.
Also, see Rasmussen, which shows a 10-point Obama lead (51%-41%) over Clinton.
Assuming that the NY Dem. leaders can come up with a strong Senatorial candidate to replace Hillary -- which I believe they can -- I think Obama/Clinton would be a powerful ticket. Given what I think may be obvious that Hillary won't be interested in running for Pres. in 2016, or even 2012, I believe she would be a good VP and could help Obama in numerous areas and would have no political reason to do otherwise.
On the other hand, I think Clinton would be a much better Senate Majority Leader than Harry Reid and then there would be no risk of losing her Senate seat to the flat-earthers.
My bottom line is that if Obama does win the nomination, it seems to me that we have a win-win situation with respect to Hillary: VP or Senate Majority Leader. I don't see any advantage for the party, the country or Sen. Clinton in a Cabinet appointment. John Edwards, though, would be a superb HUD Secretary and could do tremendous good in that post.
T.C.
The Democratic veep prospects: A guide... Virginia Sen. Jim Webb
Pro: A decorated war veteran and former Republican from a key state, he looks perfect on paper.
Con: Blunt and unpredictable, he might be a reluctant campaigner. ...
Vote here: http://www.dailykos.com/tag/Ve...
At 57%, Governor Richardson appears to be the victor in the first semifinal over Governor Sebelius's 42%.
So will it be Jim Webb or Tim Kaine vs. Bill Richardson in the final? That vote will be this Wednesday.
Voting continues here for today only: http://www.dailykos.com/tag/Ve...
If Webb wins today's poll, the final will be tomorrow on Daily Kos. And it's looking like it will be Senator Webb vs. Governor Bill Richardson.
The commenters were furious when Dodd and Reed (RI) got kicked out. But those who read, vote, and move on appear to have a brain over at Daily Kos. Both Richardson and Webb would be solid VPs.
And with 3393 votes cast so far today in the final to select Obama's running mate on Daily Kos, Governor Bill Richardson is running ahead of Senator Jim Webb, 58% to 41%.
More than a hundred more votes have been cast just in the few minutes it took to write this post -- apparently, there's a lot of interest.
Vote here: