Is the VP slot Hillary's for the Asking? Does she want it?

[kennetha]

Though I personally still hope against hope that Hillary pulls of a late inning comeback and wins the nomination, I'm starting to wonder what she does if she doesn't win the nomination. In particular, I wonder if she would WANT the VP slot should Obama prevail. One hears on the street that the Clinton folks are convinced that Obama is a nearly sure loser in the fall. Would she want to be VP and go down with Obama? Losing VP candidates often run in the subsequent elections and they do sometimes get the nomination -- Mondale is the pertinent example. So maybe Hillary might think it was good positioning for 2012. Who knows.

But my real question is whether Obama could deny Hillary the VP slot if she decided she wanted it. I doubt she would be his first choice. Too much bad blood! But what is she decided to try and "force" her way on the ticket. Could he really afford to deny her a spot? Would it lead to a bitter (behind the scenes) fight at the convention? I doubt there would be an OPEN fight over the VP slot but I can see lots happening off the floor and behind the scenes. I'm thinking of Ford and Reagan in '76. Apparently Reagan drove a VERY hard bargain but in the end turned down the VP slot when Ford would basically not agree to make him co-president. I doubt Hillary would push that hard. But I can imagine her pushing pretty hard.

The main thing is that the party can't leave the convention divided and angry at each other. There has to be mutual accommodation. Hillary has to be fully onboard and Obama has to be sure not to alienate her half of the party any further.

I know that Obama folks would PREFER somebody else. They would especially prefer to have a VP who doesn't have an "independent" political base. They would want a VP who feels "beholden'" to and subservient to the President. Who wouldn't? But at some point "preference" has to give way to stark political reality.

And again, it's a question of whether Hillary really would want it and whether her and her supporters are prepared to play hardball to make it happen.

I personally have no idea obviously. But if I had to place a bet, I'd bet that she would want it.

[bowens43]

1. No it isn't hers for the asking.

It;s up to Obama

[kennetha]

3. Of course you're right in principle

I'm wondering about the politics of her wanting it and making it clear that she wants it. It seems to me that if she really makes it clear that she wants it, it would be politically difficult for him to not give it to her.

[newmajority]

2. You cannot combine change with the continued appeasement of the DLC

And you also can't run two senators on a ticket.

[kennetha]

5. Old thinking

We've got two Senators who have, between them, greatly energized ALL the constituencies of the democratic party. The problem is that they've each fired up half of the party and have each turned off the other half. It seems to me that the way for both halves of the party to remain energized is through a combined ticket.

Obama's message obviously doesn't sell to millions and millions of democrats. He has to reposition himself toward the Center to broaden his appeal beyond the constituencies he won in the primaries. This is something that winning candidates ALWAYS need to do.

[gateley]

15. Beyond the "change" vs "experience" argument,

my concern is Hillary's high unfavorable ratings among Reps.

It might heal US to have them kiss and make up, but how would such a ticket fare in the GE? It won't be only Dems voting.

Plus, also strategically, we'd be trying to break two glass ceilings at once. I'm not sure how well that would be embraced. You've got the people who won't vote for a black guy and the people who won't vote for a woman coming together.

[Brotherjohn]

7. Exactly; "Change" is the theme of his campaign, and the desire for change....

... is the main reason he has garnered so much support (of course it has to be a competent candidate pushing for change to work).

Selecting Clinton as his VP would undercut the message of his entire campaign, and potentially cut the legs out from beneath it.

And I'm pretty sure Clinton knows that.

She would probably much prefer to be Sec. of State or a Supreme Court justice anyway.

[kennetha]

9. But change only attracted half the democrats

And besides repositioning isn't hard at all.

You don't think having a AA POTUS and a female VPOTUS would represent change?

[Brotherjohn]

16. No, I don't think it would. Not from a policy perspective.

That would only be the case if the only qualifications that mattered were gender and race. Clinton is a lot more than her gender, and Obama is a lot more than his race. It would be foolish of Obama to "reposition" what his campaign is all about this late in the game.

Obama's message of "change" has nothing to do with his race. It has everything to do with the war (and to an extent the economy, and bringing in "fresh blood"). But the voters know the war is largely responsible for the poor economy, so the two issues are irrevocably intertwined. And I am not going to get into this debate again (search my earlier posts), but Clinton's IWR vote makes her definitley NOT a good candidate for change.

[Brotherjohn]

17. And as for change only attracting half the Dems, you assume the other half wants no change and...

... will vote McCain or not at all. Do the Dems who voted for Clinton want "no change"? Have they enjoyed the Bush years? Of course not.

That half wants change too, from any Republican. Most of them will vote Obama if he is the nominee.

[ElkHunter]

4. I don't think giving the VP slot to Hillary makes much sense...

...but I'd certainly vote for the ticket. Personally, though, I think the Obama campaign would be better off negotiating a position for her to become Senate Majority Leader or a nomination for the first opening on the Supreme Court.

[John Q. Citizen]

13. Just because somebody ran doesn't mean they are owed something.

Dean ran for president and lost.

I recall he had to win election to the DNC, it wasn't "given" to him.

Obama cannot make the Senators elect Clinton as Senate Majority Leader. Clinton would have to run for it, and if she has the votes, then she would win. If not, she would lose.

When was the last time someone appointed a politician for the Supreme Court? I'm just curious.

[jgraz]

6. You guys play "hard ball" all you want. We'll be over here electing a president

:eyes:

[kennetha]

8. Without our help and enthusiastic participation

You're chances go down a bit, don't you think?

Remember Carter and Kennedy and the rift that never heeled? That helped bring us Ronnie boy.

[mac2]

10. Fear won't win us an election.

[jgraz]

11. Nope. I think our chances actually increase

After all, your "help and enthusiastic participation" resulted in a crushing defeat for your well-funded, household-name candidate.

That's ok, you just sit over there. We'll take it from here.

[John Q. Citizen]

14. So Clinton supporters want to bring us Ronnie boy in order to avenge their loss?

Is your argument that if Carter had dumped Mondale and offered the VP to Kennedy then Reagan would have lost?

No one can make you help or participate. That's something you, as an individual have to decide for yourself.

When you say "our" do you mean that you are the spokesperson/representative for some group or organization?

[kennetha]

18. No that's not my argument

It was about the party not coming together after that bitter nomination fight -- in which Teddy, by the way, took it all the way to the convention with only 1/3 of the delegates behind him.

By "our" I mean those people who enthusiastically worked for and supported (with hours and hours of time and money) Clinton

[John Q. Citizen]

20. The folks I know who supported Clinton have already pledged to work for Obama.

They liked Sen. Clinton better but they know that Obama is the nominee. And they aren't suddenly going to start voting Repo.

[melody]

19. So you're going to encourage that and help get McCain elected? n/t

[donheld]

23. Please stop with the blackmail! It's so not cool

[ccharles000]

12. she would be a great VP.

[jsmirman]

21. 1) No. 2) who cares (see #1)

nm

[donheld]

22. "1) No. 2) who cares (see #1)" Exactly right