MANY DEMOCRATS, including former New York governor Mario Cuomo on this page, have called for a Barack Obama-Hillary Clinton ticket. Despite its superficial appeal, this so-called dream ticket could be a nightmare for both.
He's trying to be a unifying force.Obama's appeal to independent voters and disgruntled Republicans rests on the promise of a nonpartisan approach. Hillary Clinton is a super-partisan figure. Putting her on the ticket would be like John McCain picking Newt Gingrich as his running mate.
All but one reason for selecting a running mate don't apply. Geographic strength (Obama can win New York without her); ideological appeal (she's just slightly more conservative); and compensating skills (both are senators) don't favor her. The role of attack dog, however, is one Clinton, among others, could handle.
Race would be back. Clinton's declaring that Obama is weak with "hard-working white Americans" would allow the news media and McCain allies to more legitimately discuss Obama's race and bigoted voting.
Working-class voters aren't permanently attached to her. Winning blue-collar and older white voters against a black man is one thing; winning them against a white man (and war hero) is quite another.
Bad chemistry. Remember Obama's comment at a debate after she said she liked him? "You're likable enough," he replied with what was called the warmth of a divorced man handing over the alimony check. Clinton has since called him "patronizing" and "elitist" and said she would never have stayed in his pastor's church. All of this can be seen on YouTube, the website that could affect politics in a big way this fall. It's already made Rev. Jeremiah Wright a source of misery for Obama.
Her experience argument worked against Obama, but it doesn't work against McCain. She said, "I have a lifetime of experience that I will bring to the White House. I know Senator McCain has a lifetime of experience. And Senator Obama has a speech he gave in 2002." More YouTube material.
Her negatives haven't gone away. In February, polling showed 49 percent of American voters were favorable toward her, 49 percent unfavorable. Today she's 46 percent favorable, 53 percent unfavorable.
The baggage. Obama doesn't want to spend 10 seconds discussing Travelgate, Whitewater, the Marc Rich pardon, Paula Jones, Gennifer Flowers, Monica, and donors to the Clinton library. But the Clintons don't believe in letting anything slide.
What about Bubba? If Bill Clinton couldn't control himself during his wife's campaign, how can he hold his tongue to "help" the man who beat her?
She loses either way. Barney Frank once said that there is good news and bad news about winning a race for Boston City Council. The good news is you'd be a Boston city councilor; the bad news is you'd be a Boston city councilor.
If Obama wins, Clinton would be vice president, a dead end job for four or eight years. If he loses, she'll surely get some of the blame, and the party's lack of interest in defeated candidates means she won't be at the top of the list in 2012.
Too much change.The first black and the first female with a legitimate chance to run the federal government could scare off older voters.
They have differences on some fundamental matters, such as change vs. experience, going to war in Iraq, negotiating with America's enemies, and making health insurance coverage mandatory.
She could be grafted onto the ticket.The pro-Clinton blog, My DD, ran a post by Andre Walker that revealed that party rules say, "It takes the signatures of not less than 300 and no more than 600 delegate votes" plus the proposed nominee's written approval to place a candidate's name into nomination for vice president.
If her delegates come to the convention determined to leave with a parting gift of Clinton on the ticket, and she agrees, can Obama stop her?
Poker face.He could put her on the ticket and challenge the Clintons to go all-out to win in November. Or he could say no deal. He calls himself a pretty good poker player. Those who played with him say he's cautious and hard to read.
http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2008/05/22/not_the_ticket_of_dreams/
Printer-friendly format
Email this thread to a friend
Bookmark this thread
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
