It seems like Hillary is crossing her arms and refusing to get off the playground, until Obama makes her VP. There are some real pros and cons to giving into her demands.
Question of the Day: Should Obama make Hillary his VP?
10 thoughts on “Question of the Day: Hillary as V.P.”
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Apt. 11d 
I think it’s unacceptable if it’s “giving in to her demands.” “Giving in” would undermine Obama’s claim to the nomination and weaken him as a candidate.
And, unfortunately, I think the tenor of the primary campaign has made it difficult to be freely offered.
(and, of course, there’s the Onion joke about the nightmare ticket: Obama/Clinton/McCain, in no particular order. How three? a new office of “middle president”)
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I remember when Bush won (or “won”) in 2000, and there was a feeling that — even if he did receive the proper number of electoral votes — that the race was essentially tied, give or take 1%, and that he shouldn’t act like he had a “mandate” to implement all of his policies and desires. There was a lot of anger that he acted like once he got his 1-point victory, that he could do whatever he wanted and completely ignore 1/2 of the country.
I voted for Clinton, and I am sort of feeling that way again. Obama does not owe HILLARY anything. It is clear that he has more points that she does, as the system is designed.
Who Obama does have an obligation to (if he wants our financial contributions and time commitments — more than just a vote, which of course I will give him because he’s better than McCain) is to recognize the slightly under 1/2 of the Democrats who voted for Clinton and thought she was the better candidate.
Of course Obama CAN do whatever he wants. Bush was free to ignore Democrats for 8 years, because he didn’t really need them. Obama CAN ignore Clinton supporters, but he can’t both ignore them and THEN ask for their active support to get him elected.
So, no, Obama does not have to make Hillary his V.P. He could do that, or he could do a “Colin Powell as Secretary of State” equivalent for some position that will allow her to pursue the campaign themes she addressed.
There is no prize for “almost winning,” but making Hillary V.P. would be a good way of recognizing the half of the Democrats who did not vote for him.
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I agree with your analysis ragtime –but, I think the key is that he cannot appear to be or act compelled to have done it. He has to decide and eloquently support the idea that she is the *best* possible vp, if he’s going to choose her (and it has to be recognized that it’s his choice).
But, I don’t think she should want it. Honestly, the idea of seeing her in second place again does not make me at all happy, and I didn’t want her to be in first place. The VP position screams 2nd place. I’d rather she be first at something else (which might not be the senate, since first there seems to be largely based on seniority). Hey, I think she’s be a fine governor of NY, and I’m not saying that just ’cause that’s not my state. I’d be happy to have her as governor out here in my corner of the world. And, she can run again when the (hopefully) Obama presidency is over. She won’t be too old at 68.
And, honestly, it freaks me out a bit, having her in the vp slot after the RFK argument. Wendy may not worry about Obama being assassinated, but a lot of people do. Folks started out fearful for Obama’s demise because he was black. Then, we layered on the Camelot mystique. Then RFK’s tragedy late in the election year was evoked. Adding someone who wants to be president as the VP just raises all those worries again, because it makes me think she thinks there’s a reasonable probability of becoming president by being vp.
She’s also the one candidate who doesn’t actually get the requisite additional experience by being vp (i.e. considering it a training ground for the next candidate), because she’s gotten that training already (as she says, as first lady). So, I don’t think she’s a good vp candidate (either for the country or for her).
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I think it’s time for her to concede and do everything she can to help Obama get elected in November. I think she would make a great Supreme Court Judge or Sec. of State. She’s proven that she is intelligent, strong and determined. I don’t think the VP spot is the right place for her. She’s a leader not a follower. Please, Hillary, call Obama and make peace and suggest maybe serving in his cabinet.
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I think the Obama and DNC high road has a shelf life of about 1 week until they drop the H-Bomb. Once Richardson steps up to the VP plate, Hill will go away with her head between her legs and will lose her next senate term.
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Here’s my almost-serious idea about this: Obama should offer Hillary the VP position contingent on her first getting a quick, amicable divorce from Bill. Drop you worst baggage, Hillary, and you’re on the ticket.
The problem with the “dream ticket” is that it includes Bill. In fact, if it were not for Bill, we might be asking whether Hillary should pick Obama for VP!
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As Ruth Marcus at the Washington Post wrote, “Obama does not need to, should not and almost surely will not offer the vice presidency to Clinton. The chemistry between them is too frosty and the level of trust nonexistent — not to mention that the White House is not big enough to accommodate three people who believe they should be president.”
I’ve watched myself and my friends morph in the past few months from people who supported one candidate or another, but felt that any of them would be good choices, to people who felt that the other candidate was not speaking for us at all. I lay most of the blame for that on “hard-working, white Americans” vs “latte lovers” Senator Clintons and some of her more, let’s call them enthusiastic, internet supporters.
It’s irritates me, the inference that Democratic voters will only vote for the Democratic nominee if he honors their candidate appropriately. I realize it might be the reality on the ground, but who created that dynamic? Oh yeah….
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I’d be disappointed if she accepted — being his VP would be a giant step down for her.
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“I’d be disappointed if she accepted — being his VP would be a giant step down for her.”
yeah, I said that in my long post above (although I think that would be true for being anyone’s vp, and not just Obama’s).
I don’t think she should serve in his administration as HHS secretary, either, though I think it would be fine for her to be offered. I don’t think she particularly wants to be a supreme court justice, either. I think she could *try* to be a significant Senate member, but the seniority system makes that awfully tough.
I’d like her to aim for governor, or if she wants to do something different, secretary general of the UN (I know that’s tough for an American to get, but I’d love to see a woman in that position). Governor could be a stepping stone to running for president again, while the UN isn’t.
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I think he needs to pick someone else who has a solid record of being against the war. McCain is going to be running a "tough on terrorism" campaign and he's already started comparing himself with HRC. (Trying to get her voters, but still.) I think that the more ways he can differentiate himself from McCain on the war, the better.
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