Mar 5 (2008): "Breaking News: Hillary Clinton hints at joint ticket with Obama"

[JJ4Hillary]

Sen. Hillary Clinton, who some wrote off as all but finished in the race for the Democratic nomination for president, has pulled another surprise out of the hat that we never see her wearing.

The morning after regaining some political momentum by winning three of four primaries (after losing 12 in a row), the former first lady happened to mention on some early news shows the possibility of her and Sen. Barack Obama forming a joint ticket to face the new Republican nominee, Sen. John McCain.

With most political observers sound asleep after a long Tuesday evening that appeared to augur at least seven more weeks of possibly bitter and divisive struggle between the two Democrats until a potentially decisive Pennsylvania primary on April 22, Clinton went on some morning news programs, according to the Associated Press, and appeared to raise the possibility of a Clinton-Obama or Obama-Clinton ticket.

"That may be where this is headed," she said, "but, of course, we have to decide who is on the top of ticket. I think the people of Ohio very clearly said that it should be me."

It's a clever move to vault herself to the level of equal standing with the Illinois senator, who remains way more than 100 delegates ahead of Clinton in the nomination race. The idea does speak to what many Democrats have long regarded as a dream ticket combining the first serious African-American candidate with the first serious female candidate.

And it raises the prospect of a negotiated agreement that would avoid prolonged intra-party strife, while a victorious McCain forges ahead already with his general election campaign.

In the early morning hours two top Clinton advisors, Mark Penn and Harold Ickes, released a memo to "Interested Parties," that said: "With last night’s victories in Ohio and Texas, one thing is clear: the momentum has swung back to Hillary Clinton." At last that's what they'd like today's message to be as McCain meets at the White House for lunch and the official blessing of President and Mrs. Bush.

But the joint ticket idea may be more of a nightmare in the mind of Obama and his team, who thought they were about to finish Clinton off Tuesday only to see it slip through their hands and the struggle prolonged.

And Obama remains well ahead in delegates and popular votes, so he'd be unlikely to be interested in such a combination arrangement now, especially if she sees herself in the No. 1 spot with Obama as the No. 2. The proposal could well be an attempt to stall his momentum further.

Later, on the same CBS "Early Show" Obama referred to his delegate total as "close to an insurmountable lead." Clinton had minimized the gap calling it "smidgens of difference."

Plus, to be realistic, whomever is the Democratic vice president on any successful ticket lead by the New York senator will actually be forced to work with a pair of Clintons in the White House, making him potentially vice-vice-president.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2008/03/breaking-news-h.html

UMM OKAY, WHAT DO YOU GUYS THINK?:o:o

[CGP]

As much as his behavior and campaign have absolutely appalled me, if it means Clinton is the nominee, I would begrudingly accept BO as the VP. It's how it should have been all along. But his hunger for power took over. Obama should drop out now as he won only one of the big states and core democratic support is for Clinton, not him.

[debbrad]

I don't think I like the idea of it.......no not at all.

[CGP]

I don't think I like the idea of it.......no not at all.

I don't either. But I guess Hillary is being strategic because she knows, despite Obama's various flaws, millions of people still voted for him. It will be hard to ignore that. Just like it would be hard for him to ignore that millions voted for her. The positive side is that she would be the presidential nominee and could then teach him how to behave appropiately! He is nothing close to being presidential material.

[JJ4Hillary]

As much as his behavior and campaign have absolutely appalled me, if it means Clinton is the nominee, I would begrudingly accept BO as the VP. It's how it should have been all along. But his hunger for power took over. Obama should drop out now as he won only one of the big states and core democratic support is for Clinton, not him.

I KNOW, ODRAMA HAS THIS BIG EGO. HE THINKS EVERYTHING SHOULD GO HIS WAY. I DON'T EVEN THINK THIS WILL WORK, BECAUSE HILLARY IS STUBBORN TOO, YOU HAVE TO GO HER OR NO WAY.:p:p

ODRAMA IF YOU THINKING ABOUT TAKING THIS TICKET, YOU HAVE TO TAKE SOME ADVICE FROM BILL CLINTON. HILLARY IS NOT THE WOMEN YOU THINK YOU CAN PLAY WITH.:)

[EH]

I'd like to see if the tables were turned, would Obama consider Hillary as VP?

Answer: there's a better chance of finding a needle in a haystack.

[debbrad]

I don't either. But I guess Hillary is being strategic because she knows, despite Obama's various flaws, millions of people still voted for him. It will be hard to ignore that. Just like it would be hard for him to ignore that millions voted for her. The positive side is that she would be the presidential nominee and could then teach him how to behave appropiately! He is nothing close to being presidential material.

I think there is to much dirt out there on him and it could cause her to loose the White House......I could be wrong.....

[CGP]

I wonder what Hillary's logic/reasoning is?

I can see pros/cons either way! The biggest problem is that the bulk of his supporters would be so angry if he got nothing. That could be a big problem.

But I can also see he has so many drawbacks/baggage, and I wonder how that could then harm her in the election.

All up, I think the choice of the VP is less significant obviously than the choice of the presidential candidate.

Maybe we should look at Pros of having BO as VP and the Cons of have BO as VP?

There is also this thread about people's choices for VP for Hillary:

http://www.hillaryclintonforum.net/discussion/showthread.php?t=449

[CGP]

Similar article from Associated Press:

"Clinton Hints at Shared Ticket"

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/campaign_rdp

[Patsy]

As much as we may dislike Obama, on his principles, this may be something that is coming from the DNC to ensure that the Party remains "unified." Perhaps they have read the petition...

He may be getting the calls to consider it, but I don't know if his ego will allow it. I know if I were Hillary, I would certainly not consider the VP spot on his ticket, but she's winning the dem vote 2 to 1 and he would have to have that in Nov. to win.

Hard to say, but I think we should all consider what he would be like as a VP and how he may mature in 8 years. We already know he speaks well:) But, perhaps he can gain some much needed experience from her and let the dems keep the WH for 8-16 years.

[skc1976]

Personally, I have a HIGH DISLIKE for Barack Obama. I'd say hate, but that's a waste of energy. But I do dislike him a great deal.

However, if it meant him stepping down and being the Vice President on her ticket, I'd definitely give the vote to her for the Presidency. That's not going to change based on who she has on the ticket. I know that she's the most qualified for the job and has proven that she's ready on day one by actually having solutions to the issues of America and making them known, both verbally and in print.

Now, if the roles were flipped and he was at the top and she was in the VP slot, I'd have some serious reservations about voting for him. She'd make it appealing for sure, but I don't think I could consciously vote for a puppet that has ulterior motives and has proven he cannot be trusted. I don't want that in the White House for four years.

[CGP]

Another article:

"Clinton: This May be Headed to a Join Ticket"

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/03/05/clinton-this-may-be-headed-to-joint-ticket/

Feel free to submit a comment if you can bothered with CNN's moderating system!

[CGP]

Some of his comments after his LOSSES last night are really infuriating me. He is so arrogant, so smug, so dismissive. It will be hard to take a dive and accept him as the VP...But if it means Hillary is the Presidential nominee, we may just have to tolerate him...

You know, I don't even know if he would accept being the VP. He wants to be the top so this all may just be pointless speculation! I wish he'd come out and say he's not interested and then we could get back to considering better VP candidates (eg Wes Clark, John Edwards etc).

[Viktoriya]

I watch Obama a speech last night. He looked and talked like corporate junior manager. Nothing was inspiring. In addition, that he doesn’t have experience, he doesn’t have good sense how to respond quickly in pressures situation. He can not debate well. VP is person to take hit and to tell everybody what to do and do it quick. Obama is not coming across like such person.
But, if it is to unite party…

[Disfranchised]

I much much rather Hillary to pick someone like General Clark for his military experience, or Lt. General Honore who was handing out water in NewOrlean that him.

[Kelly]

I think the improbable-alliance... would be truly magnificant.
I think they both have very admirable qualities.
The two could certainly learn and benefit from one another.

[RAFREE]

I won't go for it if she is vp! No way! It sends a message that the shiny new charming young male can still be "daddy" to the more qualified female and I cannot go that.

BUT I do think if Howard Dean doesn't do something about this soon this party is going to hell in a handbasket.

For one thing there are a lot of us so enraged over the media bias all along that we won't vote for the coronation of Obama.

There's a lot of sour grapes in that camp today and he's said to the media "oh she whined about a biased media and you all fell for it and now she's won." or something along those lines!

They didn't "fall for it" IT WAS TRUE! He will use ANYTHING so shamelessly to shame others instead of looking at facts. Obama doesn't deal in facts.

At any rate IF it DID bring the party together and IF she was on top of the ticket then of course I would vote for that over McCain...but, Obama has a LOT to make up for right now...and we really need to think about who is McCain picking for a running mate?

[Patsy]

I won't go for it if she is vp! No way! It sends a message that the shiny new charming young male can still be "daddy" to the more qualified female and I cannot go that.

The arrogant presumption that the older, truly democratic base will go toward him in the election, but none of his supporters will go to her was the biggest turn off for me. There's no way I'll accept any Democratic ticket without Hillary at the top.

He's playing his supporters and the biased media won't even address the fact that the Republicans who have been messing around these Primaries are going straight for McCain in the General.

The Media and the Obamanuts are a Cult indeed.

[CGP]

Clinton/Obama ticket - I will begrudingly tolerate him as VP for the sake of party and voter unity.

Obama/Clinton ticket - NO WAY! TOTAL INJUSTICE! She must be the presidential candidate, period.

[CGP]

There's no way I'll accept any Democratic ticket without Hillary at the top.

Exactly what I just said! :)

There are many of us who feel the same way I think...

[RAFREE]

The arrogant presumption that the older, truly democratic base will go toward him in the election, but none of his supporters will go to her was the biggest turn off for me. There's no way I'll accept any Democratic ticket without Hillary at the top.

He's playing his supporters and the biased media won't even address the fact that the Republicans who have been messing around these Primaries are going straight for McCain in the General.

The Media and the Obamanuts are a Cult indeed.

Kitty before he said that, I wasn't so turned off by him yet but, it was a clincher for me. I think Dean fails to realize exactly how older core dems and most of her supporters in general feel about that.

And yes the media AND the DNC need to send out the message that dems are having votes to throw the election process made by republicans in every state. They have been caucusing for Obama. Talk about dirty politics. I don't see him having any problem with it and why should he? It's only those caucuses that threw anything his way when it came time to vote.

[JamieKuuipo]

OBAMBA IS SMOOTH ON THE SURFACE, HE WOULD NEVER CONSIDER VP

HE FEELS HE IS THE ONE , OB ONE canobe

HE FEEL HILLARY IS BENEATH HIM

It is hard to over look that this could be the dream ticket to win over republicans / both names on ticket / 1 st women , first black

He would be to proud to concied to vp, even though he protrays that he is different politician, His ego would not allow for doing the best thing for demorcrats to win the election even if it meant taking vp position.

However I do believe hillary would because she cares ,would do what is right for the demorcratic win.

HE MAY HAVE TO CONSIDER THE VP IF AND ONLY IF HE HAD NO OTHER CHOICE (BOTH OF THEM) . THATS WHAT THIS WILL GO DOWN TO

UNLESS ONE IS FORCED INTO IT TO GET IN TO THE WHITE HOUSE NEITHER WILL CONCEDE.

HILLARY HAS GOT TO TAKE IT TO HIM SHE MUST ALWAY HOLD UPPER HAND
IF NOT HE WILL KNOCK HER DOWN AND NOT LOOK BACK.

JAMIEKUUIPO