If not Obama's First Choice, why would Hillary want the VP spot, since he decides her duties?

[WA98070]

[rurallib]

1. In that vein, does Bush decide Darthy's duties?

[goldcanyonaz]

2. i think darthy decides bush's duties.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

3. yeah like bush does cheney's

[WA98070]

5. Cheney was Bush's only choice. And yes, his duties are what Bush wants, whatever Cheney wants.

[msallied]

6. Bush lacks the ability to read a book or feed himself

So of course Darth would take on a different role. I don't see the dynamic as being the same with the future President/VP.

[izzie]

10. I think this was a deal. I have been trying to think back in this and

if I re-call Clinton was the first to bring the Vice-President into the WH. With his own office. They usually had an office in that old building behind the WH. I do not think Hillary's style would go with Obama and I am betting she comes with Bill. I see Obama as getting working 'whites' as he has done it over and over in many states. It seems to be the die-hards in the Mt. states that will not go with him. Look at the Va. Map. West part of state was like the other states with the same type pop. They are just going to stay in the old style of thinking like their grandparents etc. I think Hillary would hurt Obama and not help.

[tritsofme]

4. POTUS doesn't have constitutional authority over VPOTUS

It usually works out that way, but you could technically have a president and VP that are constantly at odds with eachother.

The difference being of course that POTUS could consolidate all the power into his office, where the only real responsibility of VPOTUS is to be president of the Senate.

[msallied]

7. Isn't that how it's generally been?

At least until Bush/Cheney changed everything? The VP used to be looked at as pretty much the most boring job in the administration. lol

[WeDidIt]

12. You're right, but you're wrong

Contitutionally, there are two duties for the Vice President. They preside over the Senate and cast the tie breaking vote and they sit and wait for something to happen to the president.

Anything beyond those duties is 100% determined by the president.

Obama doesn't even have to give his Veep an office.

[Stop Cornyn]

8. Hillary's weakness as a VP candidate would be her diviseness. If elected, she'd be a wicked good VP.

I bet Obama personally feels the same way.

If, for example, 1 month into his second term, Obama's VP suddenly retired, I think a Hillary appointment would make a lot of sense. But in terms of having her on the ticket, I just cannot see picking a VP who actually costs the ticket votes (I'm not saying she'd cost the ticket NET votes, but she have a substantial minus column as well as a plus column in the votes-gained-versus-votes-lost analysis)

[WeDidIt]

9. Precedent as set by Washington

Adams was included in no aspect whatsoever of the Washington administration.

The only constitutional duties of a vice president is to preside over the Senate and wait for something to happen to the person who occupies the big chair.

Other than that, the Vice President has no duties outside whatever bones the president chooses to throw them.

I guarantee you, Hillary does not want that job..

[Hepburn]

11. Just from watching Hillary for a long time now...

...what I am thinking about her wanting the VP position is so she can get her foot in the door and then take over.

JMHO

[book_worm]

13. Why would he even offer VP to somebody who doesn't think he's ready to be commander in chief?

[WA98070]

16. I started this thread in response to the forced vote for her at the convention thread.

[TexasObserver]

14. because she would do whatever she wanted

He'd have to put her under house arrest to stop her from running off the leash.

[highplainsdem]

15. Because he's much less likely to win the GE without her.

And she cares about the Supreme Court and all those other issues, too.

If he wants to extend an olive branch and make it clear to her supporters that he's concerned about them and wants their vote, asking her to be his VP is the best way to do it.

I doubt this would be terribly easy for either Clinton or Obama.

But this would be the best way to convince her supporters to vote for him.

And it might be the only way he can get his supporters to stop bashing Hillary's supporters and driving them away.

[ginnyinWI]

17. Well, what if he chose a woman other than Hillary?

Would that make HRC fans okay with him as a candidate? Like what if he chose, Claire McCaskill, who has been a loyal advocate from the start? He needs someone without baggage who is also well qualified. And maybe a woman running mate would inspire those women who desperately wish to see a female President some day.

[highplainsdem]

18. If the situation were reversed, would Obama supporters be thrilled if the VP were

another black politician? If Hillary thought she could get all his supporters while ignoring him, just by picking another AA man with fairly similar views?

Are you kidding?

Can't you understand how these suggestions sound?

Think of the condescension inherent in suggesting that Hillary's supporters would find Obama choosing another woman as his running mate perfectly okay.

"Those women politicans, they all look alike -- who'd know the difference?"

[ginnyinWI]

19. but there is a difference--you can't really reverse it that way.

Obama isn't running as the first black President, and Hillary is running as the first woman President. She's said so many times. And we hear talk about her supporters hanging on because they want to see a woman take the office. That's why I'm thinking that a woman running mate would go at least part way toward making those same women happier with Obama. She wouldn't be Hillary, but she'd be a woman in the second highest office.

Of course if Obama should do this, people would say he's pandering. And if he chooses a white man, people will say he's pandering for the white male vote. And if he picks Bill Richardson, people will say he's pandering to the Latino vote. I don't know who he could pick and not be accused of something--unless he picks a black male. Then they'd be saying something else.

[WA98296]

20. BS, putting her on the ticket makes his entire campaign of Change a just Slogan

Besides, I can't imagine that he wants Bill Clinton as a co-vice president