Do you think Obama is feeling more pressure to give Hillary the VP, or to not give Hillary the VP?

[RiverStone]

We know which way the wind blows on DU, but what about out there?

The good news is, I believe Obama has enough strength of character and leadership to not let the loudest drumbeat influence his VP choice.

[graywarrior]

1. I think he has a plan

a good plan.

[papau]

31. :-) tonights talking heads say Obama plans male VP but will fake looking at Hillary/other women - It

seems the press core has been told on an unofficial official basis that Obama's staff has sold him on "keeping the change message pure - meaning no Hillary".

So it is all a fake out - Caroline is on the vetting committee to just give cover for the eventual turn down of Hillary.

[CakeGrrl]

35. The "cover" is totally legit

He'll have plenty of reason to turn Hillary down as a result of the vetting - I can think of plenty of reasons without having the inside knowledge that the vetting team has. It says a lot that one of the pundits floated the idea that the Clintons might ask to have the vetting waived. As if!

Personally, I think her surrogates are hyping the "Hillary must be on the ticket" so they can get maximum disappointment out of her supporters all over again and keep the party divided over HRC as long as they can. First she loses to him, then he has the nerve not to invite her on the ticket? Oh, the outrage!

:eyes:

[iconicgnom]

36. tick tick tick. Obama won't pick Hillary because Hillary factored herself out of that equation

during her campaign.

[FrenchieCat]

2. Obama ain't feeling no pressure........

planning and plotting.

have faith. He's shown his mettle thus far.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

3. Equal.

[LakeSamish706]

4. I really think that Obama has surrounded himself with outstanding people...

and with there guidance, he will make the choice that is right for him. (Probably not Hillary)

[BklynChick]

5. I don't think he's feeling pressure. After much data, number crunching and talking to lots of

people, he will make a sound decision.

[RiverStone]

14. I also trust his process and decision, and yet -

It would be amazing if he did not at least feel pressure from some quarters. And if he truly has risen above feeling partisan pressure at all, then it just adds to the unique traits of a very unique person doing the right thing - at the right time - for a country in desperate need of a sea change in politics.

I hope your right BklynChick. :hi:

[iiibbb]

6. I trust Obama will make a rational decision N/T

[greguganus]

7. I don't think Hillary even crosses his mind anymore. n/t

[TomInTib]

13. I agree. They would have to be either crazy or desperate to pick her.

And I do not think that they are either.

[earthlover]

18. Oh pullleaaaaassssseeeee!

If Hillary does not cross his mind he has been sleeping during the last week. His name is not Rip Van Winkle, so I doubt it that happened.

After this week's concession speech, I think Hillary has made great strides to be someone to be seriously considered for VP. I had grave reservations about her, but now I view her as an acceptable choice, that is, if she keeps up her present tack (which I am now thinking she probably will).

Obama has to look at the pros and cons of each possible candidate. The pros of Hillary are that she can be an attack dog(the traditional role of vp candidate), she would help solidify the states of MI, OH and PA, nominating her would further unify the party, it would energize the woman and senior vote just as Obama energizes the young and AA vote. Both bring some negatives to the ticket, but Hillary's strength with blue collar Democrats may help offset some of these. Conversely, if she is selected there will not be a backlash of women against her NOT being nominated.

If I were Obama I would talk to her and tell her this....if she keeps up what she did Saturday, keeps praising OBama and speaking out for unity, and especially speaks out against McCain until the convention she gets the nod. If she back tracks, or sits things out between now and then, she doesn't get it. Simple as that. I could live with Hillary as VP if she does this. And this could be a winning ticket.

[CakeGrrl]

25. She's already poisoned the well, no matter what she does going forward

At the risk of being overly redundant, I guess I'll just repost this wherever I see the "HRC as VP" issue being brought up:

http://www.thepersonalispolitical.com/2008/06/why-no-nightmare-ticket-lets-count.html

It's a lenghty read, which in and of itself is telling.

Just to name THE big disqualifiers:

1. She gave the RW their talking point against Obama: 'John McCain has crossed the Commander-in-Chief threshold, and all Obama has is a speech.' She said this several times, and the McCain camp is already using it. There's no un-ringing that bell. How would it look for the McCain camp to run a tape of Obama being dissed by his own VP as not having sufficient qualifications to be CiC?

2. She voted for the IWR. She can't take it back, hasn't shown real remorse, and it would compromise Obama's ability to separate himself from John McCain on an issue critical to Obama's campaign.

3. She voted for Kyl-Lieberman (Iran as a terrorist state) - again, another issue on which she compromises Obama's upper ground.

4. She contradicts Obama's theme of "Change".

5. She has mentioned Bobby Kennedy - and not just the candidate, but his assassination- not once but several times during the course of this race when asked why she stays in it. Intentional or subliminal, it casts a shadow when your VP has mentioned assassination...which just happens to be THE way for them to become president. Take that as you will.


The speech on Saturday was part concession, part damage control. It does not wave a magic wand over the things that Hillary herself has done to hurt her chances at the VP nod.

[Diane R]

26. That concession speech didn't come close to rectifying the havoc she wrought. No Hillary VP.

[Genevieve]

28. "After this week's concession speech,

I think Hillary has made great strides to be someone to be seriously considered for VP."

I don't think one speech can undo all the negatives she created during her campaign.

Besides, the Clintons will not pass the vetting process. Bill has refused to disclose the names of donors to his presidential library and to The Clinton Foundation.

[Indiana_Dem]

32. I'm telling you-seriously-Indiana would be landslide win if they were together.

From the vibes I get around me from co-workers (both my husband and mine), friends, etc. They were originally Hillary supporters and they said they were hoping that she would get VP and that they will definitely be voting for them if they are together but they will not vote if they aren't!!! Indiana--along with the other Hillary "won" states--would be unstoppable landslides. I can guarantee it. I was reading there was an approximately 500,000 vote difference in the 2004 election in Indiana. Indiana has never gone blue since LBJ in 1968??? I can say with assurance that Hillary's supporters along with our?Obama's AA & youth population we would go blue easily! Obama only lost by 11k-14k votes here. With Hillary's people's votes we will win here. We doubled the Republicans voting numbers. I've been Obama all the way but I'm slowly warming to the idea of winning with Hillary on the ticket. I don't care how bad the slime would get--Hoosiers are in an anti-incumbent mood fiercely...it's just that there are some racist people here and a strong RW religious faction here. Some of them are Dems and some of them might cave if Hillary were on the ticket. The only way this state will go blue will be if Hillary is on the ticket.

[Cha]

22. Obama has a lot to do to win this election and

he's a focused priority kinda guy so, yeah, I think hilary's dramas are not on the forefront.

[DenverDem23]

8. How about THIS for a "plan"?

Obama creates a new "world diplomatic family" for Bill, Hillary, and Chelsea... to go to all corners of the globe, write books, speak at various world forums for hunger, AIDS, poverty, greenhouse/global warming etc etc. They can travel as a family, or as three separate people, ambassadors for America, representing the best of hope and the best of what America stands for.

THAT'S what I would ask Bill and Hillary and Chelsea to do for America, if I were Obama, but I am not Obama.

[ima_sinnic]

42. yes, I really like that idea too, but for snarky reasons

they would like doing it, they'd be good at it, and it would be a relief here as well to have them "elsewhere."

[Sparkly]

9. I don't think it's about pressure.

I think it's about strategy -- what (who) will best help him win.

I'm sure there are teams of people vetting candidates, scrutinizing polls and focus groups, calculating everything. They'll figure out where he stands to gain the most and lose the least -- it's a different equation with each possible pick. (Other candidates might gain fewer votes than Clinton among one group or in some states, but gain more than she could among other groups or in other states.)

[NanceGreggs]

10. He doesn't strike me as the type ...

... to "cave" to pressure, or even acknowledge it. He'll do what's best for his campaign going into the GE, nothing less.

[RiverStone]

16. Funny how the corporate MSM likes to roll out...

Talking head after talking head who love to 'should on' Obama regarding Hillary. Charlie Rangel and Dianne Feinstein both were on the tube this AM doing just that.

Hardly any of the pundits are simply saying - "he won't cave to pressure." The newest ratings promotion is to rev up the whole (will he or won't he) rhetoric. I'm guessing Obama does not watch much TV. :)

[NanceGreggs]

23. Thought the same thing ...

... when I saw a website (Lanny Davis is involved, surprise, surprise!) asking for contributions to fund TV ads encouraging Obama to name Hillary as VP.

(Of course, the ad pleaded with people who were "interested in an Obama/Clinton OR Clinton/Obama" ticket!)

Good thinking. No doubt a man whose campaign strategy has been as close to flawless as it gets will be choosing his running mate based on how many times a TV ad runs.

If that were the case, I'd surmise that the Magic Bullet is a shoe-in for the VP slot.

[CakeGrrl]

11. I think his practice of avoiding MSM coverage is coming in very handy right now

...and I agree that he's going to stick with the game plan, whatever it entails, that has brought him this far.

[TexasObserver]

12. He's not feeling the pressure, but I'm sure the Hillary side is trying to apply it

Those who are pro Hillary will mistakenly think they should lobby for her, but that isn't going to move Obama. Those who are opposed to Hillary already know he's not inclined to lean her direction. They know he will decided himself, so they aren't trying to put pressure on him.

[justinsb]

15. There is Zero chance of Hillary as VP

Given that she's only 'suspended' her campaign and hasn't released her delegates it means she's holding on just in case.

Since her campaign is still alive and only suspended and since Obama will have chosen a VP before the convention Hillary has effectively eliminated herself from the running. (Not that she was a good choice politically anyway).

[shraby]

17. I don't think Obama ever feels pressured to do

anything.

[27inCali]

19. Obama will choose who ever is best for the job

not what others force on him.

you know, what real leaders do///

[stillcool]

20. It sure seems like it to me..

but then he went and assembled that team for vetting potential running mates. Kind of put the kabosh on that, but for some reason the media and others are still pushing. They just don't want to give it up.

[MarjorieG]

21. Only concern Hills continuing popular vote claim undermines Obama win and getting her supporters.

[Breeze54]

24. "We know which way the wind blows on DU, but .." -- We do?!?

Could have fooled me!! :silly:

Who cares if he is or he isn't feeling "pressured"?!? :shrug:

It's simply not going to happen. Period. Take that to the bank.

[Genevieve]

27. No. eom

[hokies4ever]

29. The leak is out there about Bill's money to his library

He won't be feeling much pressure.

[justinaforjustice]

33. What's the Leak About? n/t

[hokies4ever]

37. Referring to the Wall Street Journal article that's been recently cited

by many people in the media. Here's one link about it (I don't subscribe to the WSJ, and don't feel like signing up for the free preview trial period):
http://www.weeklystandard.com/weblogs/TWSFP/2008/06/kristol_its_not_going_to_be_ob.asp

"The well-sourced Jackie Calmes reports in the Wall Street Journal that "close advisers to Sen. Obama are signaling that an Obama-Clinton ticket is highly unlikely." The way they’re signaling it is by suggesting that, even for Hillary to be considered, Bill Clinton would have to “release records of his business dealings and big donors to his presidential library.” No one thinks Bill Clinton is inclined to do this."

To me, it looks like the Obama camp didn't like the reports about Bill pushing for a unity ticket, so they made sure to leak info blaming Bill for being the reason that a unity ticket wasn't possible. That's the story of this campaign, Obama always besting Bill. :rofl:

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

30. He is a leader! He immediately took control over the DNC and proclaimed...

NO MORE LOBBYISTS AND NO MORE PAC MONEY! That is leadership.

To the media's chagrin, he took charge, emphatically telling them that the VP decision is his choice and that he will take him time to vet the candidates. He vowed that the next time we hear about a VP is when he formally makes the announcement. Until then, if it comes from anybody or anywhere else that is not Obama himself, then they are not to believe it.

That's true leadership that we can believe in!

[Breeze54]

34. Nothing new here... 'Dean calls for further limits on campaign contributions' --- 1/21/2004

Dean calls for further limits on campaign contributions

http://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/nation/president/2004-01-21-dean_x.htm

Updated 1/21/2004

MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) —

Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean wants to lower the limit of individual
campaign contributions from $2,000 to $250, part of a new focus on policy ideas...

Snip-->

Dean, who opted out of the public financing system for the race, said special interests
have bought both parties and that Washington lawmakers look after big donors instead of
ordinary people. The average donation to Dean's campaign is less than $100.

"One of the reasons they don't stand up for what's right is because they're always looking
at who contributed money to their campaign and figuring out whether they're going to be angry
or not," he said during a speech at his New Hampshire campaign headquarters. "So if we want
people to stand up for what's right, we have to have real campaign finance reform."

Dean said for every $100 that someone donates to a presidential campaign, the government should
match it with $500 and give the donor a $100 tax credit. He said the government should double spending
limits in the primary elections and increase the incentive for candidates to stay within the public financing system.

More....

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

38. So, are you implying that Obama's call to put a stop to lobbyist influence

and PAC money is simply empty rhetoric? I know that Dean wanted to implement his 50-state strategy but obviously couldn't, since the DLC effectively pushed him out of the race. But Obama has been able to put that strategy in motion. And regardless of what the naysayers think, he built a campaign from the grassroots where most of the donations came from small donors with an average gift of $96. It may not be something new, but we are witnessing it in action right before our eyes. Please give the man some credit. He has run a near perfect campaign and no one wants to give him credit for it.

[Breeze54]

40. Implying? I said it's NOTHING NEW....

It isn't new. We've been hearing about it for years. ...

[hokies4ever]

41. Bitter are we? The Hillary smackdown is almost complete.

:rofl:

[Breeze54]

47. I'm a Kucinich supporter, *^&%$*&# !

Talk about bitter? You should stop trying to cause trouble on this board.

It's OVER!! We have a nominee.

[faithfulcitizen]

39. I truly think her own behavior on Tuesday gave him an out. (And I hope he takes it.)

[vaberella]

43. Obama's people are strategists. Did you see his camp? He knows how to play politics

there's a plan. As for Female Veep as a "fake" BS. Nancy Pelosi has huge control and influence, she promoted Sebelius. Plus Webb promoted Sebelius. She has a strong reason to be a choice as well. Don't rule her out.

[Life Long Dem]

44. Clinton won't be the VP.

Bill Clinton is blocking the release of documents from the Clinton Presidential Library. Obama wants this vetted before any VP position would be offered and the Clinton's refuse.

It wouldn't be safe to chance a release of these documents for an October surprise, now would it?

[harun]

45. I think he does not feel pressured to pick her and will not

At this point I just don't think their leadership styles work together very well. No drama Obama cannot stay no drama with the Clintons around.

[quaker bill]

46. I expect that he is not

feeling pressured at all. He will make his choice through an orderly process and in the final analysis will select someone he can trust who has been sufficiently vetted for absence of political landmines. He will make an announcement at the convention and the party will approve it.

The party will not be seen to be pressuring him or questioning his choice. There is little evidence that the VP choice has a role in victory or defeat, unless the choice is catastrophically poor. Thorough vetting is designed to eliminate the truly poor choices.

People choose to vote for a Presidential candidate because they like the candidate, not on who he/she chooses to run with, unless the choice is so poor as to bring the candidate's judgement into question.