Obama, Clinton in truce talks?

[we vs us]

Here's a thinly sourced piece about CNN from Bloomberg regarding possible talks between the two candidates' camps.  The article reads, in total:

quote: Clinton Campaign in Talks With Obama About VP Slot, CNN Says  

By Chris Dolmetsch

May 23 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign is in formal talks with Senator Barack Obama's campaign about becoming his vice presidential running mate, CNN reported, without citing anyone specific.

The two Democratic campaigns are talking about ways for Clinton, from New York, to drop her bid for president that may include joining the Illinois senator's ticket, CNN reported. Talks are in a ``very preliminary'' stage and are described as ``difficult,'' the network said.

Not that I trust CNN's reporting farther than I can throw it, but rumors like this seem plausible to me. I'll keep watching the news feeds but this would be a great thing if it were happening.  Maybe get us to quit with the infighting and get to the general election already.

[Hometown]

There are two very important issues facing Democrats.

1.  Saving the Party from a permanent split.

2.  Winning the White House.

It's essential that Obama and Clinton are on the same ticket to accomplish No. 1.

Putting Obama and Clinton on the same ticket will greatly improve the odds of accomplishing No. 2.

Mario Cuomo said the same thing in so many words this past week.

And you can't accomplish No. 2 without achieving No. 1.

[okiebybirth]

quote:Originally posted by Hometown

There are two very important issues facing Democrats.

1.  Saving the Party from a permanent split.

2.  Winning the White House.

It's essential that Obama and Clinton are on the same ticket to accomplish No. 1.

Putting Obama and Clinton on the same ticket will greatly improve the odds of accomplishing No. 2.

Mario Cuomo said the same thing in so many words this past week.

And you can't accomplish No. 2 without achieving No. 1.

Personally, I'd rather see a Clinton Party and a Democratic Party before I see the fiasco of having a co-presidency.  Let's be honest, Hillary and Bill would not take a back seat to anyone, and the drama that would follow for the next four years would be worse than having McCain in office.

[rwarn17588]

I'm not saying it's going to happen, but I wouldn't be surprised to see an Obama-Clinton ticket.

Andrew Sullivan noted that Abraham Lincoln put many of his fiercest rivals on the Cabinet and managed them adeptly. He's not comparing Obama to Lincoln, just that there's a precedent for the "team of rivals" concept.

More here:

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2008/05/team-of-rival-3.html#more

[Conan71]

quote:Originally posted by rwarn17588

I'm not saying it's going to happen, but I wouldn't be surprised to see an Obama-Clinton ticket.

Andrew Sullivan noted that Abraham Lincoln put many of his fiercest rivals on the Cabinet and managed them adeptly. He's not comparing Obama to Lincoln, just that there's a precedent for the "team of rivals" concept.

More here:

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2008/05/team-of-rival-3.html#more

I simply cannot imagine Hillary's ego allowing her to be Veep, unless it's the only way she and Bill can repay some quid pro quo's. []  

It's certainly not un-charted territory for former primary rivals to join forces in the general.

I think what you are mentioning could really be best for America.  It would make sense to bring in those with opposing viewpoints to the table to stimulate compromise or new ideas.

A friend had sent me a video the other day with one of the debates with Edwards, Clinton, and Obama.  Edwards really took Obama to task over abstaining on many votes in the Senate so as not to have a controversial track record on issues.  The specific challenge, I recall was Edwards claiming he and Clinton had faced their obligation of voting on issues and not merely being present.

I guess I shouldn't be surprised at his support because Edwards is definitely a populist and opportunist.  Something tells me if Hillary were ahead, Edwards would have swung her way.

[Conan71]

Someone mis-spoke in their leak to Bloomberg:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080523/ap_on_el_pr/clinton

Hillary denies such talks have happened.

[RecycleMichael]

The most important democrat in America this summer is the presidential challenger who finishes second.

If a relationship can be made between the two without being screwed up by the press, then all the campaign between them will be in the past. I hope they get a chance to sip some wine or drink a shot/beer in quiet.

Politics and alcohol are the cause and solution to many of life's problems.

[custosnox]

I just tried to follow the path that would be likely to come about with these two on the same ticket, and I just experiance brainlock.  Now if you will excuse me, I need to go empty a can of WD-40 into my ear in the hopes that it unseizes my logic reasonings.

[Gaspar]

With her suggestion of a possible assassination attempt on Obama, I seriously doubt that the DNC would allow her a VP seat.  It would be a source of constant commentary and a distraction that would threaten Obama's chances against McCain.

Then on the horrible chance that such should ever happen she would be surrounded in conspiracy that would damage the DNC irreparably (because the VP seat is ultimately the delegates decision at the convention, unlike the RNC rules).

She has eliminated the chance for a VP seat, or a supreme court nomination.

[bugo]

quote:Originally posted by Gaspar

With her suggestion of a possible assassination attempt on Obama, I seriously doubt that the DNC would allow her a VP seat.  It would be a source of constant commentary and a distraction that would threaten Obama's chances against McCain.

Then on the horrible chance that such should ever happen she would be surrounded in conspiracy that would damage the DNC irreparably (because the VP seat is ultimately the delegates decision at the convention, unlike the RNC rules).

Exactly.  If for some reason Obama were assassinated, most fingers would point at Hillary because of her numerous comments about assassination.  And many already believe that the Clintons have a trail of blood (I don't necessarily believe it, but some of the deaths are suspicious and it is plausible that they could have paid somebody to do it) so it wouldn't be a jump at all from murdering Vince Foster to assassinating a President in their minds.

quote:

She has eliminated the chance for a VP seat, or a supreme court nomination.

I certainly hope cooler heads will prevail and that the Obama campaign offers the VP job to somebody else (Edwards has always been my first choice, but Al Gore would be OK as well.  Gore has Clinton ties that were somewhat weakened in the aftermath of 2000 so he's the perfect distance from the Clintons, close enough to appeal to Clinton faithful but far enough away to alleviate worries that the Clintons might have too much influence on the Presidency) besides Hillary.  Hillary is a poison to her party and nobody should encourage her to do any more damage by offering her a job like the VP position.  Not to mention the damage that is being done to Bill Clinton's presidential legacy.  It's time for Hillary to give up on politics and find something else to do.  I hear former politicians can make millions of dollars giving speeches.

[custosnox]

okay, done greasing the wheels so that hopefully I won't have a meltdown here.  Now while we all agree that the possibility of Hillary becoming Obama's VP is slim, to none, to non-existant, I still wanted to mentally entertain this thought for a moment. The conclusion I came to about an Obama-Hillary colition is this:  If you were to combine the people savy, well spoken, thought out style of Obama, and throw in the intellectual ability, and straight forward business sence of Hillary, you could have a good team.  However, the struggles of the egos, splitting of personal agenda's, and some ethical reasoning difficulties, the team up would eventually (and by eventually, I mean really darn quickly) become self destructive.  The back-biting, the influintal differances, and the all out tug-o-war that would insue would end up hurting the country more then any positive aspects of such a team up could ever accomplish.  These are, of course, nothing more then my own personal opinions, and are just thrown out there for the general thought process.