It's gonna be Obama/Clinton '08.

[kevyn]

Well isn't that interesting. She's still in the race.
After (barely) winning Ohio & Texas last night, Hillary Clinton managed to stay in the game, and is still competing against Barack Obama for the Democratic nomination for POTUS. Obama still has a slight delegate lead (he won Vermont yesterday), and if she hadn't won Ohio & Texas last night, he'd be the clear choice. But she managed to hang in there, and isn't conceding.

What's most interesting now is how close these two candidates actually are. The Democratic party appears to be almost evenly split between them.

I've said for months now that an Obama/Clinton ticket would be the ideal campaign for the Democrats to run this year, in the wake of eight years of George W. Bush. The American people are ready for fresh faces, and a fresh approach. They want change. A black man as president and a woman as vice president would be almost unstoppable. Old white guy vs. young black guy and groundbreaking woman: That's a contest that people will care about. That's a campaign that speaks of change.

Hillary supporters keep telling me that there's no way she'd accept the VP position -- she doesn't want to be a woman in second place to a president again -- but I think she might. Here's why:

Obama has the charisma that would make him ideal for "Cheerleader-in-chief." She, honestly, is less of a charismatic leader and more of a capable manager. He inspires. She directs. After 8 years of Bush, someone inspirational is more needed than a capable manager. If she and her advisers can get past her ego, they would see that, at this point in time, she's not the ideal candidate. It's not a slam against her capabilities, just a statement of where the people are.

Large swaths of the American people want to follow someone like Obama right now. She shouldn't fight that.

A woman as VP is still groundbreaking and history-making.

After 8 years as VP, she'll be well-positioned to go for the Presidency in '16. She's young enough, and if she does a bang-up job as VP, she'd be well-proven to the people as capable of filling the leadership slot.

If Obama were assassinated (c'mon, you know you've worried about it, admit it), she'd be in place to assume command, and prove herself.

An Obama/Clinton ticket would unite the Democrats.

Obama/Clinton vs McCain/(whoever) would be almost unstoppable.

Obama vs. McCain can credibly be framed as "pro war vs. anti-war." Clinton vs. McCain cannot.

But the MOST important reason I can see Clinton accepting the VP position:

Cheney has shown us that the office of the VP can wield a lot more power these days. She could make the changes she wants to make, more quietly, and from behind-the-scenes, if she takes the #2 position.

So, I've been mulling these points in my head the past couple of months, and then, today, we have this:

Clinton Hints At Sharing Ticket With Obama.

Yep. She'll consider it.

I's just a matter of time.

Comments

[man-of-snows.livejournal.com]

Large swaths of the American people want to follow someone like Obama right now. She shouldn't fight that.

I think this comment is like saying that since so many American's supported invading Iraq in the beginning that anti-war people, shouldn't protest it.

Voting by emotions or issues?

[gmjambear]

I was listening to one of the radio shows this morning and a few callers stated that if Hillary Clinton becomes the Democratic nominee, then they would opt out of voting. So even with 7+ embarrassing years of Bush, a few callers would choose to not vote because they don't like the person running. It is their right to choose not to vote but I think that's a cowardly way out of not changing the system.

In my humble opinion, for many voters, emotions will always trump issues. And when emotions cloud a voter's choices, unfortunately, status quo tends to be the norm. In addition, the people who choose not to vote are usually the ones who complain the loudest.

Late, but....

[detailbear.livejournal.com]

A while ago, I asked about an Obama/Clinton or Clinton/Obama ticket in a political/history-kind-of-bear's journal, and it was generally shot down quickly. Amazing how over time the unthinkable can become not only thinkable, but likely.

I know a bunch of USAians on-line that wouldn't vote for Hillary unless the alternative were Fred Phelps. And for a whole bunch of people, their perceptions of McCain and Clinton are too close to each other for it to be a big choice, regardless of their actual differences. Obama is different enough to influence those in the middle ground that everyone is after.

[seespikerun.livejournal.com]

god i hope it happens.... and maybe nader as head of defense?! kucinich as homeland security and ron paul as sacrificial lamb?

OK, I was wrong.

[kevynjacobs.livejournal.com]

Yes, I was wrong on this prediction. I totally did not see Biden coming.

But, I'm not surprised to see her get the Secretary of State nod -- though I object to it on anti-imperial grounds. I'd rather see her as Secretary of Health and Human Services, so she could push through Universal Health Care. It's is a shrewd move for Obama. He mollifies her supporters and brings her machine on board with this appointment. Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer. I knew she couldn't keep her hands off the levers of power.