My bet: Obama and Clinton "leak" that he offered her the VP slot

[ruggerson]

and that she turned him down, wanting to return to the Senate and help him in the fall.

When the rumor surfaces, both camps, of course, vehemently deny that any such offer ever took place.

If they do this right, she then gets up at the convention, during prime time, and gives the nominating speech for the actual Veep candidate (Clark, Webb, whomever).

This allows Obama to gallantly reach out to her constituency, it allows Clinton to be gracious and get out of a job she really does not want to do, and it allows her to send a clear message to her supporters that she fully supports the ticket.

It could be a PR masterpiece, but it has to be handled with great finesse.

[GarbagemanLB]

1. No matter what happens, she will definitely have a big, primetime slot at the convention.

[MichiganVote]

2. Agreed

[ruggerson]

10. Well that's a given

but the last thing Obama wants is a redux of Carter/Kennedy in 1980.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

13. I'm OK with that as long as there isn't a big crowd or a speech.

Enough!

:sarcasm:

[Oleladylib]

40. Never enough...not until 8 years from now when we discuss it again.

[PM7nj]

3. Do you think she doesn't want the Vice Presidency?

I doubt she would go along with this is she actually did want to be VP.

[ruggerson]

7. I don't think there's a chance in hell

she wants to be VP. He would have to talk her into it, and I don't think he's inclined to.

[papau]

28. He needs to talk her into accepting VP = point out its traditional when party split 50/50

There is a danger of a permanent new alignment if older women and senior males are not given the Hill as VP crumb.

Anger and get even feeling can last a few cycles.

[donheld]

64. "point out its traditional when party split 50/50"

Can you site one other time when that happened?

[anigbrowl]

34. Yeah, that's what I think

being a VP requires letting your boss take a lot of credit. It's a thankless job, would involve crazy political baggage, and not bring the maximum benefit to either of them. Best for her would be leading the senate, where she's have room to disagree with him openly on some issues thanks to the separation of powers.

[TahitiNut]

49. I think the chances are good that Obama will tell her: ...

... "You can say you turned down the Vice President spot and I won't ever contradict you. I'm going with ____."

Lets her save face and Obama only 'lies' by omission ... by not contradicting her.

[thunder rising]

4. So far it's just been scorched earth. So, I don't see her doing anything but creating chaos.

[anigbrowl]

5. In this instance, I agree with you 100%

We frequently disagree, but this is also my reading of the situation. Clinton has far more political freedom and power in a senior senate role than she could as VP.

[ProSense]

6. Can someone explain why Hillary is still talking like this:

A Conversation of Heart

BY TAYLOR MARSH

It was just between Hillary Clinton and bloggers who have her back.

I taped it for all of you so you could hear it for yourself.

Peter Daou introduces the call, which included bloggers who support Clinton, especially on getting the votes counted in Michigan and Florida. But invitations had absolutely nothing to do with blog clout or traffic. It was about talking to and thanking people, because we're all in this together. Clinton's appreciation is evident in every word exchanged. It reminds me of seeing her at the women's generation event in D.C. last week. When she came over, saw me, took my hands, then said, "Thank you. Thank you." That was the tone and message of the call from Clinton.

PODCAST: http://www.taylormarsh.com/podcast/mp3/stream.2008-05-16.134204.mp3">Senator Clinton Chats with Pro Hillary Bloggers

It's doubtful that anything surprised the insiders of the Clinton campaign more than the relationship Hillary has experienced with her online supporters, but especially the bloggers who have made the case for Clinton as time has passed.

We've got your back, Hillary. We're in it all the way.

Seriously, this is not unity talk.

A Blogger Call With Hillary Clinton: It's the Map Not the Math

We had a great blogger call with a very hoarse Hillary Clinton today. It was just for bloggers so she could thank us for our support.

She is staying in the race. She is ahead in the popular vote by 50,000 votes, counting Florida and Michigan which must be counted. She intends to continue to lead in the popular vote when June 3 comes around and everyone has voted.

The number one message: It's the map not the math. In addition to the popular vote, the electoral map shows her with a cushion and Obama with a deficit. She has won 311 electoral votes to Obama's 217. While a few of her's like Texas and Oklahoma will be a challenge in November, many of his states will be: Alaska, Idaho, Utah, to name a few.

more

[GarbagemanLB]

20. You have to have some reasoning for your followers as to why you are staying in the race.

As Andrea Mitchell reported this morning, her camp knows it is over. She feels it necessary to finish through all the primaries because she owes her devoted supporters. After that, she will endorse Obama.

[hendo]

31. yup, may as well follow through and spend more money that she doesn't have

She has already blown through far more money than most candidates could ever hope to raise, oh wait, thats right, she didn't raise it, oh well.

Once you start running on borrowed money, it gets increasingly hard to realized that some people actually work for the small amount that they make. I just hope that her supporters take care of themselves before they throw more money into a losing battle.

[ProSense]

35. Sorry, that was not that kind of call. n/t

[GarbagemanLB]

36. You are reading too much into it. Obviously her supporters expect a LOGICAL reason for going

forward. They want to know the 'endgame'.

What, you expect her to say, "It's over, but I'm going forward anyway for the hell of it"?

[ProSense]

37. No, not reading anything into it. She sounds pathetic

She sounds like she has gone off the deep end, going on about how she would win, how she's leading in the popular vote (lie), and claiming that Obama has refused to debate her. Debate her?

There are some things that she needs to let go of now, a debate is one of them.



edited typo

[GarbagemanLB]

44. All right. After doing some more research, I agree. She is not helping heal any rifts with this talk

[KAZ]

8. Not a chance in hell. Good rumor though.

[Condem]

9. I kinda hope he did, ruggerson.

Something in me says I kinda hope she.....

[leftofcool]

11. Hillary does not want the VP slot and she will not try to fool

her voters

[OzarkDem]

12. I don't see Clinton doing something so lame

She is, after all, the better candidate and she actually cares about what happens to our country.

[ruggerson]

14. it's called politics

they both can "deny" it publicly when the rumor surfaces.

[SoonerPride]

16. Hillary will endorse Obama. And she'll vote for him too.

I'm sure you'll follow her lead.

[AllentownJake]

18. Your Naive

Hillary and Barack are both politians who know how the game is played.

If either of them in anyway seems like they totally doesn't endorse the nominee after this is over they'll be chairing the senate committee on Dog Catchers and Genital Warts.

[OzarkDem]

21. Got a link?

As we say in the Ozarks, you can defecate in one hand and wish in the other - see which one fills up faster.

[AllentownJake]

24. The Senate Leadership

would punish either of them and totally marinalize them if they dared to not support the nominee. That goes for Barack if Hillary pulls this off and he shits on her chances.

[OzarkDem]

25. Harry Reid?

Remember who you're talking about. Reid will be lucky to hold onto his job.

[AllentownJake]

26. It doesn't matter who the majority leader is

and yes they do punish politians who get way out of line.

The only saving Joe right now is if he caucauses with the GOP they take control of the senate.

[OzarkDem]

27. Our leadership wouldn't know what "in line" is

They've been propping up Bush and the GOP in Congress for so long, they've lost any idea of what the Democratic party stands for.

Time to teach them a lesson.

[AllentownJake]

29. Good luck with that

I'm sure Nancy Pelosi is going to lose her seat as well :sarcasm:

I'm a party man.

[OzarkDem]

32. She will lose her job as leader

The people of her district can keep her as long as they want, that's for them to decide. But neither she nor Reid will last as leaders, and for good reason. They're nothing more than GOP enablers, corporate lackeys and spineless fools.

[cali]

46. do you know even the most rudimentary things about politics?

rhetorical question. Pelosi will not lose the leadership. I don't think she's particularly a good speaker, but she's in absolutely no danger of losing the speakership. None. Do try and make a modicum of sense.

[David Zephyr]

65. Pelosi is secure. I agree.

In fact, Pelosi would make a good VP consideration. She's already next in line to be Prez after Cheney. It would really only move her up one slot.

[mythyc]

30. .

.



:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

thanks, i needed that... always good for a laugh!

[Obamaniac]

15. You give Hillary too much credit

My prediction is that she keeps moving the goal posts and takes it all the way to the Convention after she claims the popular vote (by counting Michigan which she initially said wouldn't count, where Obama wasn't even on the ballot and didn't recieve any votes; and also by not counting any of the projected caucus states he won). She will lose the nomination after an extremely bitter fight where she and her minnions put up a credential fight. After she loses all of that, she will try to worm her way on the ticket by putting her name up against whoever Obama chooses for his VP and again we get a second nasty floor battle in 24 hours involving Hillary Clinton.

After losing that, she will demand to be allowed to address her supporters on Thursday night primetime with every second of her crusade being given wall-to-wall coverage on the cable news networks.

Finally once Obama has secured the nomination, she will offer him tepid support.

[GarbagemanLB]

17. and have no future in the Democratic party ever again. Yeah...not likely. She knows the game.

[ruggerson]

19. exactly

[AllentownJake]

22. If she did that

she can talk to Lieberman after the Dems take a few more seats in congress on how having their offices moved to West Virginia and not being assigned to any committees feels

[RichardRay]

23. Very possibly!!

He 'offers' the VP slot.

She 'refuses' it.

She nominates a surrogate more or less acceptable to both campaigns (that's why I like Clark for that role).

He graciously accepts the inevitable.

We all move on to the GE.

She returns to her Senate seat and stays there until she's the 'Grand Dame' of the U.S. Congress.

[DU GrovelBot]

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[mmonk]

38. That would be one way but it would take quite a bit of logistics

and careful control.

[Oleladylib]

39. So much bullshit and so condescending.

[anonymous171]

68. Why is it condescending?

[AtomicKitten]

41. No, she lost. VP is not a consolation prize. There is no second place.

And nobody has to pretend Hillary is a precious child that must be coddled. She has run like a Republican against Barack and will be lucky to not be shunned by the party. She needs to grow up and concede, and allow the rest of the party to get down to the serious task at hand and that is beating John McCain.

[ruggerson]

42. I guess you weren't paying much attention in 1980

[AtomicKitten]

43. so you're saying we should all kowtow to the poor sport or else, right?

:puke:

[ruggerson]

45. No, I'm saying rational people understand that politics is about coalition building

not insane, demented, vitriolic, endless feuding and animosity.

[Lord Helmet]

53. her campaign is "insane, demented, vitriolic, endless feuding & animosity"

You expect everybody to just play nice b/cause you say so?

I don't think you know what coalition building takes, dude.

[ruggerson]

55. Indeed I do, dude

I don't think you understand politics 101.

[Lord Helmet]

56. quit trying to smooth over her bullshit becuase it's not working

you don't understand the impact of her ugly campaign

[ruggerson]

57. Good thing Obama himself

is not anything like you.

[Lord Helmet]

58. you might want to try some introspection and ask yourself

why you support such a divisive, ugly, race baiter like Clinton

I voted for Kucinich, smartass, so now what?

[ruggerson]

60. If I thought she was any of the things you

accuse her of being, I might take you seriously.

But, I don't. So, I don't.

[thoughtcrime1984]

50. No, he is saying that Hillary and Obama pretend that he offered and she declined

The end result is that she is NOT VP. I like Clark as a possible VP, but any other potential Hillary backer VP leaves me cold. I would like Sebelius first, possibly Richardson or Biden as choices 2a and 2b, but Clark is right up there.

[Lord Helmet]

54. why pretend? it's not like she deserves the effort

[NewHampshireDem]

47. Ruggerson ...

Glad to have you on our side--the DEMOCRATIC side.

I doubt I've ever agreed with you before, and maybe never will again :P ... but this idea is genius. :toast:

[kid a]

48. Thats seem possible. Good Idea

[loyalsister]

51. I have had a different nominating scenario in my mind

I've actually been convinced for a long time that she will give the nominating speech- for Obama. I think either that or Gen. Clark with her standing by his side.

[ruggerson]

52. that's an interesting idea also

there has to be something VERY surprising and very unifying.

[loyalsister]

69. I think so too

No matter what who nominates and who gives the speech it will be surprising and unifying.
I think we should not be surprised if a prominant Republican gives strong endorsment speech.
To Unify the country.

[mrbluto]

61. Me too. I have a different nominating scenerio.

The scenario I envision is that after the first non-conclusive vote we nominate an actual progressive.

You know, one who will actually hold the Bush administration accountable for what they've done over the past 7+ years.

Think there's any chance of that?

[loyalsister]

67. I think

Holding this administration accountable will fall into the hands of the AG and congress.
The best chance of seeing the most thorough investigations is to have a nominee with coattails.

[mrbluto]

59. Wait - Who do you support?

I can't tell who you support from your post.

Are you pro-Obama or anti-Hillary?

I need to know so I can figure out whether to "let it sink", play the race card, or claim Hillary is worse than Hitler.

Your post was much too neutral and factual - please add the requisite invective for a post on DU.

If I didn't know better I'd think your post was describing a practical concern regarding winning the general election.

[nsd]

62. No.

This scenario would make Obama look weak at precisely the moment he should look strong, when he becomes the Democratic nominee. While reconciling Clinton supporters is an important goal, it shouldn't come at the expense of our chances in the fall. As soon as OR/MT/SD and the superdelegates push Obama past 2025, Clinton should simply concede and vow to help the ticket. That's the only honorable path. Any further demands (whether from the candidate or her most ardent supporters) are self-indulgent and delusional.

[grantcart]

63. I think that she wants it

1)It would be a historic breakthrough and she would gain a place in history

2)Some people prefer working in executive branch even in a lower level because of their attitude. The Senate is very consultative body. Some people just prefer to be in the executive branch.

3) She is still young enough to succeed Obama after 8 years. If she gives up the Vice Presidency whoever gets it will have an inside shot at becoming 45.

[ima_sinnic]

66. Obama is NOT going to offer that thing the VP slot, whether as a "front" or for real

the world does not revolve around Hillary Clinton, for the US population, or for Barack Obama.
It (HillBillary) is doing its best to tear down the DNC and create dissension and strife. With each passing day I have come to hate that thing with every fiber of my being, even more. I didn't used to feel this way at all. In fact, I always loved Bill Clinton. Hillary I only felt neutral about.

Barack Obama is not going to set himself up to look like the puppet or pushover of the Clintons. He is his own person and cannot be manipulated by them.

HillBilly can take their fucking drama queen bullshit and shove it.