Breaking News: Hillary Clinton hints at joint ticket with Obama

Sen. Hillary Clinton, who some wrote off as all but finished in the race for the Democratic nomination for president, has pulled another surprise out of the hat that we never see her wearing.

The morning after regaining some political momentum by winning three of four primaries (after losing 12 in a row), the former first lady happened to mention on some early news shows the possibility of her and Sen. Barack Obama forming a joint ticket to face the new Republican nominee, Sen. John McCain.

With most political observers sound asleep after a long Tuesday evening that appeared to augur at least seven more weeks of possibly bitter and divisive struggle between the two Democrats until a potentially decisive Pennsylvania primary on April 22, Clinton went on some morning news programs, according to the Associated Press, and appeared to raise the possibility of a Clinton-Obama or Obama-Clinton ticket.

"That may be where this is headed," she said, "but, of course, we have to decide who is on the top of ticket. I think the people of Ohio very clearly said that it should be me."

It's a clever move to vault herself to the level of equal standing with the Illinois senator, who remains way more than 100 delegates ahead of Clinton in the nomination race. The idea does speak to what many Democrats have long regarded as a dream ticket combining the first serious African American candidate with the first serious female candidate.

And it raises the prospect of a negotiated agreement that would avoid prolonged intra-party strife, while a victorious McCain forges ahead already with his general election campaign.

In the early-morning hours, two top Clinton advisors, Mark Penn and Harold Ickes, released a memo to "Interested Parties," that said: "With last night’s victories in Ohio and Texas, one thing is clear: the momentum has swung back to Hillary Clinton." At least that's what they'd like today's message to be as McCain meets at the White House for lunch and the official blessing of President and Mrs. Bush.

But the joint ticket idea ...

may be more of a nightmare in the mind of Obama and his team, who thought they were about to finish Clinton off Tuesday only to see it slip through their hands and the struggle prolonged.

And Obama remains well ahead in delegates and popular votes, so he'd be unlikely to be interested in such a combination arrangement now, especially if she sees herself in the No. 1 spot with Obama as the No. 2. The proposal could well be an attempt to stall his momentum further.

Later, on the same CBS "Early Show," Obama referred to his delegate total as "close to an insurmountable lead." Clinton had minimized the gap calling it "smidgens of difference."

Plus, to be realistic, whomever is the Democratic vice president on any successful ticket led by the New York senator will actually be forced to work with a pair of Clintons in the White House, making him potentially vice-vice-president.

-- Andrew Malcolm

PHOTO CREDIT: <i>Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times</i>

Comments

[joseph pierre]

East Side Love ,
You conveniently left out the fact that she was leading by 20+ points just 2 weeks ago and that Texas borders Arkansas.
Pathetic! it's still 27-14.
Good luck with that!

[joseph pierre]

tony,
How democratic is the democratic party to revisit and change rules every has agreed on just to please the Clintonites. There will be hell to if they do such stupid thing.

[Stol]

When it comes to the election Obama has shown that he can win the democratic vote in states that always vote republican, his wins in places like virginia and idahoe won't really make a difference because in a general election they will never go democratic. Hillary has shown she can win the big states and the important democratic states as well as swing states such as Ohio and Florida. Hillary is clearly the best candidate, a huge string of losses in states with tiny college votes and many with republican leanings makes no difference when we think of a general election.

[David, Houston, TX]

The only way a joint ticket would work is if Obama is on top. Otherwise he will have to be 3rd man due to Billy Clinton being the co-president. Does anyone else notice that if Hillary wins we will basically have a two-headed monarchy in America? Bush, Clinton, Bush, Clinton, then whos next Laura or Jeb Bush, then Chelsea Clinton... and all this talk of democracy in America would just be a joke. Americans must be retarded these days....

[dream team]

Obama-Richardson would be my dream team.

[ole the realist]

When is the 35 years of experience thing going to be challenged? Seriously, if anyone believes that, they deserve that woman.

If the phone rang in 1998 at the White House, Hillary would have answered it then too. Problem was, Bill was somewhere else...

[Alan Browe]

Oddly enough I was talking about a dual ticket outcome the other day. I'm just surprised that Clinton is flipping up the card right now. Perhaps the calculation is that it will swing more votes to her, but it could backfire.

A combined ticket is of course very strong and could potentially overwhelm McCain with combined women, blacks, browns and the anti-war sentiment.

Democratic presidents have not been big on sharing executive power, however (nor have Reps with the exception of Bush/Cheney).

[smita]

Hilarious discussion between Hillary and obama. Must watch.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7150u9sfCo

[stevejames]

The insurmountable lead argument is BS. Neither has enough to win it. You don't win a marathon by getting to to mile 23 first, you've got to win it at mile 26.

[David, Houston, TX]

The only way a joint ticket would work is if Obama is on top. Otherwise he will have to be 3rd man due to Billy Clinton being the co-president. Does anyone else notice that if Hillary wins we will basically have a two-headed monarchy in America? Bush, Clinton, Bush, Clinton, then whos next Laura or Jeb Bush, then Chelsea Clinton... and all this talk of democracy in America would just be a joke. Americans must be retarded these days....

[bob23]

Go Hillary! Everyone knows she is the best candidate. Some people don't like her because she is to aggressive or some other thing. Is is too much to ask for a competent person in the white house for a change?

[Leiske]

Wow. I can't believe that certain people would rather not vote Democrat than vote for a united ticket. Especially since there are very few fundamental differences between Clinton and Obama. I'd love to see that ticket and I'd be happy to vote for it, whoever was "on top". If you don't vote Democrat, you're voting for at least four more years of the massive FAIL Bush got us into.

[laj]

I watched the primaries last night and I have seen all of the debates including some of the boring republicans debates, I think we are in a sad state, sad because just like so many people had true blind faith in George Bush, some Hillary supporters seem to be the same way. I am not of the belief that the only thing that matters is getting a democrat into the white house regardless of what kind of person they are, with that being said, I am sure that if Hillary is the nominee because of the dirty republican tatics that she has been using that I will not under any circumstances vote for her. She has done nothing to prove to me that she will be a good president and leader, you can see this by her supporters who are hostile and republican like and some of them down out racist. She will never get the black vote which she can not win the general without it, she has alienated that group to the point of no return, they will never forget her behaivor, her lies, her twisting of the truth and her insults to any supporter that would vote for Obama, as in I know you are not going to foolish enough to vote for him. Poking at him and making fun of him because he has inspired the masses into action and has gotten people engaged. This is a disaster and Hillary should stop being so selfess and hungry for power, this is the bottom line for her not the american people, if it were true she would not be willing to tear apart the party so that she can win, if she were a great leader, she would lead by example and stop her supporters from being so hostile insulting and hateful, but it seems they get it from her, she can not bring the country together, she is already tearing up her party, as she put it, she is doing for their own good. We already have a selfess morally bankrupt President do we really need another one who only interest is power?

[Leiske]

Wow. I can't believe that certain people would rather not vote Democrat than vote for a united ticket. Especially since there are very few fundamental differences between Clinton and Obama. I'd love to see that ticket and I'd be happy to vote for it, whoever was "on top". If you don't vote Democrat, you're voting for at least four more years of the massive FAIL Bush got us into.

[Wayne]

We need Hillary at VP to be the Cheney for Obama.

[FCFisher]

Hopefully, Obama has gone as far as Rhetoric can take him. Witness the emotional arguments for him and against his rival. But those of you who expect a rational dialog and choice, don't forget Joseph Goebbels and Karl Rove.

[Rose]

Obama is really lucky that he is running against Billary who is disliked by the even the democrats except the old naive women. Otheriwse, he wouldn't have a chance.

[Alfred Reasor]

"Plus, to be realistic, whomever is the Democratic vice president on any successful ticket led by the New York senator will actually be forced to work with a pair of Clintons in the White House, making him potentially vice-vice-president."

What horrible grammar! What a horrible sentence! "Whomever" is incorrect in this sentence because it is not an object. The correct English grammar requires "whoever" when it is the nominative case as it is in this sentence.

Before we review would-be presidents, it would be better if we went to school and learned to write the English language.

[rose]

Obama seems to be too nice to Hillary. He thinks if he goes tough on Hillary then he might lose support among women. He is in an akward situation.

[Audrey]

Hillary obviously realizes how much she's ripped apart the Democratic party in her quest to claim the nomination. As a fervent Obama supporter, there is no way I would vote for Hillary because of the way she's run her campaign. I'd rather see McCain president than she, and many of my Dem friends across the country (who've all been paying close attention to this process, watching every debate, reading all the press) feel the same way. I haven't rationalized my way to a shared ticket, but even then I could barely only consider it if Obama were at the top, and I don't think he would do it if Hillary were on the ticket. Her tactics are beyond disgusting to me and have sent women back 50 years.

[Bridgette]

If Hillary wins the nomination, McCain wins the Presidency!

She is a divisive and polarizing figure.

Point 1
If Clinton wins the nomination, John McCain wins the Republican vote as well as a large part of the independent vote (Obama wins both Independent and brings many new voters to the table).

Point 2
If Clinton wins the nomination, she will mobilize the rightwing Republican base to get out the vote. John McCain historically has a tough time with the rightwing Republican base however; nothing will mobilize that base quicker than Hillary Clinton. They despise her and Bill. We all know how powerful the rightwing republican base is when it’s working at full force. She’s done for and so is the country!

So, Fellow Democrats…If you want to win the Whitehouse…Vote for Barack Obama!

[Sidmore]

So she knows she is going to LOSE and she want to be his vice-prez so she can SINK the ticket. I don't think so TeamObama will keep chugging until we get to the covention ahead in delegates. End of story. Find someone else's coattails to ride. You are shameless Clinton!!

[Xe]

Listen,

We all understand that American government is trying to image itself as "democratic" in contrast to other nations that try to elect their leaders in peace.

However when we deeply analyze what is going on in the "electoral" business in America, all what they are doing is just a falls show. Here are two points:

1. There will never be any biracial man or woman elected in USA. However, the US government brings some nice lookg, nice talking guy to run for office though it is just a show.
2. The election is not in fact democratic because it does not represent the interest of the majority of the people in this country and the world interest. It represents the interest of the USA only. The election process if just a show business for mass media and the world without substance.

As to a white woman being in office, it is possible, because this lady had a very good expereince because she used to be an educated young astriving lady when she started her life with a young nicce looking sexy Presiident and he will will get back to the white house next November.

Though it is a teaching and learing place, I do not understand why they spend so much money on thse adds? They should put that money to health care and educational support.

[Oswaldo]

Ho! Boy! This is getting interesting? a ticket for Hillary/Obama will be nice but not the other way around! I mean look at Hillary she is one great of a fighter, SHE DOESN'T give up, she's strong..That's what we need in the elections, I am soory for Obama he doesn't hold the popular vote anymore, because he lacks the experience.
If we do the math he's ahead but the way the system works there are Super delegates that most likely will make a decision becaude the way it goes none of them will have the numbers need it, therefore we have to decide who's more experience? and people please don't vote your consience, vote for power, you are just spliting the Democratic party, ACCEPT what's right..

[UCLA Bruin]

How about this scenario?

The Clinton Machine hangs on until late August while McCain uses the time to select a VP candidate and hit the road unimpeded by anyone else in his party on the Straight Talk Express, building up his warchest and solidifying the Republican base while appealing to moderates and independents .

The Democrats have a well-earned reputation for shooting themselves in the foot, but this takes the cake.

Hillary needs to learn the difference between winning and hanging on, until she does, she is only hurting the Democratic Party's chances come November.