Breaking News: Barack Obama rejects VP idea

Campaigning in Casper, Wyo., Friday night for the 12 delegates to come out of Saturday's Democratic county caucuses, Sen. Barack Obama refused the notion of becoming the vice presidential candidate on this fall's party ticket.

Obama was asked by a television reporter, "Can you ever see yourself on the same ticket as Sen. Clinton?"

And the freshman Illinois senator replied: "Well, you know, I think it’s premature. You won’t see me as a vice presidential candidate. You know, I’m running for president. We have won twice as many states as Senator Clinton, and have a higher popular vote, and I think we can maintain our delegate count."

Many Democrats have long thought of Obama-Clinton or Clinton-Obama as a dream ticket, offering both the first serious female candidate and the first serious African American candidate for the nation's top two political offices.

Clinton surprisingly broached the idea Wednesday morning after she won the popular vote in Texas and Ohio to regain some momentum after 11 straight ...

losses, though she still lags far behind in pledged delegates. She mentioned the possibility of a joint ticket again Friday morning during a campaign appearance in Mississippi.

Last night was the first time Obama commented on the idea.

It's political protocol when presidential candidates are asked about the vice presidency to twist the question back around to the top office and avoid a direct answer. But Obama's response last night was unusually direct and dismissive.

The 46-year-old candidate is expected to do well in Wyoming today, as he has done in virtually every caucus state. Wyoming, as The Ticket noted here in detail Friday, is not the most hospitable territory for Democrats.

Eleven months ago during an appearance on "The David Letterman Show," Obama said, "You don't run for second place. I don't believe in that." See his Friday statement for yourself on Billings TV station KTVQ, but only if you can sit through an interminable local vinyl fence ad with Danny, who seems strangely eager to hide his face beneath a dirty baseball cap. 

(UPDATE: For the latest Wyoming caucus results -- Obama was victorious -- The Times' Robin Abcarian has full details in her story from Cheyenne here.)

-- Andrew Malcolm

Comments

[Jared]

Hope, hope, hope, I just hope I could buy a mansioin, at least a house, by $300,000 less than its actual value with a free garden. I wish Obama could tell me how he did it. So I can save tons of money.

[Phil Jamison]

On the subject of a potential Obama administration (or Clinton II's), there is an interesting project in pure democracy just getting started on the web: automated and continuously updated 'approval style' voting on VP, cabinet, and major posts. Approval style voting means you can vote for as many of the choices as you approve. The site will remain open indefinitely for follow up research:
http://puredem.wordpress.com
Phil Jamison (privacy alias)

[sean]

He is young ,intelligent and with fresh ideas of change.Why on earth will OBAMA join up with an old faded CLINTON ticket ?? It will be a shame to be seen working with clinton dynasty. If he loses he needs to got away and re -orginise to take on John MCain in 2012 . Clinton will never beat Mcain . Can you imagin Clinton debating on Iraq with John Mcain , My messege to OBAMA is , stick to your plan ,Don't listern to the media , You are right on track , just keep on counting those delegates till August , the democratic Superdelegates will never decided against populer vote,

[Andrew L in Des Moines]

excel -- With these kind of statements, its apparent that you have, mostly likely, never met the man, Barack Obama.

You act like you know him but you know nothing at all about him, or would not be nod wisely but speak stupidly.

Have you undertaken any study of his life? Have you gone to see him in person? Have you shaken his hand, perhaps looked him in the eye as you asked him tough policy questions? I think not.

I have seen him at least 20 times, shaken his hand several times, and asked him difficult questions which he very adroitly answered. He is loved by his supporters, just as Hillary is loved, but he has intellect, morals, and a conscience -- the character traits of real substance!

HRC has an "out-of-control lust for power". Samantha Powers was right, and Howard Wolfson was right (so he, too, should resign!) -- let the interrogations and fact finding begin!

Hillary doesn't stand a chance against John McCain, because she is also Bush-lite. Our only hope for REAL change in Washington is Barack Obama. Read his books (not ghost written -- they're his own words); study the man and his character; check out what he's done already in his 11-years of being in an elected office. There is hope for you, but you must act quickly. The hour is late.

Robbie, Pedro, Patrick - right on. Skip the drama, vote for Obama.

[JCP]

Doesn't it give one cause for concern that many are voting for HC because she is a "great role model for our daughters". Regarding this "Dream Ticket" idea. Once again she will say and do anything to win. No doubt she has promised that and other positions in "her cabinet" as payment for her support. It's called POLITICS AS USUAL . Like Obama I feel those that want something better are in the majority. As an elderly white female I don't want or need someone to "fight for me". Would like to do what I can to make this a better place for my grand-daughters in particular and all woman in general. This is about US not about HER.

[JDK]

Few weeks back when the delegate numbers were on her side after Super Tuesday, she said only the numbers matter, not the momemtum. Now she has fallen behind, she says numbers doesn't matter. Anyway, what she got post Mar 4th is not momemtum but media hype.

It is simply arrogance to say that Obama should be her VP when the voters assgined him more delegates than her until now. Is she saying that these primaries doesn't matter and that she HAS to become the President because it was her right or because she waited 8 years and it was her turn now?

Obama should focus on winning the nomination and when he becomes the nominee, he should NOT pick her as his VP. Instead, he should go for a fresh face (possibly a woman) as his VP.

[Merrill]

From the sound of Clinton lately, the dream ticket she is talking about is not Clinton Obama but McCain Clinton.

[elisabeth]

that woman is too much! she lies the minute she opens her mouth..tthe Clintons are shrewd criminals, nothing else. And tasteless ones too..It is sad to see that this great country buys into this....but then, every nation has the government it deserves..

[Orion Culver]

Hillary Clinton knew full well that Barack Obama would not be VP when she started using it as part of her stump speech strategy. She is using the statement as a strategy of deception to get votes from the uninformed voters whose vote counts as much as the informed readers of this media. Deception has become the prevailing tactic of Hillary's campaign now.
Orion Culver

[EJDubya]

HRC is a uniter--if she is the Democratic candidate, the Republican party will be united almost instantly, and will be motivated just as instantly. She is the one Democrat who can bring the Republican party together.

BO must get back to his message of a vision for America. If not, he loses. I believe America is tired of living in fear, and is ready for a vision of the future, but fear is a tremendous motivator. The vision has to be clearer and greater than the fear. HRC is, like JM and GWB, a candidate of fear-- "The phone is ringing at 3am..." Be afraid... be very afraid America.

If we are afraid of the world (there be dragons...) then we have nothing to offer the world. What has made America great is our history of marching off into the unknown in the face of fear, not our withdrawing and hiding behind our walls. Along the way, we have lost ordinary people and heroes. Did our space program quit when Challenger exploded? We have always been willing to take risks, to live in the face of fear, but apparently America no longer has the courage to stand up and step out. We want to wrap up in our comfy security blanket, give all our freedom and liberty to the goverment to protect us. Wake up, America. You will not remain great unless you have the courage to get out of bed, leave your bomb shelter, and face the dragons.

[mike]

Being Hillary's VP would be the worst job in the world. You would have nothing to do and they wouldn't even let you in the white house. Bill will be doing any VP tasks worth doing and you'd be stuck going to third world countries doing tea and cookie type events that in the past was done by the first lady. Going back to the Senate and being a party leader is a much better idea.

[Betty]

BO&MO would never settle for less than the top spot.
They believe it is owed to them.
MO has her sights set on the white house and if she cant have that she wont take anything.
She did not spend all that money on her Jackie K makeover to not play the role.
Just like the land they bought from Rezko they had to have it no matter what .
If BO gets the nomination no doubt MCCain will be our next president.
Would BO ask Hillary to fill the VP no way He and MO have no intention of anyone but themselves being in the spotlight
That is really what this is all about attention and power.
The media would follow Bill and Hillary around and report on them every day while BO&MO sat at the whitehouse getting their schooling.
Too much will come out on BO&MO and that is why none of that will really happen

[Cesar Guzman]

I phoned my California Senators and said:
"If Obama wins the popular vote and the super delegates choose Clinton, I will stay home in November."

I hope the Democratic Party listens to
this very difficult, but very real, stance.

[Paula]

Obama is not winning the states we need in November and superdelegates are getting worried. Supers won't be stealing the election..they'll be doing what they were selected to do and that's make a decision when neither candidate reaches 2025. Having a 100 delegate lead doesn't mean you win. And Obama's strategy of going into GOP states and winning caucuses with small numbers of dems has given him a delegate lead, but it doesn't bode well for November. Again Obama is dismissive because he feels entitled. He's been dismissive of Hillary all along and that's the reason I won't ever vote for the guy. He's like every other man who thinks it's his because he's a man.

[tom]

i can not believe people..who have been thru 7 years of bush..would want 4 more years of the clintons..clinton of course would want obama on the ticket..because she will lose to mccain if she didn't..obama does not..because they are so different in so many ways..and you get 2 for the price of one..clinton needs to release her tax returns..needs to release all transcripts of her days as first lady..i will vote for mccain if clinton wins..ohio.. really blew it tuesday..a few ads about 3am..a false report about the pledge of allegince..and ohio voters ..just are giving the presidency to mccain..lets just hope wy,mi and pa..can get it back on track.

[zuma]

Hispanics love Hilary as she has promised amnesty to every illegal for every possible reason. Plus she want them to bring their parents, grandparents, cousins, sisters, brothers etc and wants us to pay for each of their education and welfare and hospitilizaton.

Obama wants amnesty as a ploy as Hispanics wont vote for a black, so this is to urge them to do so.

So a vote for either one is a vote for the status quo. 40 million illegals costing us 1 million dollars each over their life here, plus 18,000 for every one of their children each year they spend in school, plus the cost of teaching them english for jobs they cant perform as they are illegal and cant be hired.

So if you want to allow the 41 million illegals here, vote democratic or vote for amnesty Mc Cain. Great chose we are left with. Three bums not worth a damn!

[nya]

Billary has been waging a VERY negative campaign
despite Obama trying his best to stay above that
two things have turned me fully against her

1.the "mccain (a republican) is better for president than a fellow democrat was the ultimate in insanity for me

2 the fact THATT SHE IS TRYING TO CHANGE THE RULES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GAME IN REGARDS TO FLORIDA AND MICHIGAN
IM IN FLORIDA AND MY VOTE DIDNT COUNT.BUT THAT WAS KNOWN FROM THE START.SO BE IT
her trying to get those delegates now that she is behind is VERY sleazy

she will not win the nomination as she is behind
if she tries to use her political clout to persuade superdelegates to go against the will of the people
and gain the nomination I will personally vote for mccain as a protest vote

GO OBAMA!

[Nzoia Jacaranda]

It appears a gross lie won Ohio for Mrs. Clinton, but her win has reinforced and laid bare three truths:

(1) Her inability to attract support on her own merits. Like a school-yard bully she has to trash others to improve herself and attract people to her ambitions.

(2) Her frightening lack of judgement in foreign affairs. For the second time in this campaign she has caused trouble in another country. In this case, Canada. In the previous case, Kenya, when she allowed her campaign to release photos of Barack Obama in Kenyan tribal costume with the sinister intention of suggesting a terrorist link.

(3) Her psychopathic inclination to engage in amoral behaviour without empathy or remorse: to knowingly or carelessly engage in or spread lies about her opponents to gain the edge. Like a cornered, whimpering dog, she viciously attacked Barack Obama, for sending out untrue pamphlets, then pulls off this Ohio NAFTA whopper.

She allowed her campaign to disseminate falsehoods about Barack Obama saying one thing to his public about NAFTA, while reassuring a foreign government, Canada, that his public position was just political posturing. She did not check the accuracy of the story; she released it with gusto. Her husband, complicit in the deceit, sent a boasting congratulatory e-mail to her supporters afterwards.

The Obama pamphlets were accurate, and it turns out the Canadian civil servant responsible for the NAFTA story leaked it about the Clinton double-edged NAFTA policy. As the leak moved down the media chain, it turned into an Obama story. Further investigation has revealed that, whoever the principals, there was no fabric to the tale in the first place.

"Vetted and ready," Mrs. Clinton? Heaven help us, if you win the Democratic nomination.

[Michaele]

Obama knows that Al Gore was marginalized by the co-presidency of Bill and Hillary. If Hillary wins, Bill as co-president is not a comforting thought for anyone other than Bill Richardson or Wesley Clark.

The Clintons have so marginalized Barack and the popular movement that is funding his campaign, knocking on doors and reading his policy positions, that we will not be appeased by a spot on the ticket. Instead we will continue to build our movement until 20012. By that time the Clintons will be so wrapped up in scandals of their own making, that voters will be called upon the restore integrity to the White House for a second time. Hopefully they will not have to vote for another Bush to clean up behind another Clinton.

Dynasty politics destroys democracies. I can't wait to restore a two-party system now that the two-family system has resulted in the rearranging of the deck chairs on a sinking ship of state.

[nmben]

Mrs. Clinton needs to respect the intelligence of the American people just a little: this is another not-so-veiled "Jesse Jackson" swift-boating, except now it is to convey that he may be good enough for a VP position, instead of the seasonal ethnic candidate.

I wonder why the Democratic Party leaders are allowing this soap opera to continue, fully aware that she has no chance in hell to win the nomination. Is the leadership such a hostage to the Clinton machine?
Please spare us more of the blood sport the Clintons’ are playing.

[PRH]

I used to think an Obama-Clinton ticket or vice-versa would be ideal, the mudslinging, primarily on the part of HRC has compromised any such combo. An Obama-Clinton White House would be marred by a situation where he is undermined every step of the way and on every decision he makes to use as ammo to say, "I told you it should've been me." In a Clinton-Obama White House he would be a lame-duck figurine and only called upon to take credit for the administration's failures. I like to see Obama-Edwards. I think that the ideas of those 2 can mesh and would be a very formidable ticket to run against the Republicans. Edwards, though should step out of the shadows and endorse Obama, before he fades into political oblivion. Edwards is a very likable family man who has some great ideas and would be an asset to Obama.

[Fred Ouma]

I think HRC is neither for American people, nor her Democratic Part, but for herself (Read Clintonian Legacy). She should bow out to allow the party strategise for general elections. Double talking and at the end of day losing won't serve anyone's interests. She talks of being a fighter, is Washington a WWF ring or a remote battle field somewhere in Iraq? Americans wake up and show her an exit because she could still be asleep after the husband was evicted from the office.
Ouma

[ERW]

The State of California released "official" election returns yesterday.

Obama gained some delegates.

Do I have to go to the "SACBEE" to get this news?

"I am running for President" seems pretty definite to me.

Daschle, today called on her to fire Wolfson for his Ken Starr comparison. Let's see how that goes.

[bumi ademuyiwa]

If Obama wins the nomination, it will not be in his interest to choose Hillary as a VP because of her baggage.

On the other hand, if Hillary wins the nomination, it will be a plus for her to have Obama as VP.

[617-838-5437]

Besides, he didn't lose Texas; he is now ahead in the caucus vote (40% in) and virtually certain to win majority of delegates. Clinton celebrated too early.