Not all Hillary Clinton backers buy "dream ticket" idea

As has been frequently noted, Sen. Ted Kennedy's much-publicized endorsement of Barack Obama paid little or no direct dividend a few days later in the Massachusetts Democratic presidential primary; Hillary Clinton easily carried the state on Super Tuesday back in February. One advantage she enjoyed -- mostly overlooked in the hoopla over Kennedy's nod -- was backing from longtime Boston Mayor Thomas Menino.

What Menino lacked as a national political figure he more than made up for by galvanizing a well-oiled political machine on Clinton's behalf, much as Govs. Ted Strickland of Ohio and Ed Rendell of Pennsylvania did on her behalf in primaries that followed.

Menino, though, has strayed from the party line pushed by Strickland, Rendell and other staunch Clinton supporters that, on a ticket headed by Obama, she is the obvious choice as a running mate.

In a recent comment to the Bloomberg News Service, Menino said, "If she got back into the White House, she'd bring along Big Daddy, and he would overshadow the president."

Big Daddy, of course, would be the ex-president, Bill Clinton. And we have to give Menino credit for colorfully encapsulating ...

... the reservations some have about the Democratic "dream ticket" (as well as evoking the patriarch of the Tennessee Williams play, "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof," memorably portrayed in the film version by Burl Ives).

In his Bloomberg interview, Menino offered his two cents on an Obama running mate -- Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware, who since ending his presidential quest after failing to make a dent in the Iowa caucuses has remained uncommitted in the race.

"He's smart, he's got the foreign policy experience, and he can help win Pennsylvania" because of his home state's proximity to the Philadelphia area, Menino said.

-- Don Frederick

Photo credit: Associated Press

Comments

[kenneth lavigne]

one of the above comments above was more then enought to summerize anything about this election and thar was, we do not need the peice of dirt bill back in the white house

[johnny7]

"He's smart, he's got the foreign policy experience, and he can help win Pennsylvania" because of his home state's proximity to the Philadelphia area." Menino said.

Menino can't even properly speak his own name... let alone complete this sentence.

[Sharon - NC]

And there is the nightmare that is Hillary. Hope the 'dream? ticket' folks listen.

[Brent]

For me, the decision on who to vote for will be determined by who they choose as their running mates. If Obama chooses Hillary, Biden, Bloomberg, or Webb, I'd vote for him because it'll help fill in areas where Obama is a bit weak. With McCain it's a bit tougher... I suspect his cancer will probably return big time when faced with the rigors of being president, so his vice presidential choice has a high chance of being president within a couple years. Romney would be a good choice to help fill in his lack of expertise on the economy. But if he picks one of the no-name governors that we've been hearing about, like Crist or Pawlenty, I may just get out and help campaign against him!

[Randy]

Big Daddy Knows Best!

Bring Back Big Daddy, Baby!

[David]

Completely agree, plus add a few other concerns:
- extremely negative political baggage she earned (it wasn't just handed to her blindly) prior to running and hardened during the race
- it would certainly galvanize the Republicans to come out in droves
- Big Daddy's sexual impulsivity and penchant for dishonesty could tear down the Obama administration via repeated escapades and front page headlines about another incident

[BUFFALO, NY]

An Obama and John Edwards ticket is the clear "dream" ticket. The Hil' brings little accept ties to corporate interests and 30 years of favors to repay.

And I'm tired of hearing that if we don't elect a woman now, all the poor disenfranchised women will never see a woman president in their life time believing there is no other capable woman in the country. To that I offer Nancy Pelosi's name for 2012 or beyond.

This campaign has shown me the Clinton's true colors, that of two southern racists willing to say or do anything for money and power.

Obama - Edwards '08

[Travis]

Is there really still a conversation about Hillary being offered a VP spot? I thought those rumors would be crushed by her assassination reference - would you really want a VP that you knew was secretly hoping they could inherit the positon - by assassination? The answer to that question should be NO.

[pati]

As an Obama supporter (an 'older' white woman, by the way) I don't know whether Hillary supporters think an Obama-Clinton duo is a dream ticket or not, but I definitely DON'T.
It strikes me as more of a (potential) nightmare ticket: The perfect stage for four years of soap opera theatrics and gameswomanship with Bill waving the baton, in a manner of speaking.

[Tom]

I'm afraid I don't see the connection between the title of this story and the content.

[John Davis]

Lets see... Hillary as Vice President, Obama catching all the heat... and Bill all the girls. Makes sense.

[Clinton should run as Independent]

Clinton should run as Independent.

Obama doesn't deserve her.

She will carry him to a win that should be hers.

[Rebecca T]

"As has been frequently noted, Sen. Ted Kennedy's much-publicized endorsement of Barack Obama paid little or no direct dividend a few days later in the Massachusetts Democratic presidential primary..."

This is a piece of "conventional wisdom" spouted by the politically naive. The fact is, Clinton's lead in
Massacusetts shrank considerably - enough to for Obama to pick up several more delegates in the state.

Since the Obama campaign strategy has been, from the first, based on the Democratic Party's system of proportional allotment, this made all the difference in state after state. This is why it is so important that the Clinton campaign not be allowed to change any of the rules in the middle of the game. They were both given the same framework and the Obama campaign did better within that framework. If the system had been winner take all, he would have campaigned more heavily in certain states instead of employing his highly effective 50 state strategy.

So Clinton's claim that she would have won if the system had been more rational is completely bogus. You can't win a game by playing by the rules of another game.

[JB]

Menino's point trumps every other reason not to form an Obama-Clinton ticket. Once those who advocate a positive, progressive change in the upcoming election (expressed in a vote for Obama) can get past the political ploys and 'gaffs' by the Clinton machine, they are still left with a legitimate conundrum: What does the new administration do with that other guy, big daddy?

His influence both underlies Hillary's run and thwarts it. His unbridled presence, for 8 years?, is too much to ask of Obama, who has his own legitimate passions and visions for an America he wants to lead.

[dharper]

Have the supporters of HRC gotten so obsessed with getting her into the White House that they actually believe that this could function?

1. If Obama would win he is smarter than to allow HRC to run as the VP nominee.
2. If HRC were the VP it would not be long before she would begin functioning as "Co-Commander in Chief" since her mentality would tell her that because she was the "people's choice" (super delegate pressure,etc.) she should function on a higher level.
3. And then Obama would have to deal with "Big Billy", the greatest showman on the face of the earth who would continually upstage both Obama and Hillary. This man cannot contain himself, he must be the "star" of the show.
4. Our National House would be in such a chaotic upheaval within 6-12 months that Obama would have to exile HRC back to the job that John Nance Garner said was not worth a "bowl of spit" and HRC could not live with that.

Hillary folks, IF Obama wins the nomination please just accept the fact that this was not her time. It WAS her time at the onset but she has blown it over and over with incredibly stupid actions and statements.

And you might just consider that there are quite possibly 50-100 more women in this nation much more qualified to occupy the office of the president than HRC. They run large corporations, large law firms, head universities and medical research centers, etc. The possible reason they don't consider running is that they have a moral and ethical compass that is not compatible with being a politician. Politicians, as a group, are rudderless and drift to whichever direction the wind blows. Oh, I know, they espouse all these grandiose plans but in the ultimate end they all become nothing more than political prostitutes who sell themselves to the highest bidder to ensure their re-election.

HRC and "Big Billy" are the consummate examples of the political chameleon.

Obama does not need that for he, himself, is a political chameleon.

[MENTAL- INSTABILITY]

MEDIA: Please inform the American public regarding Hillary Clinton's possible MENTAL INSTABILITY, as you continue to TAUT her for the VP position of this country!

Is she dangerously narcissistic or not?

[Obama LIES about Concentration Camp]

Thank you President Bill Clinton on calling out the main stream media like CNN & MSNBC on the complete disrepect and unfair treatment of Senator Clitnon and women in general, they have continued to receive and endure assults from these biased scared tabloid media fools, like Ken Oberman and Chris Matthews with their man infatuation with Obama...its funny how they claim over and over Clinton Lies but Obama flubbs???? come on!!! OBAMAS gets caught in lie after lie after lie!!!!! why would ANY VOTER BELIEVE OBAMA CAMP!!!!!

OBAMA LIES AGAIN
http://www.dontvoteobama.net

Obama LIES about Concentration Camp Claim at an attempt to attract Jewish voters, Often Obama inaccurately recalls his own history and American history, so it's important that we point to the facts Barack Obama's dubious claim is inconsistent with world history and demands an explanation,"It was Soviet troops that liberated Auschwitz, so unless his uncle was serving in the Red Army, there's no way Obama's statement yesterday can be true. Obama's frequent exaggerations and outright distortions raise questions about his judgment and his readiness to lead as commander in chief.

Sen. Obama referrers to himself as 'a constitutional law professor on the campaign trail. TRUTH: He never held any such title! Obama changed website bio to reflect that he was a 'lecturer' rather than 'professor. Chicago Daily Herald

Judicial Watch: Klaus Marre-Obama ‘intended to leave no paper trail’ OBAMA REFUSES to cooperate in releasing 8 years of his state senate records. One main reason REZKO!

Obama gets 4 Pinocchio’s for 100 Years War-why national media won’t call out Obama for his distortions on McCain’s Iraq comments.

Washington Post caught Obama in a lie about the Kennedy family role claiming them helping his Father Contrary to Obama's claims Kennedy family did not provide the funding for a September 1959 historical records July 1960. Family Kennedy’s donated $100,000 to pay for a second airlift in September 1960.

Politico reports, “During his first run for elected office, Barack Obama played a greater role than he acknowledges in crafting liberal stands on gun control, the death penalty and abortion– positions that appear at odds with the more moderate image he’s projected during his presidential campaign. The evidence comes from an amended version of an Illinois voter group’s detailed questionnaire, filed under his name during his bid for a state Senate. In response to a Politico story, Obama’s answers he never saw questioaire?

NBC OBAMA LIES IN PA-AD
It's unfortunate that Senator Obama is using false advertising to explain why he can be trusted to do something about energy prices. In his ad, Obama says, I'm Barack Obama, and I don't take money from oil companies or lobbyists, and I won't let them block change any more. Obama has been the recipient of more than $220,000 from the oil and gas industry just since as of Feb/08. Two of Obama's campaign bundlers are also CEOs for oil and gas companies, per his campaign Web site? Obama dealings with one of his largest contributors Exelon, that he cut deals behind closed doors protecting them from full disclosure in the nuclear industry. Exxon, Shell, and others are among his biggest donors

Obamas record shows he infact did support the war when he got to the senate, voted twice against bringing America's troops back home. He voted for war appropriations giving our money to Halliburton and Blackwater where Texas woman, was gang-raped by her co-workers at a Halliburton/KBR camp in Baghdad, His latest bit of posturing S 433 allows the Bush Administration to suspend any troop withdrawal, if not suspended, keeps the troops in Iraq for a long time to come

Obama said he goofed on votes angered fellow Democrats in the Senate when he voted to strip millions of dollars from a child welfare office on Chicago's West Side. But Obama had a ready explanation: He goofed! Also announced he had fumbled an election-reform vote the day before, on a measure that passed 51 to 6. The next day, he acknowledged voting "present" on a key telecommunications vote. He stood on March 11, 1999, to take back his vote against legislation to end good-behavior credits for certain felons in county jails. "I pressed the wrong button on that," he said. Obama was the lone dissenter on Feb. 24, 2000, against 57 yeas for a ban on human cloning. "I pressed the wrong button by accident," he said. But two of Obama's bumbles came on more-sensitive topics; he backed legislation to permit riverboat casinos to operate even when the boats were dockside. The measure, pushed by the gambling industry and fought by church groups whose support Obama was seeking, passed with two "yeas" to spare -- including Obama's. Moments after its passage he rose to say, explaining that he had mistakenly voted for it.

[kt]

What's the purpose of a vice president? Isn't it to take over in case of a unforeseen problem with the president? Why on earth would Senator Clinton, who has received half of the democratic vote not be the one? Because Michelle Obama doesn't want her? When does that vote, or for that matter the vote of any members of the government count more than the people's vote??

[Wm Tate]

Dream ticket? To bring along the Clintons and all their baggage would be more like a ticket to nowhere.
-Wm Tate,
http://www.atimelikethis.us/

[crat3]

Sen. Clinton is too qualified to be on any Obama ticket and that's no "dream ticket". Sen. Clinton can only head the ticket as the best qualified and strongest candidate to win the general election. The superdelegates need to be fair and square and select her as the Democratic nominee. The superdelegates should stand loyal to the Democratic Party and America by selecting Sen. Clinton as the best qualified and strongest Democratic nominee to defeat McCain and win the general election in a landslide in November.

Sen. Clinton must continue her fight to the convention for the future of the Democratic Party and America. All rational Democrats need to support her campaign with frequent contributions at HillaryClinton.com.

[D. Grant Haynes]

As a Hillary Clinton supporter, I would not wish to see her become the vice presidential candidate on the train wreck in the making that an Obama candidacy will be. She deserves better.

Hillary Clinton should be the nominee of the Democratic Party in 2008. Period.

Should the Democrats succumb to Obamamania, they will lose the general election in November and America will suffer at least four more years of the hell we have been through since January 2001.

Considering the manner in which she has been mistreated by the press and a sizable portion of misguided and typically naive Democrats, Senator Clinton should walk away from any consideration of accepting the VP spot on a ticket, lest a "Clinton factor" be blamed for Obama's loss after the debacle.

D. Grant Haynes

[Joop deBruin]

There is no way in paradise that I would ever vote for a ticket that includes the evil, lying, pandering Shrill Hill Hilldabeast on it.

Obama's campaign team better get the message: his supporters are for him in order to invoke CHANGE in DC. We don't want another tired old permanent politician that will lie, cheat, steal and perhaps murder to get her way.

Clinton is out, no mention of the beast and put the Clintons permanently in America's past, never to return again.

[Uno]

Hillary Clinton is part of the problem in Washington, not part of the solution. No Dem vote from me if Hillary's name is on the ticket period.

[donna m]

I also don't see the connection between the title of this story and the content.

[maz hess]

if kennedy woudn't have taken johnson as vp he would probably be still alive to today. It would for obama at be least as dangerous to take a clinton as vp.