Opinion: Hillary Clinton speaks (through an aide) on the veepstakes
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Hillary Clinton today sought to distance herself from all the clamor that she has set her sights on claiming the second spot on the Democratic presidential ticket.
A terse statement sent out by one of her top aides, Phil Singer, on behalf of the currently out-of-sight and soon-to-be ex-White House candidate had this to say:
‘While Senator Clinton has made clear throughout this process that she will do whatever she can to elect a Democrat to the White House, she is not seeking the vice presidency, and no one speaks for her but her. The choice here is Senator Obama’s and his alone.’
Speculation about Clinton’s interest in the veep spot -- and whether she is lobbying for it -- has been especially fast and furious since Tuesday afternoon, when it was learned she had told fellow lawmakers from New York that she was ‘open’ to the possibility.
But that evening, in the view of many, she stomped on her chances -- whatever they may have been up to that point -- in giving a speech that dwelled on her own campaign, only briefly mentioned Barack Obama and made no acknowledgment that he had laid claim to the delegates needed to secure the ticket’s top spot.
Perhaps the conventional wisdom was summed up best in a column today by E.J. Dionne Jr., which began:
‘Hillary Clinton talked her way out of the vice presidency on Tuesday night.’
-- Don Frederick