Lanny Davis leads a Hillary Clinton veep push

In the pantheon of Bill and Hillary Clinton loyalists, Lanny Davis continues to carve out a special niche for himself.

A friend of Hillary's since they were law students together at Yale, he served as a White House special counsel to Bill from 1996 to 1998 and in that position and as a private attorney fiercely defended him during the impeachment saga.

Davis has shown that same ferocity in promoting Hillary's '08 presidential campaign, particularly in its latter stages. The day after her victory in Pennsylvania's April 22 primary, he penned a blog headlined: "The Top Ten List of Undisputed Facts Showing Barack Obama's Weaknesses in the General Election Against John McCain." And in early May, he was at the center of memorably contentious discussions of her candidacy on CNN.

On Tuesday night, he launched -- without, he said, coordination with the Clinton campaign -- a petition drive aimed at persuading Obama to tap her as his running mate. The effort officially begins today at a new website, womenforfairpolitics.com. And here's a missive Davis sent to Obama:

"We write you because we believe it is very important for the Democrats to win back the presidency in 2008.  To do so, we must field the strongest possible ticket for the Democratic Party.  We believe the 2008 election could be close.  And your selection of a vice presidential candidate may make the difference between victory and defeat.

"We write to urge you to select  Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton to be your choice for vice president because we believe that she would be, by far, the most qualified and strongest candidate to be your running mate.

"Both you and Sen. Clinton during this campaign have demonstrated strengths in different segments of the electorate and in different parts of the country. Together, you stand the best chance of making U.S. history not once but twice -- the first African American president and the first female vice president since the founding of our great nation.

"We know this is ultimately your decision on who is to be your running mate.  But with the greatest respect, we ask you to select Sen. Clinton in recognition of the more than 17 million Democrats who supported her at the polls and who, in combination with your more than 17 million supporters, would form the base of a successful presidential campaign in the November election."

The new website joins one set up a few weeks back by a lower-level Clinton acolyte, voteboth.com, that has sought to build momentum for an Obama-Clinton pairing. Davis is listed as one of its "key supporters."

-- Don Frederick

Comments

[wow...]

I was surprised at how badly Hillary was trying to strongarm Obama into forcing him to give her the VP position.

Seems like she will be a nightmare to him over the four years if he choses her.

Her speech was very defiant and combative. She congratulated him on running a fine campaign, but not once did she at least recognize him as the winner of the nomination!

[jennifer potenciano]

obama has a lot to thank his lucky stars for, in bagging the democratic party's presidential nominating contest via an inconclusive win. inconclusive win becoz of several factors--& everyone who has patiently followed the close & bitter race between hillary & obama knows it--his failure to win the swing states, his luck in the dems resorting to the newfangled screwed-up delegate apportionment method, his inability to win over key voting sectors, & his resorting to dirty, machiavellian politics just to destroy hillary.

even today, while savoring his dirty win, his "advisers" can't resist what for these key obama people regard as the obligatory coup d' grace against hillary.

& "the boss" approves of it, since notice the absence of chivalry on obama's part to rein in his blood-smelling, ruthlessly vindictive people, even among his paid "journalists"-friends.

can any self-respecting, ordinary newsman write a STRAIGHT NEWS STORY on hillary's lopsided victory in the puerto rico primary as almost a non-event, as one AP reporter did, even as the chap described obama's increased delegate count as bringing him "tantalizingly" close to the nomination? any 1st year journalism student knows this “tantalizing” adjective is a NO-NO in straight news reporting, much more an editor! & yet how did it pass muster w/ those publications w/c used that AP story?

so geraldine ferraro must really proceed w/ their harvard study on how the us media/press played the partisan's role (particularly on straight news & features) in obama's favor during the course of the nominating contest. i have no doubt many so-called journalists will be called to task for prostituting the canons of fair, objective journalism, especially one nelda pickler, again of AP, who wrote outright swooning, fawning PR articles for obama--PRAISE RELEASES--that damned hillary like rotten pickles would do as much for hillary's olfactory nerve.

such being obama's true character, i doubt if he can rise above the meanness of his people, if he can prove the statesman that these tough, testing times require for the democrats. as i analyze his utterances, his moves, decisions--as well as the ponderous assertions of his alter egos, like axlerod, et.al.--i am convinced that obama is merely the puppet of his advisers pulled hither & thither to suit their greedy, sadistic, selfish designs.

how can anybody respect a presidentiable who’s called "THE BOSS" by his men, as if obama were nothing less than the cosa nostra's tutti di cappo tutti (if this is the right title)?

in the philippines, no one calls the senators "BOSS." even newspaper editors are never called "BOSS" but "SIR," like "Sir Jun," "Sir Diego" or "Sir Tony."

to go back to my main point: will obama have the right political instincts, will he prove to be the statesman (not to say, the practical politician) that the times require? or is he just the stooge of powerful power brokers in his own camp who, by their greediness & depravity, are selling the democrats’ chance this fall short? we'll know w/ his next moves.

[Harry]

Here are a few undisputed facts about the Clintons and their henchmen, such as the vile Lanny Davis and the schizophrenic James Carville:
1. They are self-serving self centered egomaniacs who would do and almost did anything to win. Even if that meant taking their fellow party candidate down with them.
2. They suffer from Groupthink
3. By her nonconcession-concession speech she has shown utter lack of respect and class.
4. It would be a colossal mistake for Obama to even consider her for Veep. Contrary to what she or the idiots around her think, she has earned nothi ng and she deserves nothing. All she has done is bring out the worse in our country and along the way divide her own e party accross racial, socioeconimic and education lines. For that alone she, her husband and her henchmen should be held accountable, especially if Obama loses.

[Richard]

Lanny Davis has no shame - what does he have to offer ?

What a creep - he is embarrassing

[Diamond]

Barack Obama is a wise guy. If he needs Hillary, he will choose her as VP. There's no need to take him hostage.

There's ony one hindrance to a Hillary VP - her supporters. Her supporters are the reason she's not the nominee and they're the reason she may not make it on the ticket.

This kind of move is counterproductive and I don't understand why these people keep making mistake after mistake.

[ericmiami]

Time to update our dictionaries! Replace "Machiavellian" with "Clintonian."

[Magoo]

Perfect scenario, I'm sure Bill could arrange for Obama to be "taken out" (and I'm not talking about a lunch date, I'm talking Soprano's style) within his first six-months. Any means to an end.

[ObamaSupporter]

jennifer potenciano - Even after all that has transpired, people like you are still unable to accept the simple fact that Obama won because he was the better candidate and played a better, smarter, politcial game. You and her other deluded followers conveniently forget that from the VERY beginning, Hillary had both the press and the people behind her, including me. It wasn't until she decided to goe negative out of desperation that I changed my mind.

Yes, she did suffer from sexism, just as Obama suffered and continues to suffer from racism; so what? Politics is a contact sport and unless you are a white male, you will always be saddled with one or both of those pieces of baggage. To try and portray someone as powerful and formidable as HRC as some kind of pathetic victim is not only laughable but does far more damage to the cause of equality than anythign said about her. HIllary is not a coward and she is tough as nails. She and Bill are probably the best politicians in history. NOBODY can take away the leagacy they have carved out and Obama would not have been able to succeed had it not been for what they did in their heyday. But as with all things, their time has passed and the people want an need a new approach to the problems that face us. Obama offers that.

THe real tragedy in all this is what the Clintons have done to themselves; they could have gone out as a class act and further enhanced their image by acceptingthe inevitable with good grace. Instead, they have chosen to be petty, vindictive and calculating. Her attempt to blackmail Obama by refusing to concede will fail of course. It will only succeed in further blackening her already damaged legacy. He will not willingly take her in partly because she and Bill have made that nearly impossible. How will he explain chosing a running mate that implied that he might be killed before the convention as a reason for staying in a race she had no hope of winning? Then there is BIll,s shady dealings and alleged inability to keep his pants on when in the presence of attractive women and you have a recipe for a potential nightmare. Put another way, if Karl Rove in likes the ticket, then it should never happen.

I think the time has come for us allto come together as a party. HRC and Bill have a place at the new table and can certainly repair the damage they have done to themselves if given the chance. SHe may not be VP material, but there are any number of spots she could occupy. And come 2012 or 2016, she could try again. If she does the right thing and puts her energy into helping Obama and the party, win or lose, I wouild vote for her then.But first, she has to re-earn my trust. what she does over teh next days and months with tell the tale for me

[BRENDA]

I JUST BECAME REPUBLICAN OVER NITE !!!!!

THANXS, BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA.....MY CHOICE
ITS MADE & NOT YOU, NOR YOUR GIRLFRIEND OPRAH, CAN BUY MY VOTE !!!!

DO YOU THINK, NOW THAT YOU HAVE FULLED ALL THOSE PEOPLE...YOU CAN START USING YOUR REAL MUSLIM NAME????????

[Debmood]

Hillary can't even make a decent exit. As I listened to her, I was extremely disappointed that she is so self serving. Everything she said was, I this and I that.
When Senator Obama spoke it was a different story. He is NOT self serving. He gave a lot of praise to Hillary even though he made history. Not once did he mention the fact that he is the first African American nominee for Presideent of the United States.
He gave the credit to, not only Hillary, but most importantly, to the people.
For him to make her his VP would be tragic. Hillary is not a team player and cares about one thing and one thing only...HILLARY!

I beg you Senator Obama not to make this woman your VP. She will undermine everything that you do. She will make your life a living hell. Please don't do it!

[ObamaForUS]

Obama would be committing political suicide to accept a Clinton or Clinton supporter on the ticket. And that is what the not-really-a Democrat Lanny Davis is hoping for. We are done with the Clintons, thank you Jesus. The King is Dead, Long Live the King!!

[History in themaking]

I'm really ashamed of some the comments that the Clinton supporters are posting. Have you no class? One person just went as far as to switch political parties and leave comments with racial undertones. What are you so afraid of? Do what you must in your lives ..you only have yourself to live with.

[Lynne]

I think Clinton would be better and surpass any VP position by being in a new cabinet position of nat'l health care czar.

Lanny pushing for the VP spot is really lessening Sen. Clinton. She can do much better than VP. Maybe even go out with her own foundation for health care, like Gore did with the environment??

[John]

jennifer potenciano..I think most of the Clinton supporters have decided to be defiant and destroy the democratic party. During this campaign, Clinto went extremely negative saying the party front runner is not fit to run. Meanwhile, the republicans have started running her own sound bites against Obama. Clinton failed as a result of her own doing, not by noone else. She had the party in her grasp and scuttled the strategy to win..

[robinia]

Jennifer Potenciano;

First of all, Puerto Rico is commonwealth, not a state. Second of all, the Philippines were chose independence for the U.S. never wanted to include a brown-predominantly Catholic people into a WASP union (as is Puerto Rico).

My point is, who the hell cares about Puerto Rico and the Philippines in this year's elections?

Please! Go back to the Philippines, like yesterday!

[Gwen Barry]

The world is looking at this election and trying to determine if the US has grown any since our slavery and JIm Crow days. The fact that some Democrats would opt to stay home in November or switch parties if Barack is the nominee is so sad. We have had 400 years of middle age white men running this country. Have they done such a stellar job that the thought of a different type of leader is too far-fetched?
As a nation it is time for us to grow up.

[Michael Cowan]

God Damn. I should have realized that when Hillary picked up the uneducated rural vote, she would also get all the conspiracy crazies.

Obama does not run the media.

the media jumped on Hillary because she is fake and made mistakes. If she can't manage the media as a canidate, she can't do it as President.

I for one don't want 8 more years of a president being mocked by our own media.

[Bob Armstrong]

It will take a little time for Hillary and all the Clinton minions to evaporate, but Dorothy has poured water on the wicked witch and she's startin to smoke.

Ding Dong the Witch Is Dead!!!

[Jean Kelligesq]

The viciousness and obnoxiousness of the young "Obamanuts" as shown on the formerly popular democratic site Dem Underground caused many democrats who had participated for years to leave the site AND turned them against Obama.

While Obama may be a good orator of written speech, and speaks in great pie in the sky generalities, he comes up with no specifics. Hillary may be a detail wonk, but she has the ideas, speaks explicity on the issues in detail and HAS THE EXPERIENCE.

As someone said, if Obama were a white young man presenting his experience and resume, he woud never have even been contemplated as a contender for the nomination of the dem party. As usual if the dems can find a way to shoot themselves in the foot they never miss the opportunity to miss an opportunity.

Obama cannot win the general election. He is only the nominee because the rules committee undemocratically took votes from Hillary and uncommitted votes and renamed them votes for Obama. Obama is the nominee because the Democratic party has "Super Delegates"to insure the will of the democratic voters
can be ignored. African American voters and college students are not enough to have him elected.

With Hillary Clinton as veep and the big states she carried as well as the popular vote there is a chance they could together carry the country for the dems.

Bottom line, I would not vote for Barack Obama. Without Hillary Clinton on a dem ticket, I'll re-register as an independent, and either stay home or write in Hillary for President - and she wasn't even my first choice

A word to the young Obamanuts - your obnoxious behavior, constant name calling anyone who didnt support Obama racist, has made more enemies among the core democratic voters than any republican attacks could have.

[Janet Clark]

Your dismissive attitude is divisive and unnecessary. Get real......The Primary Season is OVER

Sen. Obama WON

[PulSamsara]

Clinton Deserves !
- to be given the Ambassadorship to Papua New Guinee !

Let her campaigns actions be weighed and give her the post she deserves !

-Paid for by the C.D.H.C.P.M.PNG.S.D.C.D.
Citizens for Dropping Hillary Clinton into Port Morsby, PNG on a Spam Delivery Cargo Drop.

[rajah kahn]

Lanny Davis is an EGO-MANIAC.....He is such an IGNORANT person, and full of hatred for black people...He needs to "QUARANTINE" himself, be cause he has too much "POISON" in his veins..

[KatherineO]

Obama and Obama supporters, if by chance you read the Comments section here, DON'T put Hillary as the VP! Obama will regret doing that. I can't honestly see Hillary being content to be in 2nd position next to Obama. She will probably try and push her way into having a more presidential presence if she becomes VP.

Plus Obama will literally have 2 VPs.......... Hillary and Billary.

And some are saying an Obama-Clinton ticket is a Dream Team ticket? Where have you guys been??? You are aware that there's a good chunk of American voters that absolutely cannot stand either one, or both, Clintons, right? You don't think having Hillary as VP will be just seem so distasteful they just may rethink voting Democrat come November?

Look at how Hillary is handling conceding!!! That woman doesn't listen to anyone, let alone Obama as president. He's gonna be a fool to take her as the VP.

[Desnee Flakes]

I have just joined C.D.H.C.P.M.PNG.S.D.C.D.
Citizens for Dropping Hillary Clinton into Port Morsby, PNG on a Spam Delivery Cargo Drop.

[AM]

HIllary should run as independent!

[CF]

I SAID I WOULD NEVER VOTE FOR A UNQUALIFIED AND UNVETTED PERSON LIKE OBAMA...MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY AN D UNION BROTHERS AND SISTERS FEEL THE SAME BUT IF HILLARY SO GRACEIOUS ACCEPTS THE VP SPOT I WILL HOLD MY NOSE AND VOTE THE TICKET...IF NOT MCCAIN IS OUR CHOICE...."BETTER THE DEVIL WE KNOW THAN THE ONE WE DON'T" ..

[Breathless]

The audacity of the Clinton machine is simply mind boggling. The candidate gets to chose their running mate Obama should be able to determine what his presidental legacy will be without being saddled with Hillary as presidential training wheels.

[Jean]

If Hillary is not on the ticket, I have one more vote for McCain. I agree--the Obama people have been smug about their victory. If they can win with their coalition, good for them. I know they will not get many of my friends votes, unless Hillary is on the ticket.

From Iowa

[Cheryl]

The double standards of Lanny Davis and the Klinton Klan is unbelievable. Lanny Davis is one of the most hateful men I have seen. Their strong-arm tactics is so klanish it makes you want all on them to just disappear. Hillary is a no good, no class, selfish, narcissistic, egotistical maniac and to have her to represent what America is about is scary...we may as well keep BUSH or vote for McBush! She has shown herself more as a republican than a democrat and we DO NOT want her anymore...be gone!

[Linda Avella]

I would not vote for Obama without Hillary running as vp. I think he should think long and hard about it. There is not a doubt in my mind that he will fail to win the Presidency without running Hillary. That is the dream ticket.