Feinstein and Rangel back an Obama-Clinton "dream ticket"

Hillary Clinton endorsed Barack Obama on Saturday, and now two of her most powerful supporters are endorsing her as the strongest candidate for vice president on the Democratic ticket.

In appearances on three of the Sunday talk shows, Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California and Rep. Charles B. Rangel of New York both urged the Illinois senator to make Clinton his #2.

Feinstein, of course, hosted the Obama-Clinton "secret" meeting Friday night. On ABC's "This Week," she put  her hopes for the Democratic ticket this way:

"I've looked at every other possible candidate. No one brings to a ticket what Hillary brings: 18 million people committed to where she's going. ... if you really want a winning ticket, this is it."

She reiterated her support for an Obama-Clinton ticket on CNN's "Late Edition":

"I think there are 18 million cracks in the glass ceiling that say, yes, do it. I think Hillary had something that is a bit unusual. She has a very committed woman constituency, female constituency right now. She has proved herself. She has grown in the campaign. She has some constituencies that he needs."

Rangel -- a founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus and one of the New York senator's earliest supporters -- appeared on CBS' "Face the Nation":

"From a personal view -- and I may be too close to the forest -- I think it is an absolutely unbeatable ticket, and I think it would be terrific for the country." 

-- Leslie Hoffecker

Comments

[David]

If Hillary is the VP, Obama will need a food taster and Brooks Brothers body armor. If she wouldn't kill him, her supporters would.

[mwf]

Oh brother. The conspiracy theorists are out in full bloom I see......(commentors, that is - all over the internet)

And does anyone else get annoyed with the commentary that professes to know everything Hillary (or Bill for that matter) is thinking and going to do?

[jay marciano]

old school way of thinking... we are on new territory...
maybe an unbeatable ticket.. but if they cannot work together it is not the best for our country.. that is the key...
I wish this could work but given the behavior of Sen Clinton I am not convinced in any way, shape or form... what happened on Tuesday was a disservice to Sen Obama... I respect the voters who supported Sen Clinton and any other year it would make sense for the two to team up...let Sen Obama decide. I wish folks would stay off his back and let him be... temperment and style are critical.. whose dream is it ? Maybe to Sen Clinton's supporters... I feel bad, it would have been wonderful given the support SEn Clinton received... but it is about more then just winning.. its about governing... can they work together ? It is Sen Obama's call 100 %... I think there are better match=ups out there given the behaviors and entitlement of the Clinton folks... -Jay M

[BJ]

I for one, do not want an Obama/Clinton ticket.

There is more that divides us, than joins us...

We cannot vote for a Democratic Party that hi-jacked the nomination, we cannot vote for a candidate that we do not trust! As similar as their platforms are, their delivery will never be the same. Barack says what he has to say to get elected, and will do what he wants to do WHEN he gets elected. And THAT is what I'm afraid of.

I do not know his true moral compass, nor his political will. All I know is... he has an agenda that we are not aware of.

John McCain will get my vote in November. I can handle 4 yrs. of McCain and his tax cuts!

[Marti]

David, I do believe the kind of comment you made on your post is unnecessary talk of the killing of Obama. I think that kind of talk needs to be omitted. I am a Hillary supporter, and I wouldn't kill anybody. I am disgusted at the mention of it. That is not a way to bring Clinton supporters to Obama. I do feel strong about supporting an Obama-Clinton Dream Ticket, but I must say that kind of comment turns me off as I am sure it will many if not all Clinton supporters. I hope you are not an example of a true Obama supporter. . Since my candidate has strongly suporred Obama, I plan to also. This campaign needs none of that!

[Matt]

As much as I dislike Hillary, I think she may be a necessary evil for Obama to secure the presidency.

[Victor Williams]

"If Hillary is the VP, Obama will need a food taster and Brooks Brothers body armor. If she wouldn't kill him, her supporters would."

And yet somehow it's what Clinton and her supporters say which is offensive?? If she were on the ticket it would be the only way in which I could stomach voting for Obama.

[joseph marcucilli]

It would be a nightmare having her on the ticket.They really don't like each other .

[Roscoe]

It's obama HUSSEIN....nothing else matters.

[Debmood]

Sounds like blackmail going on with Rangel and Fienstein.
Senator Clinton and politicians like her is why I left the Democratic Party. Senator Obama is the reason I came back. Clinton represents the status quo; Obama represents change in the way business is done in Washington. I prefer Hope and Change!
Feinstein and Rangel have a right to dream. Their dream is not mine.
I'm also noticing how the Senators and the media have bought into the idea that Hillary owns 18 million people. That is totally false. I'm sick of lying politicians. If Senator Obama counts Florida and the uncommitted votes in Michigan as Hillary is doing, he would be millions over Hillary in the popular vote. Amazingly, CNN and some other tabloid bloggers have forgotten how to count, and they are repeating the lie.
I'm very close in giving up the process for good. I'll be watching in the coming months.

[Mark in VA]

I knew in 2004 that Clinton would run in 2008, and at that time I committed to support AnybodyButClinton. As it turned out, Obama was the candidate I have wanted from the beginning of the campaign, so all things considered it worked out pretty well for me. That said, I'm willing to support an Obama/Clinton ticket. She's not who I would pick personally, but Obama needs to consider heavily just how much support she rallied during this primary. And, let's face it: Obama/Clinton is certainly no stranger, no more contentious than Kennedy/Johnson, yet they pulled it together and made it work. My ideal pick is Sebelius, my "balance the ticket" choice is Webb, and obviously this is Obama's call to make, but Clinton has a strong argument.

[Joseph Hayden]

It's still a dumb idea. There are 18 million people who **didn't** vote for Hillary - no one ever talks about that. She and Bill bring more baggage and drama than it's worth, Obama would be fighting a government in exile (the Republicans) and a government in waiting. Forget it. Start fresh, move on. Feinstein and Rangel need to let go and let the process unfold and stop pushing.

[Wm Tate]

Hillary would bring Bill with her. With Obama's own baggage--Rezko, Wright, Ayers, Pfleger, Ayers, etc.--can he afford extra trunk-fulls of the stuff?
-Wm Tate,
http://www.atimelikethis.us/

[Darlene]

David,

I think that your comment on Brooks Brothers body armor shows the mentality of a lot of the Obama supporters, totally nasty. If it weren't for a lot of people like you, more of us Clinton supporters would support Obama now.
I think that we should just let you take your knocks, Obama will lose without us and then we have Hillary in 2012.

[Josh]

If an Obama/Clinton ticket happens to win the general election for the Democrats, it is clear that Barack Obama, as President, would marginalize Hillary Clinton and render her completely useless. These two could not work together after the election. The only purpose of such ticket would be to attract Clinton's voters in November - and its main result would be pushing Hillary Clinton aside after that. She could do better as a Senator...

[Richard]

Feinstein and Rangel ---- = OPPORTUNISTS !

If they were supporters of Barack - then they would allow him to make the choice.

The decision has to be a good one - take the present VP, that has turned out to be a catastrophic decision

[mark essex]

hmmmmm

and, when was the last time that a nominee was told whom to choose as his vp?

is it because obama's black?

didn't jesse jackson win more votes than any other second place candidate had ever won before?

did the party leadership attempt to persuade dukkakis to choose jackson?

why don't they just ask obama to step aside because he's black?

that would be logical, wouldn't it?

[J Richards]

Who actually chooses Obama's VP? James A. Johnson heads Obama's Vice-Presidential Search Committee. Who is James A. Johnson? Vice-Chairman of multi-billion dollar hedge fund and merchant bank, Perseus, board member of Goldman Sachs, business partner of George Soros, former chairman of Lehman Brothers, member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the Trilateral Commission. The Chairman of Perseus is Frank Pearl also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and an active member of the Americans for Bilderberg group.

Obama's foreign policy advisor? Zbigniew Brzezinski.

He appears to be the antithesis of Bush - Democratic, articulate, young, intelligent and black. The perfect package in the current market. "Vote for Change" it says on the label. It's nothing but a Corporate media advertising campaign. What you get is more of the same.

Turn off your TV, put your newspaper down and do some research. Then vote Cynthia McKinney or Ron Paul or Mike Gravel or anyone who is not bought and owned by the people who already run America.

[Mark]

I don't know if Obama is scared of Hillary as the Democratic VP, but the Republicans certainly are scared "to death" -- hence all their replays of Hillary attacking Barack.

The message the Republicans want to send is, "You'd be crazy to choose Hillary, don't do it!! Take our advice, offered in earnest!"

[Lucien BONNET]

RE:
Feinstein and Rangel back an Obama-Clinton "dream ticket"
June 08, 2008
------------------------------------
Thank You For Welcoming Me

DEDICATION

I dedicate this book entitled "BILL A RI AND THERE WAS LIGHT!" to the FORMER President Bill Clinton, to his wife Hillary and their daughter Chelsea. Leadership is the trade-mark of both the President and his whole family at the dawn of the twenty-first century.

The immediate goal of this book is to make the leaders and peoples of the West aware of their grave responsibilities in connection with Haiti’s current tragic situation. For this reason, it recalls the dominant relationship the West has had with the Black World.

Lucien BONNET

PLease, SEE :
LETTER TO PRESIDENT CLINTON
in "BILL A RI AND THERE WAS LIGHT !"
http://www.contact-canadahaiti.ca

[Juan Nunez-Iglesias]

Here's a nice opinion article in the Economist explaining why this is a bad idea:
http://www.economist.com/world/na/displaystory.cfm?story_id=11375813&fsrc=RSS

Most important, Clinton is a divisive force, and Obama may lose what bipartisan support he can surely gather if he pairs up with her. I hope he picks someone else.

[HRC or bust]

He would need neither a food tester nor a flack jacket.

We would have an unstoppable ticket and the first African-American President and female VP. I hope I get the chance to vote for Obama/Hillary.

[Seni]

No no no never. No ticket with Obama and Hillary together. There would be years of fighting between the two families in the white house about what to do on issues. This would cause problems, maybe race problems too for americans.

[Nemo]

I was thinking the very same thing! She would have him wacked!

[PulSamsara]

With all due respect to Hillary Clinton... this would be a terrible choice for Barack Obama.

[Kuriakose]

Please leave OBAMA alone to select his VP. Obama Clinton tickect will not work good for either of them or the nation.

[neveragain]

You know, he might could work with Hillary - but nobody can work with Bill...

Please get over this "Dream Ticket" nonsense.

[Donna]

David, I believe you are over-the-top. Hillary will enhance this ticket, and while ambitious, will respect her boundaries

[thebob.bob]

Will everyone just calm down and let things cool down. Public statements like this will make it seem like he's dissing Clinton if he chooses someone else. It's an important decision, there's plenty of time to make it and, most importantly, it's Obama's decision to make. Not Rangel's or Feinstein's. Obama won it. Back off and give HIM the respect to make his own decision.

[Bob M]

Making such a recommendation public to a presidential candidate guarantees 100% non-compliance.

[hainana]

Yes,choose Hillary. I did not like her before, but I do now and very much. The strength, determination and grace she has shown won me over. She is not only a great woman model we can learn from and look up to, she will be also a great leader. If you haven't seen all the great qualities she has, you are not open your eyes. She is bigger than just being a woman. The country needs her, and where she goes, we follow.

[Jamie]

I don't think Obama should or will choose Clinton as his VP. A vp for Obama has to recede into the entire picture and with Clinton that might be hard to accomplish. Clinton would have too much recognition and it might push Obama into the background. Remember, it's not Clinton who is running for president now, it's Obama VS McCain. I think Obama should pick a male or female White Christian conservative as VP.

[Judith]

Why don't Feinstein,and Rangel, let Obabm pick his own running mate,as Bill Clinton did in the 90's and all other presidental canadates have done through out history???? Why are they still tring to stuff Hillary down everyones throat??? I think as super delagates it is so unfair for them ( Feinstein,and Rangel) to insist on Clinton on the ticket with Obama, and frankly I know a lot of people that say they won't vote with her on the ticket.

Here is another question, why is she holding on to her delagates when she lost and there are no more races to go except the final one against mccain? does she want the democatics to take Obama out and give run the election????? sounds that way to me.... if the DNC does as Clinton plans, they can kiss the election and the party good-bye...... Or is Hillary hoping one of her supporters takes Obama out giving the election to her, AGAIN THE PARTY WOULD LOSE THE WH...... SO SAD SHE CAN'T BE LIKE THE OTHER CANIDATES THAT LEFT THE RACE... INSTEAD SHE STILL IS TRYING TO TAKE THE PRESIDENCY..... HOW SICK AND SAD.....

[Carolyn Grace]

No way should she be his VP, especially not after Tuesday night when she refused to even acknowledge that he had won the nomination. This woman has no shame. Did she think that maybe everyone would wakeup the next morning and forget that he "had won" and then to try and hold him hostage to get the VP nod, no to Hillary and her "friends" should stop suggesting it. It is Senator Obama's decision to make, not Charlie Rangel's or Diane Fienstein's.

[Helen Cuan]

I voted for Ms. Clinton, I acknowledge there are always going to be differences among human. Time will be a cure for everyone, first for this Country, our citizens and the candidated. God is in chagre.

Thanks,

Helen Cuan

[Ky Mankind]

I know everyone is looking for the so-called dream ticket. If I were Obama, I wouldn't trust my life with Hillary and/or her fanatic supporters who would stop at nothing to make her president. Remember, if the president becomes indisposed, the VP automatically becomes the president.

The democratic party will come together and Obama can win by himself (with other qualified people as VP).

Like someone previously commented, even if Hillary wouldn't get rid of Obama some of her fanatic supporters will. Please let Obama make his own decision to pick the right person for VP and to stay alive also. God Bless America

-Ky
A concerned and patriot citizen

[Theresa in Minneapolis MN]

HRC as a running mate is a very bad idea. Obama needs to be the "alpha" in this duo & regardless of what HRC may say, she won't settle for this ! Obama will have enough obstacles without placating HRC's ego.
If the people who supported her aren't smart enough to vote for Obama, they're short-sighted. Taking in account Obama and McCain's policies, I fail to understand the logic behind the threats to go McCain. It's akin to shooting one's self in the foot.

[Dan]

End of her relentless compaign, only to be followed by a new campaign to be the VP. Expect to see and hear a lot more about a never-give-up campaign for this nightmare ticket - which seems to be the new approach to the presidency.

[Adam]

"If Hillary is the VP, Obama will need a food taster and Brooks Brothers body armor. If she wouldn't kill him, her supporters would."

To the person who wrote this, you are exactly the kind of person that Obama dispises. Whether you voted for him or not, whether you were wearing his t-shirt, he'd be disgusted by your remarks. He's a good man, and he deserves better supporters than you.

So, why is it that so many Obama supporters are so unlike Obama? Why is it that so many followers of this visionary man can't seem to practice what he preaches?

[International Observer]

Obama choosing Clinton would raise far too many doubts about how much he stands by his message of change, about how well he would stand up to this kind of Washington lobbying, and about what kind of judgement he has.

The cost-benefit is not worth it.

[michael]

I said it before, and I'll say it again...I would be perfectly satisfied with a woman president, but not THAT one! Now that I had my wish come true, and Hillary is out of it, please please please Mr. Obama, don't ruin your chance to get away from old school politics...hopefully the Clinton "Dynasty" is over, don't ruin it for all of us who wish you well, by putting her on your ticket. That would lose my vote for sure!

[Sterling Greenwood]

Maybe Feinstein and Rangel can convince John McCain to make Hillary his running mate!
Sterling Greenwood
Aspen Free Press

[James Mason]

For all those Democrats who want to vote for McCain, just to ‘punish’ Obama, here is some food for thought.

McCain has made no secret of his intentions to bomb Iran and to stay in Iraq for 100 years. On the latter, Bush is already pressuring the Iraqi government to sign agreements allowing the establishment of 50 permanent US bases in Iraq and granting immunity for US forces. He wants the agreements signed by July.

We have to assume that Bush and McCain have agreed that an invasion of Iran is necessary and imperative. To facilitate that McCain may well bring back the draft.

I hope when you vote for McCain you think about this. Imagine yourself sometime in the next few years standing beside the open grave of your drafted son (or daughter – remember equal opportunity!) as the bugler plays ‘Taps’.

Is that what you want for your children? Will you be proud of your vote for McCain then? Will you be happy that your vote led directly to the death of your child?

Think about it.

[Leo]

Who better for a number 2 than the person who spent the past 17 months saying you're not qualified to be number 1

[International Observer]

It's quite a stretch to claim that making Clinton his running mate would deliver 18 million voters. The large majority of them will now vote for Obama over McCain even if he doesn't choose her as running mate. A small segment will not vote for him even if he does make her his running mate. The remaining percentage of Clinton supporters that will only vote for him if he makes her his running mate will be some small fraction of the 18 million figure.

[Rom M]

There are plenty of qualified people who have competence, integrity, and independence, the three qualities said his vice presidential candidate will have. Those who support Hillary should take this into consideration before suggesting Sen Clinton. And they need to qualify their suggestion with, "it's ultimately his decision". This sounds like pressuring the candidate or maybe mindless chatter.

[Julie in Burbank]

This should not be news because of course they're for that ticket -- they bet on the wrong horse, so they're trying to get "their candidate" onto the ticket another way.

Rangel and Feinstein like everybody else, need to back off. Especially them because they did not have Obama's back throughout this primary. They're looking out for Clinton first and themselves and their own influence.

[NinaK]

People must stop pushing Hilliary on Senator Obama. Their VALUES are on oipposite ends of the spectrum; he has them while Hilliary does not---as she proved during the campaign. She has proven she is incapable of running a good campaign and managing her campaign funds and is $30+ million debt!! She is not anywhere near ready to be VP! She can recite policy like a pro, other than that what??? Nada.

[TruthIsGold]

I do not support Clinton as VP. She is a divisive candidate using the sexism that pervades our country to try to win the election. Yes, its true, we are as a culture sexist. American culture is sexist. This has been a wake up call for the nation regarding sexism and racism. Hillary Clinton may have inspired millions of women blinded by her basic message of a woman as president. However for many of us she also demonstrated political and financial incompetence, arrogance, and naked ambition. Sounds awfully American? Well Obama is the American counterpoint to Clinton, representing true change, well run financially, a bit more humble, and with a power for the people campaign. However all of this is moot, the real questions to answer right now are:

Do you want a man who is against Roe vs. Wade as president?

Do you want a man who publicly called his wife a c--t as president?

Do you want a man who is for cluster bombs as president?

Do you want a man who jokes about bombing Iran as president?

Do you want a man who was member of the Keating 5 banking scandal as president?

Do you want a man who was tortured for years as prisoner of war as president?

Do you want a man who reportedly has an anger problem as president?

Yes, McCain appears to be all of these!

[NinaK]

If an Obama/Clinton ticket happens to win the general election for the Democrats, it is clear that Barack Obama, as President, would marginalize Hillary Clinton and render her completely useless. These two could not work together after the election. The only purpose of such ticket would be to attract Clinton's voters in November - and its main result would be pushing Hillary Clinton aside after that. She could do better as a Senator...

Posted by: Josh
-------------------

There is NO guarantee Hilliary would bring her supporters with her if she were on the ticket. It would be a big IF. Not only have so many Clinhton supporteers screamed and yelled they would vote for McCain regardless; so have many of Obama's supporters expressed they will not vote for him if she is on the ticket. So there you have it. If hers supporters won't vote for them and if his supporters don't either, Senator Obama would lose MORE votes if he puts her on his ticket. Everybody, and I mean everybody, must cease pushing Clinton for VP!! It is up to Senator Obama as to who he wants as his running mate and I am pretty sure he does not want BILL and HILL as his VP. There are many qualified people out there to choose from. He has a committee working on this already. IT is totally UNFAIR to keep nagging Senator Obama.|