What Barack Obama wants in a vice president

Hillary Clinton did her part today to try to tamp down the frenetic push by some to team her up with Barack Obama on the Democratic presidential ticket. And in an interview with CNN, the presumptive nominee did the same, urging all sides to "settle down."

In an exchange with reporter Candy Crowley, we were most struck by Obama's characterization of the role his running mate would play if they take office next January. His vice president, he said, would "be my final counselor when I'm making decisions in the White House."

That person, obviously, would have to be someone with whom he enjoys a very, very high comfort level. Who knows, maybe he and Clinton could achieve that. But for that to happen, it assuredly would take more than the one conversation Obama has been mentioning he'll be having with her. And if rapport fails to develop between the two, ruling Clinton out quickly -- and getting rid of the shadow she would cast over Obama's deliberative process -- would seem to serve his best interests.

Here's the back-and-forth on CNN, when Crowley asked Obama about the pressure to tap Clinton for the vice presidential slot:

OBAMA:  You know, I am a big believer in making decisions well, not making them fast and not responding to pressure.  And I think Senator Clinton right now is in the same position I am, which is we just completed 54 contests. We want to catch our breath. We need to take stock of where we are. I'm sure she has to do the same thing. And so she and I will have a conversation. We won't be doing it through surrogates or the press. To talk about how we move forward, join forces to make sure we are successful in November.  And so there's going to be a lot of time for that.

CROWLEY:  Isn't it the best way to win over her supporters, though? To put her on the ticket.  You've seen, I'm sure, the polling showing that you're dropping in women, sort of down-scale voters and those kind of voters. Isn't it the best way to win them over is to put them on that ticket?

OBAMA:  As I said, I think everybody just needs to settle down. We've just completed this arduous process. It's only been two days. And you know, I think it's both -- not just in my interests and Senator Clinton's interests, but in the Democratic Party's interests and the country's interest to make sure that I make this decision well.  And I will be deliberate and systematic about it because this will be my final counselor when I am making decisions in the White House, and I want to make sure I get it right.

-- Don Frederick

Photo: Associated Press

Comments

[Bob]

What does Obama want in a VP?

I know what he doesn't need; past, present, and future Clinton wreckage!

Hillary, the Queen of Spin and a Legend in Her Own Mind!

http://klintons.com

[paul]

Obama need someone who can provide "balance" to the
ticket. Someone with experience and yes, someone
with 18 million voters.

[Keith Crandall]

Barack Obama should choose Colin Powell as a Vice Presidential running mate. Colin Powell is another exceptionally reasonable centrist who would be very appealing to a broad slice of America. He brings exceptional strength in all areas that are perceived as weaknesses of Senator Obama: military, foreign policy, international experience. Obama/Powell would make a fantastic team to move America into a new era of working together instead of against one another. Go Obama/Powell!!!

[Gaias Child]

My list: Bill Richardson, Jim Webb, Joe Biden, John Edwards, Kathleen Sibelius, Nancy Pelosi, Tom Daschle and if Jimmy Carter likes Sam Nunn then I do too. Of course that's a little Georgia-centric. Main thing is for Obama to go through his process and let the professional committee people develop some criteria. Colin Powell would be so great as Secy of State or Defense and John Edwards as attorney general ... Joe Biden would also be great Secy of State and Defense ... HRC would be a natural Health Education and Welfare but not the right VP. As Kennedy said, she's overqualified. Also she doesn't poll so well for trustability. Maureen Dowd kinda sees it like I do.

[maz hess]

Obamas face reminds sometîmes at Mandelas face. And each time when you start to forget that, he is doing something very surprising like visiting hillary clinton at her home yesterday just for a chat.

[stan]

Russ Feingold

[JMH]

Yes, he takes a long and hard look before voting "present" over 100 times as a senator. What a phony and poseur. I can't believe how he has bamboozled "guilty" white Americans. God help our country if this racist fool is elected.

[Doe]

Why is Clinton not on Obama's VP list?

Ed Rendell, the Governor of Pennsylvania, and one of Mrs Clinton's most important supporters during the primary contests, made plain his own reservations about an Obama-Clinton ticket. "The rule for the vice-president is make sure you never upstage the president," Mr Rendell said. "Hillary Clinton ... couldn't help but upstage, even if she was trying not to."

[louis r pepe]

for his vice president obama should pick caroline kennedy it would be the biggest landslide in history OBAMA/KENNEDY.....it has a ring to it

[Delilah]

I'm hoping for Caroline Kennedy as the VP choice of Sen. Barack Obama. She has a lot to offer, political savy, respect and respectable, smarts, kindness, Kennedy legend. She would be ideal as the first woman President in eight years. The ideal sweet ticket. The best one to beat McCain in addition to the other pluses. All the other democrats can be freed up to handle the Republican attackers and can earn posts in the Obama/Kennedy administration.