Bradley says 'no' to Obama VP job. What about Clinton? Not her. Him!

Just in case you're keeping score, yet another Democratic politician has said he would decline to be the vice presidential running mate of Sen. Barack Obama.

This one was a surprise, too, because, to be honest, not one living soul on the planet had mentioned his name as a possible Democratic VP.

Not at least until NBC's Andrea Mitchell asked the big veep question on a conference call Monday with Bill Bradley, the former basketball player, former senator from New Jersey and former unsuccessful presidential primary candidate himself.

Bradley took care of that query with his usual long-winded eloquence.

"No," he said.

He joins a growing list of folks who've said modestly, no thank you, in advance of being asked. (Obama wouldn't want a pro showing him up with three-pointers anyway.)

The VP naysayers include Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland, a strong supporter of Hillary Clinton during the dogged primary season and chief executive of a crucial state on the electoral map; Virginia's pistol-packing Sen. Jim Webb, a former Reaganite who took himself out of the running before the gun sounded; and Rhode Island Sen. Jack Reed, who said the vice presidency is "a position I have no interest in."

Of course, saying "no" now protects anyone from being rejected later since they've already said "no," even though they might really mean "call me."

The No. 2 spot on a presidential ticket has been known to be a quickly-acquired interest once the No. 1 on the ticket pops the ...

... question. Witness Obama's cousin, Dick Cheney, who thought he was researching other VP candidates in 2000 when he was really auditioning for George W. Bush.

So, you'll notice, Reed, an ex-Army Ranger who accompanied Obama on the Middle East portion of his recent field trip, did leave himself some wiggle room.

And, frankly, during the dog days of summer when Americans are vacationing, eating hot dogs and donning sunscreen that instantly attracts flecks of grating sand, the vice presidential "mysteries" are about the only thing the politicians and media have going to maintain readers' interest.

Who will it be? Someone as exciting and memorable as Lloyd Bentsen? Or William Miller? Who?

The candidates know this, of course. So they string everyone along as long as possible. Despite the obligatory prodding, Obama was smilingly mum about his VP pick on "Meet the Press" on Sunday, except to say the usual yada-yada about the integrity and intelligence and candor that the running mate must have. As if any nominee would pick a political partner with only a few indictments.

And Obama repeated how the VP wouldn't be doing global funeral duty, even though the VP will be doing global funeral duty.

Think, say, Spiro Agnew.

Obama did say something about his VP short list, however. Answering one of Tom Brokaw's questions, the Illinois senator confirmed a recent L.A. Times article and Ticket item that quoted a staunch Hillary Clinton supporter whom Obama had called to schmooze a bit.

Obama reassured the woman, Jill Iscol, that Clinton was indeed on his short list, an unverifiable claim possibly designed to soothe recalcitrant supporters of the New York senator. Iscol also said Obama mentioned a "complication" involved in a Clinton pick, a complication everyone assumed is named Bill.

Obama did dodge the complication question Sunday, saying he would love to have the ex-president campaign for him this fall.

Wait a minute. Maybe that's a perfect mid-summer opening to start the rumor that when Obama says "Clinton would be on anyone's short-list of vice presidential picks," he doesn't mean Hillary.

He means Bill!

Oh, sure there might be some kind of minor historical crisis if Bill ever had to assume the top job again. But what a dynamo combo!

It'd give the Republicans fits again by having a Southerner on a Democratic ticket. Like Bill Clinton and Al Gore. And John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson. And Jimmy Carter and what's-his-name who was always going to funerals around the globe.

And Bill Clinton is one of a shrinking number of Democrats who hasn't yet said "no." Spread the word. B&B in '08.

-- Andrew Malcolm

Photo credits: Getty Images (top); Associated Press (bottom).

Comments

[dave]

anyone who said 'no' really meaning 'call me' has utterly disqualified themselves, to begin with. so that's that.
but so have both candidates still preferentially treated as prospective nominees for an office they cannot legally hold.

[Ben]

No crisis - presidents are only restricted to two *consecutive* terms. NON consecutive terms are just fine.

See:
http://www.slate.com/id/1006013/

[Dan Johnson]

You must be eligible for the office of President to be Vice President. Obviously Bill is not so it's not possible...even for the sake of comedy...why not just say Jimmy Carter?

[tom]

Bill Clinton could not be on the ticket. He served 8 years as president, the limit is 10 years. He cannot run for a term he cannot complete.

[Shaw Dempsey]

Bill Clinton? Impossible, its illegal, he could not serve as president if necessary because he already has his two terms served.
Here is a better choice. Obama has McCain as his running mate and McCain has Obama as HIS running mate. This would eliminate and balance the ticket on either side.

[Dave Armstrong]

The law clearly prohibits being elected more than twice (once if you served as president when you weren't elected for more than 2 years).

But, it doesn't prevent you from becoming president again if you are the VP and you take over the office.

So, Clinton can legally be VP and he can legally assume the office of president if required, but he can't be elected again.

Here's the relevant text from the 22cd Amendment (from wikipedia).

No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once.

[bkl]

"No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once."

Bill Clinton can serve as Vice-President for fifty years. He could serve as President if Obama dies in office. He just can't be elected President.

[ThinkingMan]

Bill as VP would give Hillary fits! I think most people, even if they like Bill, would feel that women had been slighted yet again if Bill was picked.

Any other all male ticket would not create as much negative feelings as picking Bill. The object is to pick someone who will help you win not alienate 54% of the voters.

[Jersey Bob]

Folks, please read the Constitution before pretending to know what's in it.

The 22nd Amendment (passed in 1947) limits presidential terms to two. Period. Has nothing to do with consecutive. It also does not say anything about the vice presidency.

Presumably, if a president was no longer able to serve and the VP wasn't eligible, the Speaker of the House (3rd in line for succession, deemed by the 25th Amendment in 1965) would become President or Acting President.

So: Bill Clinton is legally eligible to serve as VP. The political reality may be another matter.

[Mike Caplanis]

actually the constitution is unclear (as it is in so many instances--this is why we have amendments and a supreme court) about this issue of presidential succession in the case of a former president running for vice president after having served 2 full terms as president already.

right off, if he can only serve for max 10 years (is this true? --anyone, bueller?) all he'd have to do is appoint a vp in the event that he must ascend to the presidency, and relinquish power in 2 years to that appointee'. bada bing.

there was and is nothing in the constitution about the united states remaining united, but lincoln fought a war to make the point that it/we must. the constitution won't cover everything and is always open to question.

[A.Levine]

OBAMA PICK A BLACK MAN OR WOMAN SO YOU CAN GET 100 % OR CLOSE TO THAT VOTE. A BLACK VP WILL BE A FIRST FOR AMERICA............ONE WORLD WITHOUT WALLS.................

[LYNN PARKER]

BILL CLINTON IS STILL MY PRESIDENT, GWB IS A NOTHING BUT A SCOUNDAL AND IF BILL COULD BE V P WITH THE POWER OF MEAN OLD FACE, DEAD EYE CHENEY, I MIGHT CONSIDER VOTING FOR OBAMA. OTHERWISE FORGET VOTING THIS TIME. WITH BILL BEHIND OBAMA, WE MIGHT HAVE A FIGHTING CHANCE IN THIS COUNTRY!

[Ed]

The 22nd amendment to the U.S. constitution limits a person to two elected terms as president. It says this about a person who is not elected president, but holds the office:
"and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once".
So certainly it seems to limit a VP in Bill's position to no more than 2 more years as president for any single term, which I guess would leave the speaker of the house as the person to serve out what ever remained of the Obama term until the next presidential election.
So rest easy, the Clenis is an unlikely choice for practical reasons.

[Bob Dole]

12th Amendment to the Constitution: "no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice-President of the United States."

Bill Clinton has served two terms as President and is therefore constitutionally ineligible to serve as Vice-President. Nice research, Andrew.

[Josh Geller]

The 22nd Amendment does not set any limit of 10 years. It says no one will be elected to the Presidency more than twice, and no one serving more than two years in the Presidency will be elected more than once. Bill Clinton could serve as Obama's VP, and serve as President should something happen to Obama, but could not run for re-election.

I imagine that he would appoint his wife VP in that bizarre scenario.

Well this is certainly interesting.

.

[Dave]

The 12th amendment would prevent Bill Clinton from becoming Vice President. "But no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice-President of the United States". At present, he is ineligible due to the 22nd amendment barring any president from serving more than 10 years as President. The President can not be elected more than twice and if assuming office, can serve up to 2 additional years.

[Martin Culpepper]

You people amaze me! You call yourselves Americans. You've written:

"No crisis - presidents are only restricted to two 'consecutive' terms. NON consecutive terms are just fine."

AND

"Bill Clinton could not be on the ticket. He served 8 years as president, the limit is 10 years. He cannot run for a term he cannot complete."

WRONG. Try actually reading the 22nd Amendment.

"Section 1. No person shall be elected to the office of president more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once. But this article shall not apply to any person holding the office of President when this article was proposed by the Congress, and shall not prevent any person who may be holding the office of President, or acting as President, during the term within which this article becomes operative from holding the office of President or acting as President during the remainder of such term.

Section 2. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States within seven years from the date of its submission to the States by the Congress."

STILL, though, it IS unclear (at least in my mind) whether a two-term president could later be elected (or even appointed) Vice-President. There could be some good arguments either way here. Fortunately, the Supreme Court has never - nor likely will ever - have to address this question.

[Mark Schaffer]

With so much trashing of the constitution by the Bush administration going on, this writer decides to write in the worst way about a choice for VP by Senator Obama. Why not give the readers the list of laws broken by Bush's justice department? Or list all gaffes, lies, and stupidity uttered by McCain and his surrogates?

[D Nicol]

If not Hillary, then what about another woman who's had White House experience and had sex with a president? Monica Lewinsky turns 35 this year, so she's eligible to be president. Monica for VP!

[Gringo_Malo]

The Constitution (as if anybody paid any attention to it nowadays) requires that the Vice President be qualified to serve as President. Having already served two terms as prez, Slick Willie is disqualified for that office by the 20th Amendment. Therefore, he's not qualified to be veep.

[Charles K Rogers]

Although Bill Clinton, as VP, may steal the show frequently, his inside knowledge of getting things done through congress, etc., is a huge plus on a scale bigger of Cheney for Bush. Two great political minds vs the dunces that have harmed America by their leadership during the last 8 years.

America is in a time of serious crises and we need great leadership that includes fresh ideas and proven savy.

Obama and either Clinton as vp workd for me.

[brian musah]

You can't be serious! Ever heard of Bill Clinton playing second fiddle to anybody? The very thought!.It is like looking at the world through a fluted glass pane.

[Matt Silb]

It is not at all clear if Bill Clinton can be VP and, if VP he could then assume the office of the president. Certainly someone could be VP for 8 years then be president. And the 25 Amendment, the last and so most authoritative on this topic, simply says that the VP gets the office if something happens to the president. The 25th says nothing about the VP needing to be old enough or not having served as president.

That said, Obama won't nominate Bill and it was quite silly to imply that Democrats are running away from Obama. It is the Republicans who won't go to their convention and won't be seen with their party leader or the nominee.

[Voice from beyond]

Cagy Obama holds his cards real close to his chest,but
his choice was definitely set in cement when governor
Judas gave the one finger salute to the gracious lady from New York. Obama will give her the short end of the
stick. Wham Obam...thank you ma'm.

[joey64]

andrew, did you lack attention as a child, are you some type of fire starter, ? so what bill b. said no, bill c . cant.
i know u r apart time comic! you sould like one of these oil speculaters, next time ur up do a better job!