ABOUT FIRST READ

First Read is an analysis of the day's political news, from the NBC News political unit. First Read is updated throughout the day, so check back often.

Chuck Todd, NBC Political Director

Mark Murray, NBC Deputy Political Director

Domenico Montanaro, NBC Political Researcher



Bill: Hillary-Obama ticket 'unstoppable'

Posted: Sunday, March 09, 2008 9:35 AM by Mark Murray

From NBC/NJ's Mike Memoli
PASS CHRISTIAN, Miss. -- Bill Clinton told voters on the Gulf Coast yesterday that a Clinton-Obama ticket would be an "unstoppable force" in the general election, and that his wife is certainly considering it.

All three remaining White House hopefuls were off the trail yesterday, so the former president couldn't help but be back in the spotlight. On top of that, Clinton decided to take questions for the first time in more than a month, and perhaps not surprisingly, a voter asked this question -- would the two Democratic candidates join forces as a ticket.

"I never talk to her about this, because I think if you ever look past the next election you might not get past it," Clinton cautioned. But he pointed to his wife's recent comments on the matter, saying he believed she "was very open" to the idea. "I think she answered explicitly yes yesterday," he said. "I heard he also said no, but I think she said yes."

Clinton said that Hillary believes that if there was a way to "unite the energy and the new people" that Barack Obama has attracted with the appeal he said his wife has shown in "small town and rural America, they'd "be hard to beat."

"You look at most of these places -- he would win the urban areas and the upscale voters, and she wins the traditional rural areas that we lost when President Reagan was president," he said. "If you put those two things together, you'd have an almost unstoppable force."

Clinton moved then to take another question, before he returned to the subject, saying he didn't blame either candidate for not wanting to put the matter on the table now. "Nobody wants to give up the top spot until the voters get done voting," he said. "[But] if you got the assurances of ultimate unity, then it's a great mistake for other people to try to shut this process down early. I mean, the last primary is June the 7th. I didn't get the votes in '92 to be nominated until June the 2nd. We don't need to be in any hurry, let everybody vote."

Later in the day, in Ellisville, Clinton revisited the topic. "She believes when this is over, if we can unify the Democratic Party, then we will clearly win because there is so much energy behind what is happening," he said. "Nobody has ever seen anything like this."

But given the Clinton camp's implicit argument that Obama is not ready to be commander-in- chief or handle a 3:00 am phone call, Clinton was asked why then would she consider Obama for the No. 2 spot. "That's politics," Clinton said, not taking the bait, as he would put it. "I think she would be the best president for the reasons I say at every stop... But, you know, he is an immensely talented man. He's brought a lot of energy and a lot of excitement to this race and I don't know who is going to win. It's not over yet, we've got a long way to go."

MAIN PAGE

Email this EMAIL THIS

Comments

Think about this.  Typically the top of the ticket is the one that inspries and has lofty ideals,  The # 2 o the ticket is the one that usually is the attack dog and goes after the top of the other ticket.  Hillary is much more of an attack dog and will be more successful in going on the offensive and that will allow Barack to be the idea guy.  the only way this would work is an Obama / Clinton ticket, but her ego will not allow for that.
Obama should not have someone as his VP who is so secretive. She has to release all her tax returns and papers from her White House years before he can pick her as his running mate.
It appears the Clintons are hellbent on getting to the White House one way or the other...What previous mess do they have to clean up?
The Clinton tactic is ridiculous - Obama has an unbeatable mathematical advantage, and he should just somehow give up to play second fiddle to Bill?

It just shows Billary's gall when running behind to suggest absurdly that she is ahead, and Obama should be satisfied with a bone.

Go back to the Senate, Hillary, and let Bill write his memoirs.  I'll even buy the book.
HILLARY HAS THROWN OBAMA UNDER THE BUS IN FAVOR OF JOHN MCCAINS. FOR HILLARY TO USE THE SAME TALKING POINTS AS MCCAIN SINCE FEBUARY 5TH IT WILL BE A COLD DAY HELL BEFORE OBAMA WENT ANY WHERE NEAR A TICKET WITH THE NAME CLINTON ON IT!
Hillary Clinton is in second place in the popular vote, in pledged delegates, and in states won.  She is in no position to dictate terms to Barack Obama, who leads in all four categories.

In fact, Clinton is in no position to even be in this race anymore.  All she can do is act as spoiler, and she would only be able to win the nomination by spliting the party.  Look at it this way: In order for Clinton to pass Obama in the pledged delegate lead and in turn stake a claim to the remaining superdelegates, she would have to win 62% of the popular vote in the remaining 9-10 states that need to vote.  Do you know how many states Hillary Clinton has won by over 62% of the vote? One: Arkansas.  She wasn't able to get to 60% in her home state of New York.  She wasn't able to get to 60% in Michigan, where she was the only major candidate on the ballot.  How can she expect to win if she's already demonstrated that she can't get over 60% in New York and Michigan?

After losing Wyoming last night, that number probably just went up to 63%.  Clinton can only claim to win a state if she wins over 63% of the vote.  If she doesn't, she does not establish the pace necessary to catch Obama and simply raises the percentage she needs to win in other states.  An Obama win in Mississippi on Tuesday will raise it even higher.

Obama should begin reaching out to Clinton voters to ask them to help him unify the party at this point in time.  Clinton's objective is to split the Democratic Party into camps and demoralize Obama supporters--it's her only plausible path to the nomination.  The voters in Pennsylvania can end the nomination process (which for all intents and purposes is already over) when they realize that a.) Obama is a fine nominee for president; b.) Clinton can only gain ground with landslide victories that she has not been able to produce; and c.) That a continued Clinton candidacy will only favor Republican efforts in the spring and summer and further divide the party.  Pennsylvania could begin the general election season in earnest by voting for Barack Obama.
I think Hillary should wait to be asked first. It's awfully rude to assume Obama will choose her for VP, as he probably has someone more appropriate (ahem, more likeable) in mind for that position.

Obama/Webb  '08!

Can you imagine Wild Bill as the spouse of the VP. He would create more problems for Obama than North Korea or Iran - combined.

There is no way Billary would do this, unless she had a portfolio that she fully controlled.

Bad idea for Obama. Terrible idea for America.
It hope that the Clintons are as excited about the prospect of an Obama-Clinton ticket.  
This is a smooth strategy by the Clinton campaign. First off Clinton ignores that in VA, WI, IL, and countless midwestern states and North Western states that Obama has not only won the upper class and urban areas, by claiming that HRC can regain the Regan Democrats although that as 23 years ago (although i suppose these are the over 50 voters of hillary today) this bolsters their general election argument.

More importantly claiming that a Clinton/Obama ticket is a good idea, is a way for them to claim "Hey vote for us, we'll still put your hero on our ballot, so its a win-win.

This makes little sense in light of their attacks on Obama. How can you claim a presidential candidate has done nothing besides give a speech, but he should be a  VP? Its a clever strategy, but I think Barack is smart to say "I'm not gonna be your VP" although it may come across as cocky he has to say that.
Well, I think Bill has just given Obama a gift here. Next time Clinton rolls out her argument that Obama's not ready to be commander in chief, Obama can say, "She doesn't believe that. Even her husband admits that it's just politics."
Oh so now Bill wants Hillary to ride Obama's
coattails!  Looks like he sees the writing on
the wall as far as everyone's acceptance of
Hillary for President.  And in typical Clinton
fashion, THEY WILL DO WHATEVER IT TAKES. IF YOU
CAN'T BEAT THEM, USE THEM.
Here is my prediction!  
This "dream team" that is being spun by the Clinton's will be turned into another Clinton attack!  They will say they were doing all this for "the party"!  
Here are "the CLUES"...
~I never talk to her about this.  (meaning, this is not/has not been planned.  Why would they each say the same thing, and they don't disuss it, A great BIG cooincidence??  They need better communication skills, that hasn't IMPROVED since the 90's)
~"I heard he said no, but I "think" she said yes." (he heard, and I think.  He doesn't speak to his wife on the campaign trail?  He doesn't speak to wolfson on the campaign trail.  I would question her Presidential communications skill if she doesn't even speak to her husband daily about her campaign.)
~Clinton took another question, but returned to the SUBJECT.  (BILL wants this to be heard over and over, but he hasn't spoken to his HER about this.  He is just out on his own, she is on her own...and gee they just happen to be saying the SAME thing...but it's not planned!  Does this sound like a sound campaign, when they don't even speak to each other?)
~"She believes when this is over, we can unite the party, then we will win....." (How does he know what she believes, they haven't discussed this at all???)
~If you've got ASSURANCES of ultimate unity, then it's a MISTAKE for other people to try to shut this down"  (Maybe you should've spoke to Obama, to see if he WANTS hillary as his VP!!  I KNOW he is not speaking to his wife!  If they run a campaign without speaking to each other about important issues like who would be her VP, what important ISSUES would they NOT talk about in WASHINGTON?  

These are the clues...they are for unity of "the party", they are using code words...that are if Obama  doesn't want this it is a MISTAKE.
They must really believe the democrats are stupid!  As soon as I  heard this the other day, I knew they were up to something.  They don't do anything without an "attack" behind it.  So there you have it people.  
She has ripped Obama apart,,shame on you...enough with the big speeches and rallies.  BIG BIG WINK WINK about NAFTAgate, the MEDIA lapped it up, that was an out and out lie right before the OH primary.  None of it was TRUE, but the MEDIA IGNORED THAT.   AND NOW Bill says he's incredibly talented, has brought alot of excitement to the race.....but it isn't over yet!  ie: the ATTACKS will continue.  
And...the media jumps on the "let's by freinds" story.
Why would anyone running for President say...sure I will quit the race...because I am winning in the popular vote and delegates...to be your VP??
Does that make sense to the Democratic voters??  
I know the Republicans will LAP this story up and roll in it.  And the biased media will too...but DEMOCRATS are SICK OF FEAR MONGORING, DIRTY POLITICS, DECEPTION AND SECRETS!!!

Obama for PRESIDENT!!!!!!!!

Yeah, he wishes!  Do they not know they're trailing?!  Obama's not going to save HIllary.
The arrogance that comes out of this camp is reminiscent of the Bush Co. arrogance.
No Clinton/Obama, Obama/Clinton ticket!
Any ticket with Hillary is stoppable.  Half the country already dislikes the Clintons.  Others are finally beginning to understand why.  I am an independent voter. I would never vote to send The Clintons back to the White House.
How would she square that with her belief that Obama isn't qualified to be president? That's the number one requirement in a VP.

This is just a tactic to lure superdelegates and Obama lovers who think he is young enough to wait. It won't happen. Obama won't pick her, either, because he'll want someone with real experience in foreign policy or military affairs ... Jim Webb is the most likely, because it puts Virginia in play and helps in MIssouri.
Bill, I've been talking Clinton/Obama since that first head to head debate in January that came off as a Clinton/Obama infomerical; especially with Obama repeating, "I agree with Senator Clinton," over and over (clearly Obama has the VP routine down).

If Obama is VP for eight years, no one will question his experience, and he will surely be vetted by the media.  As long as he successfully distances himself from anti-semites like Louis Farrakhan etc, isn't found guilty of colluding with Tony Rezco to launder Rezco's money and help him hide his assets from his creditors (yes Barack, I know why you got sold that strip of land next to your property), no one ever talks about how he lied about not taking lobbyist and pac money, and no one produces a picture of him beating a child, he should be a shoe-in for the Presidency in 2016.

For those of you still believing the Obama lies that Senator Clinton played only a minor role in Macedonia and Northern Ireland please read the following (I'd stack that against wearing Somali clothes, and winking and nodding to the Canadians about NAFTA any day).

Turns out that Senator Clinton was VERY involved in what transpired in Macedonia and Northern Ireland.  From the testimony you are about to read it should be obvious, even to those of you at Newsweek who are barely able to pass themselves off as journalists, that Senator Clinton is passionate about human rights, and not afraid to stand up and commit herself to bring parties together to a point of resolution.  Considering the the crisis situations in Darfur, Pakistan, Kosovo, Kurdish Iraq, Israel, Columiba, etc. I want someone who has proven her ability to step into a situation, get herself heard, and generate action.  

Barack Obama's foreign policy experience so far seems to be dressing up in Somali garb and winking and nodding to the Canadian government over NAFTA.  

Since you don't wish to present the facts I will do it for you.


Here is testimony from those involved, including John Hume, and from the press, regarding Clinton's role in Northern Ireland:

Statement from John Hume former MP MEP, founder of the SDLP and an architect of the Good Friday Agreement. He is the only person to win the Nobel Prize for Peace, the Ghandi Peace Award and the Martin Luther King Peace Prize.

“I am quite surprised that anyone would suggest that Hillary Clinton did not perform important foreign policy work as First Lady. I can state from firsthand experience that she played a positive role for over a decade in helping to bring peace to Northern Ireland.

She visited Northern Ireland, met with very many people and gave very decisive support to the peace process. There is no doubt that the people of Northern Ireland think very positively of Hillary Clinton’s support for our peace process, due to her visits to Northern Ireland and her meetings with so many people. In private she made countless calls and contacts, speaking to leaders and opinion makers on all sides, urging them to keep moving forward.

Anyone criticizing her foreign policy involvement should look at her very active and positive approach to Northern Ireland and speak with the people of Northern Ireland who have the highest regard for her and are very grateful for her very active support for our peace process.”

Inez McCormack, first female president of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions:

"Hillary Clinton took risks for peace in asking me and others to bring women and communities from both traditions to affirm their capacity to work for common purpose and to assert, when there was no public dialogue which supported it, that working for common purpose on the basis of mutual respect was the core of effective peace building. She used her immense influence to give women like me space to develop this work and validated it every step of the way. This approach is now taken for granted bit it wasn't then. She told us that if we take risks for peace, she would stay with us on that journey. In my experience, it took hard work, attention to detail and a commitment of time and energy which she delivered steadily and where it was needed over the last decade."

Baroness May Blood of the House of Lords, who worked for many years as a community leader in Shankill area of West Belfast

"The First Lady sent the message that the work and influence that grassroots women were undertaking within their communities was just as important as anything else that was taking place. I witnessed her building new confidence in women at the grassroots level and their statue grew within Northern Ireland as a consequence. All of a sudden they were being taken more seriously. The message we were also told by Hillary Clinton was that this work needed a political focus."
Geraldine McAteer, Chief Executive of West Belfast Partnership Board

"As First Lady, Hillary Clinton was extremely supportive of the peace process in Northern Ireland, and in particular, of the women who live here. In her visits during the peace process negotiations she met with women from a range of backgrounds and she recognized there was a real need to strengthen and support the voices of women in the post conflict context and get the needs of women and communities to the forefront of the new political agenda. She recognized that this would be best done through building the skillls of women here. Through her Vital Voices Conference in September 1998, I and others were able to develop our skills for the betterment of our communities."

News reports:

2007: Hillary honored for her work on the Northern Ireland Peace process. Irish American Magazine named Hillary “Person of the Year”, celebrating “her work on the Northern Ireland peace process”. [Irish American Magazine, April/May 07]

2007: Hillary met with Irish leaders who wanted to 'pay their respects to Hillary' for her work on behalf of peace in Northern Ireland. Martin McGuinness and Ian Paisley recently traveled to Washington on behalf of the fledging Northern Ireland government, and they specifically requested two personal meetings: one with President George W. Bush and one with Senator Hillary Clinton. They wanted to “pay their respects to Hillary” for her long and varied role in promoting and working for peace in Northern Ireland. [Guardian, December 8, 2007].

As McGuinness put it, “these are wonderfully exciting times for all of us back home, not least because of the contributions made by President Clinton and Mrs. Clinton.” [AP, December 7, 2007].

1999: Northern Ireland Secretary: ‘Hillary is one of the essential reasons’ Ireland had peace. An August

1999 issue of Talk Magazine quotes Northern Ireland Secretary Mo Mowlam: "Hillary is one of the essential reasons we've had 18 months of relative peace. Without her we would have no economic boom."

1999: Hillary made frequent trips to Northern Ireland where she was 'not just in the humdrum affairs of state…but in the nitty gritty of the political scene' “A few years back the notion of an American First Lady speaking out on any aspect of life in Northern Ireland would have been taboo. Now it is accepted that not just this First Lady but also her husband make frequent trips to the North, and that they become involved not just in the humdrum affairs of state such as opening a new training center or mouthing niceties at a conference, but in the nitty gritty of the political scene too." [Irish Voice, May 25, 1999]

Here is testimony regarding her involvement in Macedonia:

Statement of Richard Holbrooke, architect of the Dayton Accords, and former permanent representative to the United Nations.

“It was dire in May 1999 when Hillary Clinton arrived in Macedonia. The government of Macedonia had slowed the flow of refugees from Kosovo to a trickle. After visiting refugees and gaining a first-hand assessment of the situation, the First Lady had intense talks with President Gligorov and Prime Minister Georgievski. In these talks, one in the Presidential Palace, another in the residence of the American Ambassador, Christopher Hill, Mrs. Clinton pressed the Macedonian government to fully open the border so that Kosovar Albanian refugees could flee the war zone to safety. She also committed herself to work with the government and people of Macedonia who also faced an emergency because of the threat to their own safety and stability. Hillary Clinton promised to take action to help the Macedonian economy. Returning to Washington, she pressed hard in the administration for action to support the Macedonians. She even contacted American business executives to ensure that American textile contracts in Macedonia were not canceled. There is no doubt in my mind, nor in the minds of those people I worked with in the Balkans at the time – that her intense efforts resulted in easing a crisis of significant dimensions and contributed to saving many lives.”

Statement of Susan Braden, Director of Central and Eastern Europe, National Security Council, during Clinton Administration

“I was the Director of Central and Eastern Europe at the National Security Council, with responsibility for the states on the front-line of the conflict with Serbia, including Macedonia. The First Lady traveled to the region to bolster these fragile states at a precarious time. In May 1999, working with the Macedonians, we arranged meetings for Hillary with the Macedonian leadership for the purpose of demonstrating support and, in light of the growing refugee crisis, to persuade the government to allow in more Kosovar Albanian refugees. Hillary successfully pressed the Macedonian government to allow in many more refugees. This trip was enormously important in resolving this immediate crisis. It also reassured the Macedonian government, and other states in the region affected by this crisis, that America would support them.”

Statement from Melanne Verveer, Former Chief of Staff to First Lady Hillary Clinton

“As her chief of staff, I traveled with Hillary to Macedonia and sat in on her meetings with the Macedonian leadership. The situation in Macedonia was fragile. There had been demonstrations against the U.S. Embassy, the Macedonian economy was faltering, and there were growing rifts in the Macedonian population over the conflict. In Macedonia, Hillary met with the President and Prime Minister, pushing them on the need to allow Kosovo refugees to flee to safety inside Macedonia. As a result of these talks, they changed their policies, and allowed in thousands of refugees. She spoke to the Macedonian people at the same time and told them that the United States stood with them, that we were grateful for their sacrifices, and she brought with her economic assistance to help Macedonia through this difficult period. Hillary’s diplomatic efforts averted a major refugee crisis and, at the same time, produced benefits for the people of Macedonia.”

News Reports:

Hillary met with the Macedonian President and Prime Minister offering an economic development package. (Hillary) "Clinton heard her story Friday morning on her trip to Macedonia, which was aimed at highlighting the plight of ethnic Albanian refugees from Kosovo and assuring the poor Balkan nation that the United States understands the stress the influx has placed on it. Aid officials say Macedonia has taken about 233,000 of the nearly 800,000 refugees. Clinton met with Macedonian President Kiro Gligorov and Prime Minister Ljubco Georgievski. She announced the release of the first $ 2 million in a $ 21 million economic development package for Macedonia that is designed to help the fledgling democracy create new small businesses." [Chicago Tribune, 5/16/99]

Hillary met with Macedonian officials 'trying to diffuse any anti-American sentiment and to bolster Macedonia's fragile coalition government. "Hillary Rodham Clinton swept through Macedonia on Friday on a visit that illustrated the Clinton administration's continuing struggle to balance the diverse strands of its Kosovo policy…Ethnic Macedonians, who make up roughly two-thirds of this country's population, generally oppose NATO's bombing of Yugoslavia. They also fear that if ethnic Albanians -- who made up roughly one-third of Macedonia's population before the crisis -- continue to pour in from Kosovo, Macedonians will be reduced to a minority in their own country. So although Clinton spent the morning addressing the suffering of the refugees, she spent the rest of the day trying to defuse any anti-American sentiment and to bolster Macedonia's fragile coalition government, a mix of Macedonian and Albanian parties." [Austin American-Statesman, 5/15/99]

The Washington Post: "First Lady Brings Publicity, Aid to Macedonia:" First lady Hillary Rodham Clinton, the first high-ranking American to visit here since the Kosovo crisis began, brought two messages to Macedonia today. Touring a refugee camp of 18,000 people, Clinton urged Americans not to become "immune" to the plight of more than 740,000 Kosovo Albanians expelled from their homeland since NATO began its air war against Yugoslavia on March 24. "We are trying to do everything possible to make these lives and stories real, not to let them fade into the background," she said… And she soothed the irritated government of Macedonia, which has taken in the refugees only reluctantly and at the price of more foreign aid. Clinton today added another $ 2 million to the pot -- the first installment of a $ 21 million reallocation of funds for Macedonia… Even as Clinton toured the camp, a few refugees were entering Macedonia from Kosovo. For 10 days, almost no one has crossed the frontier -- initially because Macedonian border guards were blocking refugees, then because Serbian authorities were not allowing them to leave… After her camp tour, Clinton met with Prime Minister Ljubco Georgievski, parliamentary president Savo Klimovski and local aid officials, and her message could not have been more straightforward: "I want to clearly express our appreciation to the government of Macedonia for the efforts they have made. It has been an incredible burden on Macedonia." [Washington Post, 5/15/99]

Yes Barack, why don't we discuss who has foreign policy experience and who doesn't.  You'll get plenty of it as VP traveling to state funerals overseas.  After all, the VP's motto is, "You die, I fly."


I am so sick of the Clintons. Sure Obama would be happy to line up behind Hillary and then Bill.   NOT.  He is just trying to trick people into voting for Hillary by telling them they will get Obama too. Do we really want to go back to the melodrama and the turmoil  of the 90's?

I know Andrew Sullivan is no friend of the left, however his  column in the TimesonlineUK  pretty much describes how I feel.
This should be a must read for anyone that thinks it would be just fine to put this co-presidency back in the White House.  Do we really want to   go back to this?

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/andrew_sullivan/article3510778.ece
Not even considering the fact the Obama and Clinton hate each other, the two of them running together is unworkable. First, why in the world would Obama take the VP role? He's winning, and will have more delegates then Hillary by the convention. Also, the real VP will be Bill Clinton. Obama's most important work will be to attend important funerals. The flip side is Hillary being VP - does anyone see Bill Clinton being the co-Vice President? Obama would also need to sleep with one eye open if Hillary was his VP.

Do people even think before they bring up these nutty scenarios?
I have one word to say...pandering (and I realize you're not posting comments now but I am so angry at this).

I hope the people of Mississippi can see through Bill Clinton's words, and I hope they don't feel too victimize should Ms. Clinton receive the nomination and it not come to pass.

The seems to be said to get more votes for Clinton in Mississippi...as Obama says, any talk of VP is simply premature now.  Unless one candidate DEFINITELY has a VP pick now, its best left till after we have a nominee.

Clinton's = pandering.  Just another example that they will stop at nothing to have her be the nominee.  Not the tactics I want, not the tactics I support, not the  tactics designed to yield the best candidate, not the tactics that will yield the best candidate.
What a laughable maneuver ... Billary is behind, she (they) will stay behind and she (they) offers Obama the VP position - actually that would be the VVP position after Bill, of course.

She just lost another state by 23% and is claiming she has the 'Big Mo' ... maybe because her average loss in the 11 contests after Super Tuesday was 33%.

The Billaries spin the hell out of the media and the American People. The media is really doing a VERY POOR JOB setting the record straight - they follow the Billarys directions like a little dog. They are pretty  much like SNL, her low-intellect-propaganda show.

Obama should step forward and set this 'Be my VVP' joke to an end. Also, somebody has to put her dirty laundry on the table ... the '100% vetted' is a myth, so is the '35 years of experience'.

If she would succeed to smear her way into the nomination, I look forward to the Republicans cleaning this farce up.
OBAMA/Gore would be the real Dream Team!!! Barack should promote Al Gore as a potential running mate and THEN the democrats would be truly unstoppable.
Disgusting, the Clintons talk out of both sides of the faces, their necks, and their anuses! I would rather see Obama-Edwards, and their are a number of other combinations that could unite the party! Hil-LIAR-ry has pulled her last stunt!  She is a disgusting political whore, and now she realizes she can't win without Obama! She is going to lose the nomination because of her trailer park gutter tactics; and it serves her right! What comes out of the dumpster eventually returns to the dumpster, and it's time to throw out the trash!!!!
This would be a disaster with either candidate at the top of the ticket.  No matter who wins, the other should remain in the Senate.  They would be far more productive in that role.  Hillary will have to be very careful as to whom her running mate will be.  Who ever it is, will have to contend with Bill.  Obama needs an anchoring running mate, not unlike LBJ running as JFK's mate.
Read this about Hil-liar-y's '35 years of experience myth' :http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/03/08/wuspols108.xml
How long does it take for a comment to post?!  I wrote a post 15 min ago and it's still not posted.
I guess it's the math afterall.  Think they realize they can't get the majority of the pledge delegates so this way they tried to "compromise."  The Clintons are set in being back in the top 2 offices in the world no matter where they are seated.  
Hillary would use Obama for his voting base then discard him like yesterday's toilet paper.

Question:If you don't think that Obama is ready to be president...why bring him up as the top of a short list to be VP?

Clinton: That's politics.

My response:That's exactly what I expected from a politician that only cares about winning the top ticket.....double talk.

"He has nothing to bring to the presidential table....except maybe votes, and that's why we'll take 'em."

That is the most shallowist position ever to take as to why to choose a running mate.

Billary knows that Obama would be 3rd or 4th fiddle behind Hillary the President, Bill the Co-President and Spot the Presidential Dog.

Dont take the offer Obama, instead, destroy her on the delegates-Mississippi is coming up...focus on that.
The first time I heard Obama deliver a speech I said there is our candidate when he gets some experience but he has not got that experience yet I have heard his supporters say Bush had lots of experience with Cheney and Rumsfeld and look at what a mess he has made. That is just the point Bush had no foreign policy experience except for a crash course with Prince Bandar and Condoleeza Rice, so he was easily mapulated by Cheney and Rumsfeld  when his father tried to point this out he hung up on him. I am not saying that Obama is as stupid as Bush only that living in Indonesia as a child is not foreign policy experience.
The first time I heard Obama deliver a speech I said there is our candidate when he gets some experience but he has not got that experience yet I have heard his supporters say Bush had lots of experience with Cheney and Rumsfeld and look at what a mess he has made. That is just the point Bush had no foreign policy experience except for a crash course with Prince Bandar and Condoleeza Rice, so he was easily manipulated by Cheney and Rumsfeld  when his father tried to point this out he hung up on him. I am not saying that Obama is as stupid as Bush only that living in Indonesia as a child is not foreign policy experience.
You wish.
OBAMA has the MOST DELEGATES, the MOST STATES, and the MOST VOTES. Now, SHE is willing to put HIM on the ticket as VP?

Isn't that rich?

She and Bill need their heads read.
why would obama align himself with McCain's foreign and defense policy?

if he's not ready to be C-in-C, as Clinton says, why is he ready to be VP?  
Here we are with the "Driving Miss Daisy" ticket again.  Let me ask this:  If Obama ends up the primary season with the most popular votes and the most delegates (as seems very likely) isn't it a little late in American history for the Democratic party to ask him to step to the back of the bus anyway out of respect for the old white lady?

Now, if she actually beats him and get to Denver having surpassed him in popular votes and delegates earned, thats different.  Of course, for that to happen, Obama would have to collapse, so why would she want him then?  Also, since she is already on record with the opinion that he is not ready for the job, less qualified than McCain, and probably an insincere liar to boot (in terms of his fait and foreign policy) how can she then tell the American people he is the ideal person to step in should anything happen to her?
OBAMA: tell Hillary to get lost. she and bill are only doing this for votes in black Mississippi!! And the SNL opener last night was so racist, I just can't believe how low they are willing to go. Write SNL now and protest their charactization of Obama right now!
Good Morning: Chuck, Mark, Domenico, Mike, Answini ...

Someone needs to ask Bill Clinton to stop talking and start acting. If he wants Obama and Hillary to form a ticket, why doesn't he ask her to drop now and endorse Obama? He has won more states, more votes and more delegates and SHE WILL NEVER erase his delegate lead.

If however this is a dubious attempt to sway Obama's demographics to Hillary, then the Clintons are truly in denial and do not understand precisely why people want Obama - not Hillary.
Hillary Clinton is the Most Divisive Politician ever, Very Polarizing and Manipulative. This game should be over based on the Math, but no that won't happen because its all about the Clintons.

My oh My....How can you loss 12 straight contest and still be in the race

She can't win farely, so she wants to burn the whole ship. Democrats are so dumb, they'll loss again in November  

Why isn't the Goal Post North Carolina? Why most the goal post be Clinton Country? It Baffles me!!!!!!!!! Hillary has tamed all of you in the press, you guys are scared of her
Obama will never be on a ticket with Hillary, because he is in the number one spot. Hillary and Bill are trying to put a new spin on this to get Obama's voters.

Hillary's attacks are not something that we want to creep into our lives at any cost. Hillary's message is in total contrast to Obama's.

Hillary is not leading, her bi-polar personality is making her believe that she is the front-runner and she is NOT. This lady is crazy. Obama has already won. Obama is the President.

Obama won Texas!!!!!!!!

Obama "08"
Bill Clinton doesn't stumble over his words very often, but he stumbled over these (Hillary always wanted to unit the party - bull!.  Please pundits realize that they are only saying this now because Hillary, by continuing the campaign, looks like a divider.  If she claims to want an Clinton/Obama ticket (who would want to be Hillary's running mate, please), she is sounding like a uniter.  But, this is another trick.  And, who to heck designated her as the frontrunner?  I so wish people would wake up and see what the Clintons are all about -- ego, ego, ego.  I really don't know how Hillary can represent the poor people when she does not have a clue as to what it is like to be poor, and us human beings need to experience in order to identify with anyone.
IMHO, if you aren't ready to be President, you aren't ready to be Vice President.

After all, as has been proven in the past, the VP can become President very quickly for reasons unforeseen.
The Clintons needs to respect the intelligence of the American people just a little: suggesting a possible VP position for Mr. Obama is another not-so-veiled "Jesse Jackson won South Carolina"-style  swift-boating, except now it is to convey that he may be good enough for a VP position, instead of the ethnic candidate flavor of the season.

I wonder why the Democratic Party leaders are allowing this soap opera to continue, fully aware that she has no chance in hell to win the nomination.  Is the leadership such a hostage to the Clinton machine?
Please spare us more of the blood sport the Clintons’ are playing.   I hope that the Obama campaign does not agree to any kind of “re-do” in Michigan and Florida – it is another trap.

Oh it's stoppable, Obama will stop it.

Bill, not all of us are 23 year old interns. Stop trying to manipulate us.
If Obama is the candidate that exercises "better judgment," why does he have John Kerry, somebody any right thinking Dem hates, out on the Sunday talk shows claiming that having a write in ballot wouldn't be the best option for Florida?  What could be more representational, hence democratic?  There is no argument here.  The Obama campaign and their supporters should be ashamed to have this man's ideals as the mouth piece for the campaign.  Sure, the Obama supporters will spin this, and I do admire their passion for their candidate, but the fact remains Kerry's argument stinks, and it is at odds with Obama's message of leading America in a new direction.
This is obviously the new way for the Clintons to try to undermine Barack.  He is attempting to undermine Barack because the clear message is, "she's older and more experienced so of course she should be the President.  he can learn from her and be President later."

There's one thing and one thing only that Barack could learn from the Clintons: how to fight nasty, how to demean their opponent and how to drag the country into the mud.
The problem with a Dream Team is that it's exactly that...a dream in Hillary's mind. She has been running to secure her "birthright" for the Presidency and will do or say anything that she needs to.  This is just another ploy on her part. "If you will just vote for me, I'll make sure that your candidate is rewarded...for the good of ME...I mean for the good of the Democratic Party and America, okay?". If you don't go along with this "solution", and you know I have all the solutions, meet me in Pennsylvania!!! If you think the kitchen sink strategy or the 3A.M. phone call was bad, you ain't seen nothing yet...Think waterboarding, think waterboarding, think waterboarding.  I am a MONSTER!!!
On the experience issue,it should be obvious that Hillary and Barack have exactly the same amount of experience as President of The United States of America...Zero. As First Lady, Hillary has tons of experience over Michelle Obama,but she is not running for First Lady.
I don't understand.  If Hillary is asserting that Obama is not ready, then why would she choose him for a VP candidate?   A VP needs to be ready to step in at any point... she's already said that he isn't the person to answer that 3AM call, so logically she shouldn't consider him for the VP position.
The Clintons are as divisive within the Dem. party as they were to the country when in office.  Why on earth does the press take this story seriously - the LOSER stating that the winner should be VP, BEHIND the person that has been throwing the kitchen sink, AND the garbage disposal at him?!  Sen. Obama is running a winning campaign for president, PERIOD.  
Wow - the Clintons can't help themselves from gushing lies. I like the entertainment value, but am concerned that so many of our undereducated take the Clintons seriously. From the UPI - "BELFAST, Northern Ireland, March 9 (UPI) -- David Trimble, who helped broker peace in Northern Ireland said Sen. Hillary Clinton's role in those negotiations was that of a cheerleader, not a participant." She actually claims that she helped bring peace there...
What immense arrogance.


SEND A COMMENT

PLEASE READ: All comments must be approved before appearing in the thread; time and space constraints prevent all comments from appearing. We will only approve comments that are directly related to the blog, use appropriate language and are not attacking the comments of others.

Message (please, no HTML tags. Web addresses will be hyperlinked):

TRACKBACKS

Trackbacks are links to weblogs that reference this post. Like comments, trackbacks do not appear until approved by us. The trackback URL for this post is: http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/trackback.aspx?PostID=747377

First Read e-mail alerts


Sign up for First Read alerts
The first place for key political news and analysis

Syndicate This Site

Add First Read to your news reader:
live.com xml
myyahoo msn
bloglines newsgator
google