Obama met with Hillary, women's leaders

Posted: Tuesday, July 29, 2008 5:43 PM by Domenico Montanaro

From NBC/NJ's Mike Memoli

WASHINGTON -- A group of women leaders spoke at length this morning with Obama about a number of key concerns, including health care and pay equity. But no conversation with any group these days could go without some discussion of running mates, and one participant said that Obama was encouraged to put Hillary Clinton on the ticket.

“It was mentioned very briefly,” said Ellen Malcolm of EMILY’s List, one of about 30 women part of the discussion. “I think everybody realizes this will be his personal decision.”

VIDEO: Former Clinton campaign chairman Terry McAuliffe joins "Morning Joe" to discuss how Barack Obama will use Hillary Clinton in his campaign and why they haven't appeared together since Unity, N.H.

Obama told the group that he had met with Clinton earlier as part of a conversation with women senators. A Clinton spokesman confirmed that the two former rivals were together this morning, but was unaware if there was one-on-one time.

“He actually told us who it’s going to be,” Malcolm joked, quickly adding that she like others has no indication of the Illinois senator’s thinking.

Obama has just departed the office of Eric Holder, who is heading his running mate search. He spent two and a half hours there today, after spending nearly two hours there yesterday.

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Comments

re: “I think everybody realizes this will be his personal decision.”

As a Clinton supporter who will not vote for Obama if she is not (at the very least) on the ticket, here are my thoughts, directed at the DNC:

1. If the VP choice is his "personal" decision, then the DNC should stop assuming that HRC supporters will have any loyalty to him personally. We don't.

2. If the VP choice is "for the good of the Party" then let the Party delegates decide the VP at the Convention and get on with it. If it's not Clinton, so be it.
But if it's not Clinton, the DNC should stop assuming that HRC supporters have any loyalty whatsoever to the DNC.

I know I don't; I'm an Independent and I actually prefer divided government.

3. If the VP choice is "to bring the Party together" then there is really only one candidate to choose -- the Democratic candidate who actually got the most votes in the Democratic Primary. That would be Hillary Clinton.
Otherwise, the DNC should assume that HRC supporters will be punishing the DNC in November for its outright stupidity, in utterly ignoring one-half of THEIR own Party's primary electorate.

Not an Obamabot in New Hampshire (Sent Wednesday, July 30, 2008 9:05 AM)

Picking Hilary is political suicide....right now a ton of right wing conservative evangicals aren't going to vote at all cause they don't like McCain, if he picks Hilary they will vote for McCain in MASS ammounts and he will probably lose. The majority of Hilary supporters are going to vote Democratic anyways.

Anyone but Hilary near the white house is best for this country.

John, MI (Sent Wednesday, July 30, 2008 9:08 AM)

hillary would make a much better vp for mccain since they are both owned by the same corporate entities, obama doesn't need hillary, she would be the kiss of death for his campaign, her and bill cannot be vetted anyway because of the illegal escapades they were involved in, and all the hen cackling from emily's list ain't going to change that, the clintons are toxic, sorry

MK,MO (Sent Wednesday, July 30, 2008 9:15 AM)

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