Unity Ticket?

By: Lowell
Published On: 4/7/2008 12:38:25 PM

My friend Adam Parkhomenko -- a long-time Clinton campaign official who left a few weeks ago after his boss, Patty Solis Doyle, was canned -- has started up a new website that calls for Democrats to support a "unity" ticket of Clinton and Obama.  

There's just one problem: it's got Hillary Clinton at the top of the ticket and Barack Obama (leading in the delegate count, popular vote, # of primaries won, etc., etc.) at the bottom.  As you can see from the comments here, people aren't exactly reacting warmly to that idea.  I mean, if Adam's new website simply called for a unity ticket of the two leading Democratic contenders, but didn't specify the order, that might make it a bit less suspicious, given that the people who set this site up are diehard Clinton supporters.  Or, if the site were pushing for Hillary Clinton to be Barack Obama's running mate, that could have some credibility and might be something Democrats could get behind. As it is now, however, I doubt many (any?) Obama supporters would sign this petition or support it in any way.  

Perhaps this is actually a roundabout effort to push Hillary Clinton for VP, without coming out and saying so?  As one commenter puts it:

The timing is odd indeed. The meaning that comes across is that it is late in the game and the only way to get Clinton on the ticket is on Obama's coattails. So, despite the hocus-pocus of Clinton/Obama, the true meaning of this effort is to at least get Hillary on the ticket, so the hidden premise is Obama/Clinton. However, I don't think it will work. Obama has several better choices, including at least one female, Kathleen Sebelius, two-time governor of Kansas, an early Obama supporter.

Who knows, but the entire thing is a bit odd if you ask me.  Personally, my preferred ticket is Obama-Webb (or Obama-Clark, Obama-Napolitano, Obama-Sebelius...). Maybe President Obama might consider Hillary Clinton for a cabinet post, perhaps she could run for Senate Majority Leader, or maybe she could just stay as a fine U.S. Senator from the great state of New York?  Maybe we should start a website pushing those alternatives. Just a thought. :)

UPDATE: Adam tells me, "The initial launch is in support of the ticket I want, Clinton-Obama. But when I launch the larger unity site next week, it will have a section for those or support the other way around."


Comments



Yes, how "unifying" (Chris Guy - 4/7/2008 12:49:47 PM)
A Clinton supporter trying to come up with a way to deny Obama the nomination. I'm ready to sing Hands Across America.


Sing along! (Lowell - 4/7/2008 1:01:36 PM)


I'll take this (Chris Guy - 4/7/2008 2:06:22 PM)
to any of the current pro-Hillary music videos floating around the net.


These guys are idiots (DanG - 4/7/2008 1:03:03 PM)
The only way this ticket is even POSSIBLE is if Hillary steals the nomination away against the will of the majority of the people.  If that happens, Obama's people won't come out regardless.  I know I won't reward her with my support.


There was a time . . . (Cliff Garstang - 4/7/2008 12:54:01 PM)
. . . when I thought this was a great idea. But not now. It might not be a terrible idea to have Hillary as Barack's running mate, but I can't see that happening unless there is enormous pressure from the powers that be. At this point, I agree with Lowell that there are better options for VP. Hillary for AG?


Edwards for AG (DanG - 4/7/2008 1:00:54 PM)
Hillary for "going away and thinking about what she's done"


Totally agree on Attorney General Edwards (Lowell - 4/7/2008 1:03:12 PM)
He can spend the next 4 (8?) years cleaning up the mess the Bush (in)Justice Department has created.  He can also spend the next 4 (8?) years going after corporations and fighting for THE PEOPLE, as he said in his campaign that he intended to do.


No, I think it really would be a terrible idea. (Jack Landers - 4/7/2008 3:49:00 PM)
As for the bit about Clinton for AG, in the first place, I don't think she would take it.  VP, she would accept. But not AG.  

Frankly, I'd like her to just go away. A few months ago I thought she would make a very effective Senate Majority Leader (Harry Reid has indicated that he'd like to pass the torch to someone else next year). Since that time she has convinced me that she is a liar who will do anything, slander anyone and kiss up to racists in the pursuit of power. I don't want someone of such poor character and low ethics to be running the justice department or to hold any position in government at all.

Hillary Clinton and Mark Penn are the Democratic party's echo of Bush and Rove. In fact, it can be argued that a large measure of their case for the nomination has been that only people as ruthless and unethical as Bush and Rove can guarantee a Democratic victory. I want them both gone. I don't want my party corrupted with that.



Given the primary results (Eric - 4/7/2008 1:49:04 PM)
so far, an Obama-Clinton ticket would be reasonable.  I agree that it's unrealistic to argue for a Clinton-Obama ticket with what has already happened.

But what's in it for her as VP?  If she takes that she's at best 8 years from a shot at President.  She'd be getting much closer to an (artificial) age ceiling by then.  Not out of the question by any means, but the older she gets the more that age discrimination would creep in.  She may feel that a long shot this year is a better opportunity than a clean start in 8 years.  Plus, given the Clinton mentality, I doubt she's even considering a VP scenario.

Perhaps she could approach Obama in the name party unity.  Perhaps he would accept.  It's a very long shot but I am glad to see when people like Adam push for a resolution to this infighting.  



No, he's not pushing for a resolution to the fighting. (Jack Landers - 4/7/2008 4:10:30 PM)
This is a silly scheme to convince people that when they vote for Hillary Clinton, they are really also voting for Barack Obama. Which is a total lie. The whole thing is fundamentally dishonest.

If anyone wants a real back room deal to be worked out, that doesn't happen as a result of websites and ads. It's a question of what 2 people think, those being Obama and Clinton. If Clinton was willing to settle for VP and if Obama was willing to give it to her then this deal would have been made a long time ago.

I think you are right about the age thing with Clinton. Over the last couple months she appears to have suddenly aged dramatically. The pace of this campaign seems to be taking a real physical toll on her. In 8 years, the moment will have passed. Listen to the reasons that most (not all) of her supporters cite for backing her. It's mostly relatively uninformed voters who know next to nothing about either candidate except that Hillary Clinton is Bill Clinton's wife and she was somehow 'strong' during the Monica Lewinski thing (as if that had any bearing on qualifications for President...).

In 8 years, it will have been almost 20 years since the Lewinski scandal. Old, old hat. There will be a generation of voters who weren't even born when that went down. And a chunk of her current base of older voters will be dead by then.

Hillary Clinton's campaign has been ALL ABOUT her time as first lady. It's like her career in the Senate never happened. She doesn't really have much to brag about from her years in the Senate. Trumpeting and voting for a flag-burning amendment, failing to even read the intelligence report before voting to invade Iraq, failing to bother to read the PATRIOT act before voting for it, voting to declare part of the Iranian military a terrorist organization, etc. etc. Her record since her days of presiding over tea parties as first lady has been AWFUL. No wonder she makes up stories about sniper fire and nightmarish hospitals. Anything but talking about her record in the Senate.

My point being that if she hadn't managed to do anything worth bragging about in her 7 years as a US Senator, she sure as hell isn't going to be able to do better as Vice President. 8 years from now, a lot of people will have trouble even remembering why they once thought she'd make a good president.

Nah, it was now or never for Hillary Clinton.  



How about (Lowell - 4/7/2008 4:17:10 PM)
this scenario?


Why Not Clinton At the Top? (HisRoc - 4/7/2008 2:01:59 PM)
After all, with her over 35 years of experience she is ready on Day One to be the Commander-in-Chief who answers the phone at 3 AM...(cackle, cackle)...

Crap, I tried to do that with a straight face, but just couldn't.



Too late for her now (Rebecca - 4/7/2008 3:28:50 PM)
If she could have just stopped lying she might have turned things around, but its a hard habit to break. She didn't even need to lie about some things. The truth would have worked as well, but as I said....


The Clinton Two-fer (gbrandon - 4/8/2008 4:11:00 PM)
Don't forget that it would be a two-fer with Hillary and Bill.  I can't imagine anyone wanting to share power with both Clintons, whether she is in the administration or as Senate Majority Leader.  Let her continue to fill New York's potholes.  


Interesting that the "unity" idea comes (Lowell - 4/7/2008 3:47:16 PM)
just as the polls show Obama surging ahead.

Also, see Rasmussen, which shows a 10-point Obama lead (51%-41%) over Clinton.



Crocker and Tubbs!!!!!!!!!! (lgb30856 - 4/7/2008 3:50:12 PM)
This is really old footage.
They showed Michael Douglas without Catherine Zeta Jones!!


I think Hillary replacing Reid as majority leader should be a no-brianer. (Tom Counts - 4/7/2008 4:55:02 PM)
So far as my little pea brain has been able to figure out, although I'm still a Hillary for Pres. strong and hopeful supporter now that with the "demotion" of Mark Penn has given Ickes more campaign strategy control Hillary has at least the 15% chance that Webb had, I think Hillary might well be a real possibility for VP choice.

Assuming that the NY Dem. leaders can come up with a strong Senatorial candidate to replace Hillary -- which I believe they can -- I think Obama/Clinton would be a powerful ticket. Given what I think may be obvious that Hillary won't be interested in running for Pres. in 2016, or even 2012, I believe she would be a good VP and could help Obama in numerous areas and would have no political reason to do otherwise.

On the other hand, I think Clinton would be a much better Senate Majority Leader than Harry Reid and then there would be no risk of losing her Senate seat to the flat-earthers.

My bottom line is that if Obama does win the nomination, it seems to me that we have a win-win situation with respect to Hillary: VP or Senate Majority Leader. I don't see any advantage for the party, the country or Sen. Clinton in a Cabinet appointment. John Edwards, though, would be a superb HUD Secretary and could do tremendous good in that post.

                     T.C.



Personally I'd prefer Chris Dodd as majority leader. (Randy Klear - 4/8/2008 11:32:35 AM)
Over the years he's shown a lot more leadership in the Senate than Clinton has (and more than Harry Reid, for that matter).


Yeah, Dodd would be excellent (Lowell - 4/8/2008 11:39:53 AM)
Good idea.


this would be a great idea (notwaltertejada - 4/7/2008 5:57:51 PM)
with clinton ready to lead on day one. obama would probably make a great president down the road. this would also be a great way to bring everyone together.  


no it wouldn't (DanG - 4/7/2008 7:41:15 PM)
Obama people would still be certain we got screwed.


veep prospects: "Webb ... looks perfect ..." (j_wyatt - 4/8/2008 1:55:33 AM)

The Democratic veep prospects: A guide

... Virginia Sen. Jim Webb

Pro: A decorated war veteran and former Republican from a key state, he looks perfect on paper.

Con: Blunt and unpredictable, he might be a reluctant campaigner. ...

http://www.politico.com/news/s...



Webb vs. Kaine veepstakes (j_wyatt - 4/8/2008 2:17:34 AM)
For all you Virginians, the Daily Kos veepstakes poll has taken a surprising turn:  the second of the semifinals for Obama's running mate is Senator Webb vs. Governor Kaine.  Voting is tomorrow, Tuesday.

Vote here:  http://www.dailykos.com/tag/Ve...

At 57%, Governor Richardson appears to be the victor in the first semifinal over Governor Sebelius's 42%.

So will it be Jim Webb or Tim Kaine vs. Bill Richardson in the final?  That vote will be this Wednesday.



Webb v Kaine veepstakes (j_wyatt - 4/8/2008 3:24:32 PM)
With 303 votes cast so far in the second semifinal of the Obama running mate poll, it's currently 59% for Webb and 40% for Tim Kaine.

Voting continues here for today only:  http://www.dailykos.com/tag/Ve...

If Webb wins today's poll, the final will be tomorrow on Daily Kos.  And it's looking like it will be Senator Webb vs. Governor Bill Richardson.



What's interesting is that Webb (Lowell - 4/8/2008 3:30:44 PM)
isn't even particularly popular right now on the national progressive blogosphere.  I think his strong showing provides evidence that progressive bloggers are a LOT more pragmatic -- and want to win -- than people sometimes given them credit for.


Agreed (DanG - 4/8/2008 5:21:47 PM)
And I'm a major critic of the Progressive Blogosphere.  Most of the comments prove me right.  But those who aren't commenting appear to be me a lot more pragmatic than those who are.

The commenters were furious when Dodd and Reed (RI) got kicked out.  But those who read, vote, and move on appear to have a brain over at Daily Kos.  Both Richardson and Webb would be solid VPs.



veepstakes final: Richardson ahead (j_wyatt - 4/9/2008 4:21:19 PM)
As an indicator of interest, the volume of voting today is running ten times higher than either of the semifinals held earlier this week.

And with 3393 votes cast so far today in the final to select Obama's running mate on Daily Kos, Governor Bill Richardson is running ahead of Senator Jim Webb, 58% to 41%.

More than a hundred more votes have been cast just in the few minutes it took to write this post -- apparently, there's a lot of interest.

Vote here:

http://www.dailykos.com/tag/Ve...