Now that Barack Obama has essentially sealed the Democratic nomination, look for Hillary Clinton to make a serious push to gain the Vice Presidential spot on his ticket for November.
According to former Bill Clinton staffer George Stephanopoulos, who like many other pundits in the American media proclaimed the race to be over after the North Carolina and Indiana primaries — that is exactly what she is doing right now.
On first glance this may not be such a good idea for Obama especially with how bitter this campaign has been so far. Last night on Anderson Cooper 360 — CNN contributor and former advisor to presidents Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton, David Gergen jokingly suggested that people close to Obama felt that he might need a food taster if he were to select Hillary as his Vice Presidential nominee.
Andrew Sullivan provided perhaps one of the most persuasive arguments for this so-called “Dream Ticket,” in a May 4 column in the Sunday Times. Sullivan wrote:
There are three main theories behind Clinton’s refusal to acquiesce to mathematics: she simply cannot tolerate losing a nomination she believes she has a dynastic right to; she is trying to ensure that Obama loses in 2008 in order to run again herself in 2012; or she wants to be offered the vice-presidential spot on an Obama-led ticket. I’m beginning to suspect the last option is the most plausible, and it gives Obama a potential opening: why not give her what she wants? An Obama-Clinton ticket would certainly give the Democrats a massive sigh of relief — and perhaps some euphoria.
The conservative white voters that Clinton has amazingly managed to attract could be combined with the massive infusion of new young votes, internet money, and African-American enthusiasm to create a potential tsunami in the election. Instead of having to pick between the first black president and the first woman president, the Democrats could offer voters both: the first black president and first female vice-president. Worries about Obama’s relative youth and lack of Washington experience would be allayed by the presence of the Clintons. The toxicity of the Clinton baggage could be balanced by the hope Obama has inspired.
Simply put, Clinton may try to force her way into the Vice Presidential spot whether Obama likes it or not and she may be willing to further divide the Democratic party in order to do so. Look for Clinton to force the issue in West Virginia and Kentucky, two states which based on voting patterns and demographics in previous primaries, she should win easily. While the math is definitely not on Clinton’s side, she can still do plenty of damage to Obama’s campaign. And that is likely the main message she is sending Obama right now.
As far as Obama is concerned, as Sullivan argued he might be better to offer her the spot to keep her occupied and perhaps more importantly to take away her motivation to subversively undermine his campaign in hopes of running again herself in 2012. There is also the advantage that Hillary can be used as an attack dog going after the Republican attacks that are sure to come while Obama can continue to run a positive campaign. Add in the all important white blue collar and senior citizen votes and it could provide for an easy path to the White House.
