Could there be an Obama-Clinton "dream ticket?"

Could there be an Obama-Clinton "dream ticket?"
By Steve Holland Wed May 7, 3:43 PM ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Now that Democrat Hillary Clinton's presidential hopes appear to be fading, some Democrats are talking about the possibility of Barack Obama taking Clinton on as his vice presidential running mate.

"It's something that this party is going to have to think very seriously about in the next few weeks," Harold Ford, a former U.S. congressman who is chairman of the Democratic Leadership Council, told MSNBC after Obama on Tuesday won easily in North Carolina and ran surprisingly strong in Indiana.

There had been talk of a reverse ticket a couple of months ago. Clinton had generated speculation about Obama being her vice presidential running mate after she won Texas and Ohio, saying, "Well, that may, you know, be where this is headed."

But Clinton's disappointing showing in Tuesday's contests has given Obama added momentum. The Illinois senator increased his almost insurmountable lead in pledged delegates who will help pick the nominee at the August convention.

For some Democrats, the idea of an Obama-Clinton ticket is intriguing. They say Obama could go a long way toward patching up differences in the party by picking his battle-hardened opponent to serve as his running mate for the campaign against Republican John McCain in the November election.

According to a CBS News/New York Times poll released last week, a majority of both Obama and Clinton voters say they would favor a so-called "Dream Ticket" involving both candidates.

"People are stopping to ask themselves, why just nominate someone who has 51 percent of the vote, when we can nominate a ticket that has 100 percent of the vote?" said Sam Arora, spokesman for Vote Both, a group trying to foster a joint ticket between the two top Democrats.

But Obama gave no sense on Wednesday that he was thinking about such a move.

Obama campaign manager David Plouffe told reporters the Illinois senator now was focusing on the remaining contests and undecided superdelegates.

"Obviously, when we secure the nomination, that's a decision Senator Obama will need to make about who he wants to choose as his running mate but I think it's premature to be talking about who that might be," he said.

The Clinton campaign was similarly vague.

"We have not had any conversations with the Obama campaign about such a ticket," said Clinton campaign spokesman Howard Wolfson. "Senator Clinton has said it is premature to discuss such a ticket. I have not heard her (express) any interest in such a ticket."

IS IT A DREAM?

Some Democratic insiders are skeptical.

A Democratic strategist who supports Clinton, and who believes her candidacy is now doomed, doubted it would make sense for either side for her to be Obama's running mate.

"I think if Clinton were the nominee she'd have no one else to pick but Obama," the strategist said. "But from Obama's perspective, his argument is about change, I think he'd be better off picking someone else."

From Clinton's perspective, the Democrat added, "I don't know for her political future if it's all that useful to be vice president. I think she can have an enormous influence in the Senate over a long period of time."

A former Clinton White House aide wondered if Obama would want to bring the former first lady and her husband, former President Bill Clinton, back into the White House.

The official said since New York Sen. Clinton had conducted a far-reaching attempt to change the U.S. health care system as first lady, she would be expecting similarly big tasks as vice president.

"She's been a formidable opponent thus far. Can you imagine, with the proximity in the West Wing of the vice president's office to the Oval Office? I think she would be in there quite a bit," the official said.

I don't see it happening, personally. They've been slinging mud at each other for way too long.

Mud slinging is all a part of this political campaigning. I don't like it... but, it's how it's just always been.

Personally, I would love to see this DREAM TEAM running for the White House. I honestly think that they would be unstoppable.

But, I think that ego's are too big.

But how do you do that? They've been against each other for so long, the fact that they'd team up is just ridiculous... I wouldn't vote for them just because of that reason. You can't say "this persons this sucks" or "this person's that sucks" and then go "I have full confidence in their ability to be Vice President." It's just strange.

I don't think that they truly are "Against" each other. It's all a part of just trying to make your opponent look bad, because you want to be the winner. They probably get along without the debating.

And, they each have strong points, and weak points. Together, they can help one another where needed.

They are against each other, though. Their battle to be the Democrats representative has been almost like the actual elections themselves. Each of them coming out with sound bites on their opponents every other day. Clinton calling Obama an elitist who doesn't respect the voters, Obama calling Clinton on her sudden love of guns. They're constantly pointing out each other's weaknesses, and suddenly they'll have to concentrate on each other strengths... the voting public isn't that stupid I would hope.

That is what politicians do! They all lay in the same bed. But when you're running for office, it doesn't matter WHO you are. You will do anything to win! It's all a game, and people aren't stupid to that. It's been this way for too long.

That's my point, it's been this way for too long. So who'll people vote for? The guy who's not been involved in any of this bickering: McCain. If they decide to team up, people will definitely say "wait on, hold up a minute."

I DEMAND that the thread title be changed to:


Could there be an Obama-Clinton "nightmare ticket?"







:loll: Obama/Hillary 2008

Sorry.

It's okay... we know that you're off of your meds, and that you need to go back into the looney bin for a bit of realigning yourself. So, I will let it slide, this once.

5 more votes until Obama wins at the time of writing this.

Hillary has indeed indcated she'd be open to being his number two.

hehhehehe... I said 'number two.'

It's now 4 delegates.