Sure, there's some psycho twist that might flip things her way, but for the sake of argument (as Clinton has been, from Day One, unable to close the deal), if Sen. Barack Obama secures the Democratic Presidential nomination, there are four (4) fairly obvious choices for running mate. I'm discounting John Edwards because he ran for VP last time and lost, and good guys like Sen. Joe Biden in states Obama is expected to carry anyway (or are just too small to rank).
In no particular order:
Sen. Jim Webb: Military background stacks up right against McCain's, including Secretary of the Navy service under President Ronald Reagan. Ex-Republican, son in Iraq, from the big Southern state of Virginia, caught trying to walk right into work at the Capitol strapped with his sidearm. Rockin' choice.
Gov. Kathleen Sebelius: Extremely popular red state Democratic governor, might win Obama her state of Kansas (home state of his mother) and maybe spillover to a Midwest neighbor, strong executive skills and, as a woman, maybe able to secure the Hillary supporters as a consolation prize.
Gov. Bill Richardson: Massive diplomatic credibility, secure the Hispanic vote, get New Mexico and maybe spillover Western "New Democratic" states.
and:
Sen. Hillary Clinton: Second most popular politician (by votes cast this year) in America, huge female voting block including white and older, huge seniors block, think JFK/LBJ pattern of bitterly contested primary with young upstart winning and having their Veep provide Congressional cover and execution, unites the Party much like Reagan and Bush I (the Gipper didn't want to have to take him, did it to win).
Would Clinton take it?
I'd argue that the fallback position for Hillary right now is, "I'm still relevant, dammit," or, "You don't put Rodham in the corner!" She gets to be the first female Vice President in U.S. history, can run in 8 years (will still be 4 years younger than McCain today) with the full power of the by-then matured Obama money machine, looks like a uniter, can still cover for Bill's upcoming financial shenanigans. With Pelosi will run both Houses of Congress, the most politically powerful women in our nation's history.
And (this is the clincher) her campaign is carrying a whole lot of debt. Imagine all those sins getting wiped away -- Mark Penn's firm getting the $4.? million owed to them and her personal debt made whole -- by melding with Obama's campaign and receiving the dowry for it.
Would Obama do it?
There's a lot to be said for the Clintons as liabilities, investigations waiting to happen, and contradictory to the thrust of his campaign, but she has hung tough and her toughness could shore him up. He makes the Party whole (there will be massive Party establishment pressure to do this), just has to maintain the spotlight over her (he dwarfs her physically), and if they really are friends before and after the campaign as he reiterates in every other debate, it would prove it. And, although I hate to say it, she becomes his best insurance policy.
If, on the other hand, Clinton does want the second banana spot but Obama spurns her entirely, he sure as hell better have an unequivocally elegant way out of it.
1 comment:
Oh Ned, I shutter at the thought.
She's a liar, rude, bullying, and power-hungry. Yuck.
NO.
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