If Hillary Tries to Push her Way on the Ticket, Obama Should

On first blush I'm skeptical that there really are "formal talks" in the usual sense of that phrase. The report appears to lean heavily on sourcing from within the Clinton camp, which is notable. The significance here may not be that there are formal talks underway or that the vice presidency is under discussion. The real significance may be that this is the opening salvo from the Clinton camp ahead of the negotiations that would likely accompany her withdrawal from the race.

The photo that goes with it captures a moment I noticed:

I think that picture is sweet actually...

the clintons i guess aren't allowed to have their married people moments

Before Hillary gave her victory speech in Kentucky

Hillary's Top Fundraising Official Says There's "Risk" Of Obama Loss If She Isn't Invited To Be Veep
By Greg Sargent - May 23, 2008, 11:17AM

In a move that could foreshadow a public push from the Hillary forces to get Barack Obama to invite her on the ticket, Hillary's top campaign fundraising official said in an interview that there's a "risk" that Hillary's political and financial supporters won't get behind Obama in time for him to win in November if she's passed over for the veep slot.

The fundraiser, businessman Hassan Nemazee, is Hillary's leading finance chair and one of the most influential money men in the party. He's the first prominent Hillary campaign official to raise the possiblity of an Obama loss should she not be invited on the ticket, and his comments suggests that this argument could emerge as central to any Clinton camp push to make her veep.

"There's a desire on the part of the party to come together under any circumstances, and Hillary and her supporters will do everything in their power to help Obama win, should he become the nominee, whether or not she's on the ticket," Nemazee said to me this morning.

"But there's a risk that if she isn't invited on the ticket, Hillary's political and financial supporters may not feel compelled to be as integrated and involved in the Obama campaign in order to provide the maximum support that he'll need to prevail in November."

"We have to recognize that we're talking about the month of June, versus a normal process that historically would have begun in the month of March," Nemazee said. "Time is not your friend. A dream ticket would be the best way to ensure both unity and full and active support, financially and politically, for the ticket to be in the strongest position to win in the fall."

Nemazee went on, "It goes without saying that this argument is predicated on the fact that the single most important aspect of Senator Obama's decision is who is able to serve as president in a moment's notice should that need arise. And it is clear that Hillary Clinton fills that role."

Nemazee's comments -- the farthest any Hillary campaign official has gone in this direction to date -- come after The New York Times reported this morning that "friends" of Bill Clinton say he's informally floated the possibility of her in the veep slot.

More on this soon.

Finn dAbuzz wrote:

Before the general election in 2004, the polls showed Kerry beating Bush by 20 percentage points.

Got a cite for that, Finn?

Nimh was on the job here back then too, and this post from Nov 2nd 2004 shows a bunch of polls -- nowhere near a 20 point lead for Kerry in any of them (Bush leads in some, Kerry in others, all close):

http://www.able2know.org/forums/viewtopic.php?p=991716#991716

Again, I expect things will only get better for Obama from here -- some fluctuations, of course, but a big bump when he's actually the nominee (Kerry became the nominee way earlier) and additional improvements when, a) he can focus on just McCain instead of the double-barreled attack from McCain and Hillary, and b) when the media can focus more on McCain. Guy's been getting an incredible pass so far, by and large.

There may of course be big news of some kind that shifts things in one direction or another -- bad news for Obama, bad news for McCain. But just within usual parameters, I expect Obama to improve his numbers from where they are now.

Things are heating up:

Quote:

Hillary's Top Fundraising Official Says There's "Risk" Of Obama Loss If She Isn't Invited To Be Veep
By Greg Sargent - May 23, 2008, 11:17AM

The fundraiser, businessman Hassan Nemazee, is Hillary's leading finance chair and one of the most influential money men in the party. He's the first prominent Hillary campaign official to raise the possiblity of an Obama loss should she not be invited on the ticket, and his comments suggests that this argument could emerge as central to any Clinton camp push to make her veep.

"There's a desire on the part of the party to come together under any circumstances, and Hillary and her supporters will do everything in their power to help Obama win, should he become the nominee, whether or not she's on the ticket," Nemazee said to me this morning.

"But there's a risk that if she isn't invited on the ticket, Hillary's political and financial supporters may not feel compelled to be as integrated and involved in the Obama campaign in order to provide the maximum support that he'll need to prevail in November."

I cannot believe that she's trying to muscle her way onto the ticket. There's no depth to the woman's snakiness. She's a stone cold gangster.

woiyo wrote:

Buy a bullet proof vest.

snood wrote:

Hire a food taster.

I will take the rare opportunity to agree with both woiyo and snood in the same post.

Hillary has really put a monkey wrench into everything with this RFK commnet based on the little bit of feedback I have heard so far...

Yup.

eoe wrote:

I cannot believe that she's trying to muscle her way onto the ticket. There's no depth to the woman's snakiness. She's a stone cold gangster.

She is, but not for the reason you have suggested.

It's been done before and it is hardly outrageous for a candidate who has lost by a nose to feel not only deserving of a spot on the ticket, but that he or she would add value to it.