I am reluctant to make a prediction, particularly when the issue itself will be resolved within the next week or so, because the degree of embarrassment stemming from an incorrect prognostication is inversely proportional to the amount of time that elapses between the forecast and the event. However, I will take the plunge this time and state that I do not think, current rumors to the contrary notwithstanding, that Hillary will be Obama’s choice for Vice President.
Hillary is a Clinton first, and a Democrat second; politics, for her, is about the aggrandizement of power by the Clinton clan and its coterie. Assuming that Obama wins, serving as his second fiddle would make it very difficult for her to mount a challenge to him during the nomination process in the last year of his first term, and if she entertained the hope of using the #2 position as a stepping stone to the White House, the possibility of an Obama second term could conceivably forestall her bid until 2016, when she would be 69 years old. Not ancient, by any means, but if Hillary Clinton is the freshest thing on offer from the Democrats eight years from now, then the party will be in bad shape, indeed.
Another thing to remember is that Hillary is not stupid. She may be a Democrat, but she’s not blind to the very real possibility that an Obama presidency could be an unmitigated disaster. Maintaining the level of public support for the President necessary to sustain her credibility within the administration, while simultaneously attempting to distance herself from his incompetence (or worse) is a balancing act that would require a combination of genius and cunning that, frankly, does not seem to be within her mental scope (nor, in fairness to Hillary, would it appear to be within anybody else’s).
So much for the VP slot from what I take to be Hillary’s perspective. What about Obama’s? What does he gain by making her his running mate? True, he may recapture many currently embittered Hillary supporters, but he would also then come face to face with that enormous core group of voters who would not, under any circumstances, have supported her for President, some of whom might have been willing to vote for him had he been otherwise unencumbered with Clinton baggage. Besides, does he really want to spend the next four years (or eight) watching his back against the machinations of Team Clinton?
Frankly, I think Scott Ott is on the right trail.
Update: It would be kind of funny if he did pick Hillary, because he's announcing his choice via text message, right? I can just see it: "Hill. ATAB? LOL!"
9 comments:
I plan to enjoy watching people bail out of Bill's speech around the one hour mark (35% through his prepared text) at the convention. However, Mr. Obama would be a fool -- and I don't believe he is, quite -- to allow Hillary on his ticket or in his cabinet. As you say, the Clintons are only loyal to themselves.
There is the other problem of the Democratic bench being, if possible, more shallow than the Republican bench. Who else is there?
Oh, it'll be sweet. Hilly may not be many things, but sneaky and treacherous is deep in her DNA. If only by injection, long ago, by Billy. She's got something planned, count on that, but she can't afford to be overt at all. Deep cover and plausible deniability. Wheels within wheels.
Barry better wear a knife-proof coat, and be careful around stairways and elevator shafts.
As a lifelong junkie of US politics, with a 97% record of wrong predictions*, I incline to the delicious theory I've seen on a few of the blogs ........the Hildebeest Convention Ambush Ploy. Which would mean, of course, that B.Husein Obama won't be picking anybody. But Hillary will.
Slick Willie for Veep...any takers?
Chelsea??
*I was right in my prediction that Richard Nixon would not nominate himself to the Supreme Court.
If he chose Hillary as VP, the world should be terrified.
On the plus side, while Obama may not retaliate if there was another attack on US soil, VP Hillary may encourage him to.
She might exceed Mr Gore in her accomplishments as VP. Especially in fixing things like the Internet and AGW.
Cheers
I don't believe Hillary will get picked to be VP either. I think there are too many Democrats who wouldn't stand for it.
But I do believe she's probably got some plan in the works for the convention.
Think of the Egos working together in Harmony,.
You can't? Proves my point.
Mojo, just where, exactly, is that birth certificate????
I agree, paco. Obama and Hillary, it ain't to be.
Me, I think that the Clintons may have damaged the Democrats beyond repaid; much of their effort has gone towards building their own political machine, using the DNC as a source for parts.
"...sneaky and treacherous is deep in her DNA. If only by injection, long ago, by Billy."
Thanks for that mental image, mojo. Now I need to drink a gallon of unflavored Everclear to kill off the infected brain cells.
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