Obama Just Brilliantly Responded to Clinton's "Offer" of VP

[writes3000]

It played live on CNN and MSNBC. It was at a town hall in Mississippi.

"I've won twice as many states than Senator Clinton. (huge applause) I've won more of the popular vote than Senator Clinton. (applause) I've won more delegates than Senator Clinton. (applause) Tell me, how is it that the one in second place is offering the VP position to the person in first place. I'm in first place. (huge applause)"

"Make no mistake, I'm not running for Vice President. I'm running for President of the United States of America."

"Back in 1992, Bill Clinton said that the only threshold for a Vice President was that that person had to be ready, if he fell out, to become President on day one. For the last two weeks, their campaign has been claiming that I'm not ready to answer that phone. But now they say I'd make a good VP? They're trying to hoodwink you. They're trying to bamboozle you."

"You ever hear of the Okey doke? (strong laughter) You know the Okey Doke when some one is trying to swindle you (roar of laughter). Well this is like an Okey doke when someone in second place is offering the guy in first place the second place seat (laughter and standing ovation).

He then hammered home his point that you want the person with the best judgment to answer that phone not the person who's been in Washington the longest. "I believe I've shown better judgment than Hillary Clinton. She's gone along with the policies of George Bush..."

Some of the above has been slight paraphrased.

It was awesome!

(Thanks to grantcart for the assist.)

[Deep13]

1. Neither can reasonably accept a VP spot at this time.

Not while the outcome is still in doubt.

[George_Bonanza]

5. Certainly Hillary more than Obama though

[Deep13]

9. I would have agreed until OH, TX and RI. nt

[SoonerPride]

16. You sure you mean Texas, which Obama won?

I mean, he did win the delegate total.

Seriously.

[Deep13]

29. She won the primary election and the caucus. ...

... I remind you how big of a deal the O campaign has made of winning "states" however small they are or however unlikely it is that the D.s will win a state in the fall. The popular perception is winning the state = momentum. I hear she's closing the gap in Mississippi. If somehow, she pulls it off (unlikely I know) it will effectively end O's chances.

[theredpen]

33. Um, she didn't win the Texas caucus

Technically, no one has, but Obama is expected to win it 60/40.

[Deep13]

38. Oh, they're not done? Okay. I miss understood then. nt

[theredpen]

40. BTW, look at this electoral projection and tell me again how Obama's wins in red states don't matter

[theredpen]

32. Sssssh!

Clinton supporters don't acknowledge caucus results — those only come from "unimportant" states anyway.

Is your state Clinton Approved™?

[ingac70]

7. So why is she offering it?

To the front runner, no less!

[Deep13]

8. She isn't. She only dangled the possibility in front of a crowd.

She was suggesting that if people can't decide, then they might get both with her.

[ingac70]

17. Odd she would "dangle it"...

when he is so "inexperienced".

[Deep13]

35. Not really. People always vote the top half of the ticket...

...(at least until 2000.) There's nothing wrong with having a less experienced candidate as VP. The real danger for a presidential candidate is picking someone who will be better and illustrate the short-comings of the main candidate. That happened in 1988. Frankly, I thought Gore was more qualified than Bill Clinton in 1992.

Anyway, it is a moot point. She'll pick either Clark or Richardson.

[thereismore]

19. Yes, it's a ploy to get more votes for HRC. nt

[Deep13]

31. A plot?

:rofl:

I thought the whole idea of an election was to get the most votes.

[thereismore]

36. I said it's a ploy, not a plot. A ploy is an English word you know. nt

[DrDan]

2. interesting that he did not refuse it . . .

[writes3000]

3. "I'm not running for Vice President."

Pretty much seemed like a refusal to me.

[DrDan]

10. don't believe so . . .

no words of refusal there

[writes3000]

18. Well, that's how it's being interpreted. n/t

[DrDan]

22. yep - I understand that

and he is making it clear he is not actively pursuing the VP role now

but he certainly did not say he would refuse it in the future

[writes3000]

30. He doesn't want to have that conversation because...

It would give the edge back to Clinton. It means he's thinking about what happens if/when she wins.

And quite frankly, this "offer" from the Clintons isn't real at all. So why should he address it further.

Could he take a different position down the road? Perhaps. But I really, really doubt it. I do understand your point though.

[DrDan]

43. I agree with you. Of course it is a ploy by Hillary - one to deflect her being behind.

[cali]

4. Of course he refused it. He could hardly have been clearer

and he went after her in no uncertain terms.

[DrDan]

14. and exactly where did he say - "I do not want it"

he only said he was not running for VP

[thereismore]

34. Do you need it in triplicate on 20lb paper with a seal? Hello? nt

[DrDan]

41. don't be ridiculous - I just do not see where he says

"No - I do not want it"

He said he is not running for VP - meaning not actively pursuing it. He never said "NO"

good lord - can we not disagree without getting all huffy

[shadowknows69]

48. Were you one of the "Gore didn't say he wasn't running, just that he had no plans" people?

[DrDan]

61. nope

[IDemo]

24. You've got to understand - message transmographication is all the rage on DU

and 1 + 1 = 3, while they're at it.

[blm]

6. I'm glad he brought up the bamboozling rhetoric. I HATE when Bushes and Clintons depend

on that type of twisting and spinning as it shows no respect for the intelligence of their audience.

[AlinPA]

23. I love when he uses that "hoodwink, bamboozle" line it shows his critics as jerks.

[blm]

39. Exactly - I want a NEW POLITICS where people stop GAMING the audiences and instead

speak to them as CITIZENS deserving of the truth.

[thereismore]

11. He is sooooo good! nt

[backscatter712]

12. Touche! n/t

[grantcart]

13. excellent transcription job

My favorite line and a line that will be frequently repeated is the one that said something like, "You ever hear of the Okey doke? (strong laughter) You know the Okey Doke when some one is trying to swindle you (roar of laughter). Well this is like an Okey doke when someone in second place is offering the guy in first place the second place seat (laughter and standing ovation).

[writes3000]

26. I just added this. Hope you don't mind. I laughed when he said it.

But couldn't get the phrasing right.

[grantcart]

46. you got a lot more than I did and my Okey doke wasn't literal but

it got the phrase in. I am begining to think that these guys are holding Obama back because even though he is so good if he is no the news everynight people get used to it. Then they bring him out after a few days and its so refreshing and funny.

[writes3000]

49. Yep and I think the public is starting to sour on Hillary's constant negativism.

I've been wanting to see him in front of crowds again. I'm glad he waited for that occasion to respond.

[AtomicKitten]

15. Bravo!

K&R

[blogslut]

20. Yes, he did!

:)

[Mooney]

21. Damn.

That's what you call "being unambiguous."

[Straight Shooter]

25. No one is saying he'd make a good VP.

That's just a compromise position for 16 years of Democrats in office. But if Obama only wants 4 or 8, have at it.

[theredpen]

28. LOL

:rofl:

So no one is saying that Obama would be a good VP, but Clinton is picking him anyway? Because there aren't any other Democrats who'd make a good VP?

:rofl:

Does it hurt to twist your brain into positions like that?

[Straight Shooter]

50. He needs training. Clinton would choose him for his popularity only.

He's popular, which doesn't necessarily translate into qualified. Can you twist your brain into that, or does it hurt too much?

[theredpen]

54. He has more experience in national office than Bill Clinton did in 1992

I don't have any problem understanding that popular doesn't necessarily translated into qualified.

Wasn't it Bill Clinton (who has fewer qualifications than GHW Bush) the one who said the only qualification you needed to be President was to be elected to the office?

[Starbucks Anarchist]

63. But aren't VPs supposed to be able to handle the presidency at a moment's notice?

:crazy:

[milkyway]

42. So Clinton would imperil the nation by choosing a poor VP solely for political gain?

[MojoMojoMojo]

56. No thats only to appease Obama Supporters.Wes Clarke is the best qualified

[CakeGrrl]

60. and that makes the point that she's not doing what's best for the country

She's just trying to collect Obama voters for her own gain.

[backscatter712]

27. Obama's got his verbal jiu-jitsu back!

One of his most effective jiu-jitsu throws I've seen is when he deconstructs his opponent's arguments.

Like here. He disassembled Clinton's offer of VP to him, noted that it was inconsistent with her assertion he wasn't ready to be President (if he isn't ready, why would she offer him the VP slot?) and told the audience directly what she was really doing - bamboozling.

Same thing when he deconstructed Clinton's mockery of his message of hope, using lines about how they would have him stew in the Beltway, cook all the hope out of him - told the audience what they really said - a message of disrespect to the people and the very idea of hope, replacing that hope with cynicism.

[underpants]

37. OH SNAP!!!

:rofl:

Man she looks like even more of an idiot now.

[Exilednight]

44. This will dominate the political news cycle for the day.... See the smoke coming out of Hillary?

[NYDem Observer]

45. He's Baaaackk!

"Make no mistake, I'm not running for Vice President. I'm running for President of the United States of America."

Lovin it.

[NEDem]

47. Video Link

http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Is_Clinton_trying_to_have_it_0310.html

[musiclawyer]

51. This is good.

I'm sure he's received a lot of advice on how to respond. I've written saying that he needs to come out and say that his nomination can only be taken away by blowing up the party, which the DLC would not mind. But the "bamboozle" word is good--it cannotes duplicity and deception. Which is what HRC is all about right now.

[L0oniX]

52. I see a crowd with pitch forks, brooms and torches headed to the Frankinclinton castle.

The pimp monster is going down.

:evilgrin:

[MojoMojoMojo]

58. Bad choice of words.Think about it.

[malik flavors]

53. Great response!

[grantcart]

55. Here is the youtube footage

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x103142

[mculator]

57. Brilliant and Obama don't belong in the same sentence.

[DerekJ]

59. For the last two weeks, their campaign has been claiming that I'm not ready to answer that phone. "

"But now they say I'd make a good VP?"

:rofl:

[LVjinx]

62. Cool. Now she can smile, shrug. and say she offered.

I wonder who she will pick instead?