Matthew Rothschild: Why Obama Won’t Take Hillary

[marmar]

from The Progressive:



Why Obama Won’t Take Hillary
By Matthew Rothschild, May 8, 2008

The Hillary camp is angling now for the VP slot, and some facile pundits are refrying the dream team cliché.

But don’t go out and buy an Obama/Clinton bumper sticker any time soon.

Here’s why Barack won’t take Hillary.

For one, they can’t stand each other, and neither can their staffs. Michelle probably would divorce Barack if he chose Hillary. Given how nasty the Clinton campaign has been toward Obama, it’s hard to see them making up.

And for two, Clinton wouldn’t help the ticket.

Her negatives are astronomical, and she’d galvanize the Republican rightwing, which isn’t exactly thrilled with McCain.

Any draw that she might have with independent women or moderate Republican women would be far outweighed by these factors.

And I don’t buy the idea that her appeal with white working class men, which she now brags about in a racist way, is bankable.

Here was her outrageous comment to USA Today:

"I have a much broader base to build a winning coalition on," she said citing an article that she said “found how Sen. Obama's support among hard-working Americans, white Americans, is weakening again, and how whites in both states who had not completed college were supporting me."

Hard-working Americans and white Americans are an identical set?

Black Americans aren’t hardworking? .......(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.progressive.org/mag_wx050808

[babylonsister]

Good. She's trying to weaken him; why should she be rewarded for that? nt

[rocktivity]

16. She was looking to win West Virginia by a comfortable margin

Next Tuesday, I hope the voters "reward" her HARD.

:mad:
rocknation

[Me.]

1. The Point About Her Negatives Is A Huge One

They have remained high throughout the campaign, and he's right, her having a place on the ticket would be just the rallying cry the cons need to fire up the base.

[mamalone]

37. Seriously...

I don't think a lot of political "insiders" have a serious handle on how despised she is by huge swaths of the country:( I am in contact with a lot of conservative folk and the even the mention of her name can start them frothing at the mouth. I could never understand it, but sadly over the past several months I have begun to understand. Obama could very easily win over a lot of these very same people... but NOT with Hillary on the ticket.

[gbrenna]

38. I am married to a Republican who will vote for Barak...

He would never, never vote for Hillary Clinton. If she was on the ticket as VP, he wouldn't vote for Sen. Obama either. I lived in GA for years (just recently moved to Wisconsin). Conservatives hate the Clinton's. In fact, I think they hate Hillary more than Bill! She will bring the conservatives back to McCain if she is associated with the fall campaign. This is why conservatives have been so nice to Hillary-they need her to be the Democratic candidate- in order to unify the GOP. Check out conservative sites-McCain has been the nominee for a while now and many people still say they won't vote for him.

[mamalone]

39. Too true!

and you're right.. they do hate Hillary more than Bill:(

[ej510]

2. She wouldn't win that vote in the general

[Why Syzygy]

3. Hillary's racism is showing. She described the Republican base that voted for her.

[cascadiance]

18. And the more she pushes the race card, the more likely we'll get a new James Earl Ray ...

if she's on the ticket as VP.

It would be just ripe for a similar conspiracy to take him out of power and put her in instead, since there are so many lined up on her side (or the Republicans) that feel more threatened by he than she.

Obama should measure what makes the most sense for him to win, but also someone that shares his values and goals, and one that wouldn't necessarily try to appeal to those that might strongly want to have her in power instead of he.

[Tellurian]

23. Hillary is a racist? Her Campaign Chairman is Maggie Williams..

Maggie Williams

[DemGa]

4. Obama ran on assaulting Clinton's character

It would really reveal Obama as a fraud to do an about-face on this now. No, I think the strategy of vilifying the Clintons makes this impossible.

[marmar]

5. Nice bit of revisionist history there......

:eyes:

[DemGa]

9. No, when you repeatedly call somone dishonest

that's called character assassination - the lowest of all campaign tactics. Do you deny the Obama campaign did this?

[marmar]

11. Race-baiting through surrogates and praising the Repug nominee to tear down your Dem opponent.....

..... is the lowest of tactics, and Hil had that down to a science.

[sandnsea]

17. She IS Dishonest

Why can't you accept that? She said everybody knows Michigan won't count, and then turns around and says she won it. She says we have to drag this primary out to "count every vote", when she knows the only way she can win is for the supers to overturn that vote. We could make endless lists of her dishonesty. Have you forgotten her running from sniper fire so quickly? She's a damn liar. It's not charachter assassination, it's the truth. The same as when somebody says Bush is lying, it's just the damn truth.

[DemGa]

54. I can bring up plenty of statements by Obama

that prove he's a liar - face it, there's been a smear campaign - the very lowest form of campaign tactics.

"SEN. OBAMA: Let me just follow up. My objections to the war in Iraq were simply — not simply a speech. I was in the midst of a U.S. Senate campaign. It was a high-stakes campaign. I was one of the most vocal opponents of the war, and I was very specific as to why."

That's FALSE, he was running for State Senate. He's a PROVEN liar - manipulating the facts to make his little speech seem like more than it really was.

http://www.correntewire.com/oopsie_2

You really believe Axelrod/Obama don't play dirty? You're deluding yourself - Come out of Obamaland and into reality. They ran the same game on Al Gore in 2000 - and again, a Dem (Bill Bradley) led that charge.

[stahbrett]

22. Hillary's campaign has repeatedly been dishonest

Here are 5 off the top of my head:

* Bosnia sniper fire concoction

* Michigan/Florida votes will be meaningless/Michigan and Florida votes must count

* Race is all about delegates/It's about popular vote/It's about big states/It's about white voter support

* Never supported NAFTA

* Supported NY governor's push to give driver's licenses to illegal aliens but is against giving licenses to illegal aliens.

[Median Democrat]

34. Failure to Oppose Bankruptcy Reform

That is my major problem with Hillary. She voted for it in 2001, then failed to vote against it in 2005 in order to appease the financial industry in her State. The irony is that before she was in the Senate, she opposed the bankruptcy "reform." However, in order to appease her corporate donors, she at worst supported, at best did nothing to oppose the bankruptcy reform bill that makes it harder for millions of Americans to start over.

I agree with Hillary's stance on a lot of issues, but this is one issue that she has not been honest with her constituents about.

[wileedog]

35. When they repeatedly lie

What are you supposed to do?

[virgdem]

10. I bet it's real nice..

in that alternative universe you're living in. Denial is a river that runs through your mind.

[Tellurian]

25. and puddled itself in it's cerebellum! nm

[Raineyb]

14. I'm sorry but...

Are we watching the same primary race?

Because what you said has nothing to do with reality.

:wtf:

Regards

[WA98296]

6. It's now our SDs that make the party look weak. Are they incapable of making a decision?

[TexasObserver]

7. She can be vice president ...

... of Shut up and get the f**k outta here, you DINO traitor!!

No, she's not going to be on the ticket, because she's the least trustworthy VP he could have.

[Cha]

26. Yeah, she can be

VP of those things she brought on herself with all her lies, pandering, lies, pandering, lies & more lies.

[Larkspur]

8. And one more point...

Hillary is the old style politics of division that Obama is trying to break from.

[livingmadness]

12. Rothschild's got some splainin' to do ...

he's stealing my arguments!! Or am I stealing his ...?!#(#

Kathleen Sebelius please. Stat.

[SlipperySlope]

13. Why would Obama touch Hillary?

He is running on the platform of change. She is the ultimate incumbent. The two go together like bubblegum and crackers.

[Thrill]

15. Even if she succeeds in helping him lose. She still won't get the nomination the next time

Guys like Mark Warner are going to run. She won't win then either

[nichomachus]

19. Obama is going to have a tough enough job

without having to worry what the Mayberry Machiavellis are up to in the back room. Hillary and Bill are political operators and they will be trying their best to establish a base of power from the VP's office. Obama needs someone who is going to be loyal to him, not pursuing their own agenda on his dime.

If he fell for this idea, I'd lose a lot of respect for his judgment.

[TBF]

41. Post of the day - spot on.

[Cha]

51. Obama won't "fall for it" ..he's too

damn savvy. It's nutz..it's media/bilary fantasy.

[zulchzulu]

20. Matthew NAILED it again...

Hillary Clinton could derail the Obama campaign by being VP and be a ball and chain on the ticket. Any talk of how she would bring voters that Obama can't is bullshit. Obama carried plenty of white voters, as this shows:



If she helps Obama lose, she gets to run in 2012.

[livetohike]

31. You should make this a thread of its own!

Thanks for posting it. I need to e-mail this out. :hi:

[zulchzulu]

50. It is!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=5884830&mesg_id=5884830

[livetohike]

53. Great! Thanks for the link

:hi:

[flpoljunkie]

21. Rothschild recommends several candidates it Obama's goal is to appeal to the white, working class

And, anyway, if the goal is to appeal to the white working class, Obama can do that better by choosing someone like Senator Jim Webb of Virginia or Governor Ed Rendell of Pennsylvania or Governor Ted Strickland of Ohio or even John Edwards.

And if the goal is to appeal to Latinos, there’s Bill Richardson, who has a ton of experience, to boot.

While I’m at it, if experience is the main criterion, there’s always Al Gore.

Hillary Clinton is losing the Presidential race, and she’ll lose the Vice Presidential one, too.

[Tellurian]

24. Rothchild couldn't get a job even with Pelosi's support..

he is a dud!

[TBF]

43. Like Pelosi is something to write home about...

[Tellurian]

46. Neither is Rothschild...that is the point..

[ShortnFiery]

27. Fast Eddy Rendell has a little prejudice to work through - said outright that "some PA voters won't

vote for an AA." :eyes:

Gov. Rendell is part of the "old politics" of machines and dirty tricks. :thumbsdown:

[FrenchieCat]

28. He has a little Farrakhan tape that he would have to answer to

when the GOP asks him- Rendell, that is.

Ed would have a lot of Xplainin' to do......

Ed Rendel Endorses Louis Farrakhan, same guy Hillary wanted Obama to denounce and renounce
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXum_-8I1TA

[Tellurian]

32. Is Rendell a presidential candidate?

I didn't think so!

[ccharles000]

29. Hillary is great and would make a great VP.

[Window]

30. I agree with Matt wholeheartedly.

[Median Democrat]

33. Disagree - Assumes Hillary Wants The VP Spot

Three reasons:

1. I don't see Hillary wanting the VP spot. I have yet to even see a HIllary surrogate suggest this as a possibility. Hillary's ego is way too large, and it would require eating some massive crow about Obama's electability. This is wishful thinking.

2. Hillary on an Obama ticket would help. It would not galvanize the right wing, because they already detest the idea of minority president, and Hillary as a VP does not present as ominous threat. If anything, Hillary as VP comes off as humbled, which takes the edge off of Hillary. Indeed, Hillary could use a VP slot to humanize her more, since she has to display some humility to accept it, rather than bravado she displays as the Presidential wannabe.

3. Hillary as VP allows her to do what she does best (attack) while leaving Obama free to do his thing (sunny optimism). No one is going to expect Obama to control Hillary, so Hillary can do the Cheney thing, an attack McCain, while Obama goes about sounding Presidential. Also, Hillary and Obama do have strengths and weaknesses that are complementary. Conversely, attacks that work on Hillary don't work on Obama (she's divisive and she's woman) while the Obama attacks don't work on Hillary (he is not white and he is a man).

So, it is not going to happen, not because Obama would never take her, but because Hillary has not even suggested the possibility.

[Leopolds Ghost]

48. I don't want her and her husband a heartbeat away from the Presidency.

And people distrusted LBJ for the same reason.

[Imagevision]

36. I don't believe Obama would chosse Hillary for the VP slot, he'll little probs defeating McCain

[LaurenG]

40. I'm betting he will choose her.

He is very forgiving and lets the political horse manure just roll off of his back like water on a duck.


Will she accept though?

[TragedyandHope]

42. THE BEST: Michelle probably would divorce Barack if he chose Hillary.

[depakid]

44. Those two on the same ticket would be the worst of both worlds

That grasp certain defeat from likely electoral defeat....

[kwenu]

45. I would pay HUGE bucks to see Michelle O in a ring with Hillary.

My money would be on Michelle winning by a knockout in under 3 seconds.

[Leopolds Ghost]

47. Amusing Rushbot reply to the original article. Read it and memorize the Rovian psy-ops at work here

"Francois" wrote: :rofl:

Questionable article with flawed logic. Obama may have won the nomination but does not stand a chance of winning in November. No candidate who is so blatantly unable to rally the base of his party can win the General election.
The only chance Obama has is to take HRC as her VP and hope she will accept. If he doesn't have her on the ticket, it's lights out for the Dems in Novemeber.
The Dems will need every voter they can when Republicans show the world that Obama is lacking in judgment, is woefully inexperienced and has been mostly a phoney with a lot of empty rethoric.
Today. almost as many Democrats as Republicans do not wish to see Obama win the Presidency. Only HRC could save him, and I am not sure America could afford that after 7 years of Bush!

[woolldog]

49. There are so many reasons not to take her.

[New Dawn]

52. Clinton on the ticket = McCain in the White House