You have to hand it to Bill and Hillary Clinton – when it comes to hardball politics, they practice it better than anyone. Their latest squeeze play on Barack Obama is a thing of beauty. Both Clintons are now openly suggesting that she would offer Obama the Vice-Presidency. I can’t make Google spit back the Hillary quote I just saw, but she’s singing from the same hymn book as Bill. He said –
”I know that she has always been open to it, because she believes that if you can unite the energy and the new people that he’s brought in and the people in these vast swaths of small town and rural America that she’s carried overwhelmingly, if had those two things together she thinks it’d be hard to beat.”
Chutzpah, they name is Clinton. Let’s see – she’s trailing in both the delegate count, number of overall states won and percentage of the popular vote. Yup, what better position to start strongly hinting that Obama would be a great Vice-President?
The sad thing is, the argument may work. As a die-hard Obama supporter, I have absolutely no qualms about his readiness for the presidency. Experience is more than the amount of time that a politician has been in Washington. But the fact remains, that there are several Democratic voters who do question Obama’s readiness. Yet they are torn because no one has run such a hopeful, inclusive campaign for such a long time.
Hillary’s ploy plays into that personal conflict nicely. If those voters can soothe themselves over the readiness question while still having the chance to vote for Obama in some form or another, everyone wins right?
Wrong. A Democrat can’t win without at least competing in the South and taking a state or two into the blue electoral column. Hillary can’t win in the South, it’s as simple as that. She is so polarizing, especially to Southerners, that even with Obama in the number two spot, the South would stay solidly GOP.
This gets back to a point I have mentioned in this blog before. As a Democrat, I think that our first and foremost criteria for who gets our primary vote should be electability. If electability is the criteria, Obama wins hands down. He probably doesn’t break the lock on the Deep South, but he can (and WILL) win states like Virginia and North Carolina that are becoming more urban and less mixed with native voters.
When the campaign comes to North Carolina, we’re going to do all we can to make sure that electability trumps the squeeze play.
7 responses so far ↓
lillingtondemocrat // March 9, 2008 at 2:44 pm
I’m really wondering if any Democratic Presidential candidate can possibly win North Carolina and pick up those 15 electorial votes. There are lots and lots of people here that truly hate Clinton and just will never ever vote for her. There are lots of southern white males that would vote for Obama…. if he were running against Romney or Rudy G. but against McCain I’m afraid SEMs will be the deal breaker. They will vote for McCain and the state will once again go Republican in the Presidential race. At this point I’m really concerned about how much this will harm our candidates on down the ballot.
lillingtondemocrat // March 9, 2008 at 2:47 pm
that should be SWMs not SEMs my bad
Steve // March 9, 2008 at 4:23 pm
If she somehow steals this thing from Obama, I wouldn’t get within 10,000 miles of any ticket with her at the top if I were Obama. If he continues to win over and over and she ends up the nominee, she will lose to John McCain so badly it will make the Dukakis-Bush election look close.
A young guy like him would be tarnished for decades. Even FDR waited 12 years before getting back on a ticket after 1920.
Steve // March 9, 2008 at 4:25 pm
I also whole heartedly agree with the first commentator. A great many NCers despise Clinton. I work in western NC and hear them daily. Frankly, they have both been lowered in my eyes with their boorish behavior this year.
southernmaledemocrat // March 9, 2008 at 6:55 pm
My point was that the demographic makeup of states like NC and VA has changed to the point that Obama *would* be competitive against McCain.
Are Bubbas still going to vote GOP? Absolutely. But just look at the population growth in areas like the Triangle - many people are moving here from the NE corridor, and bringing their Democratic voting habits with them.
The problem with Hillary, is that she is polarizing EVERYWHERE.
Steve // March 10, 2008 at 6:30 pm
Yes.
Plus with Obama, Virginia, Georgia, Mississippi and Lousiana immediately come in play.
Hag // March 24, 2008 at 6:43 pm
Been a long time since a southern state was in play, maybe 1992, if you don’t count Bill Clinton and Al Gore’s home states in 1996 and acknowledge that Florida’s not really a “southern” state.
I dunno if the south will immediately come into play with Obama, but I agree that the alternative will spur GOP turnout in what would otherwise be a lack-luster year for them.