The news media is wildly speculating whether Hillary Clinton will get the Veep spot. Folks, honestly, Obama does not want her on the ticket. I collected a few quotes from some reliable sources with connections to the Obama camp.
Let's begin with the Chicago sources. Robert Novak(even the Prince of Darkness can be right once in awhile) has on many occasions cautioned Republicans on how to manage Obama. Novak was the one who told Republicans that Obama was clean. There were no scandals in Obama's background. That's one reason why Republicans have tried to bring down Obama using tactics of guilt by association.
In his column, http://www.humanevents.com/...Novak writes Obama wants nothing to do with the Clintons. The Clinton have been pushing to get Hillary on the ticket for some time.
That is the atmosphere in which Clinton has now offered herself for the vice presidency. One of her supporters, prominent in Democratic politics for nearly half a century, saw the handwriting on the wall several weeks ago and approached Obama agents to suggest a unity ticket. "There was absolutely no interest -- none at all," he told me. "They wanted no part of it."
For some reason, the Clinton camp thought the popular vote would sway the Obama people to put her on the ticket. The Obama people weren't buying it, according to Novak.
Washington lawyer Lanny Davis, an indefatigable advocate for Bill and Hillary Clinton over the years, on his own wrote Obama Tuesday night urging him "to select Sen. Clinton in recognition of the more than 17 million Democrats who supported her at the polls." Davis also talked about a petition drive to promote that goal. The Obama camp's response was not positive.
April Ryan from American Urban Radio Networks said early in March that the unity ticket was highly unlikely. Here is what she said from an appearance on Hardball with Chris Matthews, according to the transcripts
http://j2k.naver.com/...
RYAN: Chris, this is a trust issue. I‘m telling you, everyone I talk to, they‘re saying it is a trust issue. J.C. Watts, a Republican, has said, look, he cannot trust her. She can trust him.
Also, people who the Clintons had stay in the Lincoln Bedroom said the same thing, and they said it would help to bring the party together, but he could not trust the Clintons.
Folks, this is astonishing. Clinton loyalists are warning Obama that he cannot trust the former first couple.
When Obama rebuffed the Clintons through private channels on the veep slot, the Clintons tried to force his hand. As stated in the http://www.politico.com/...
, Hillary was laying claim to the veep slot knowing Obama did not want to give it to her.
Then, in a vigorous pushback to the increasing Clinton pressure, the Obama camp announced a trifecta of vice presidential vetters — a list that pointedly included a female Obama backer, Caroline Kennedy, niece to Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.).
Apparently, Obama has chosen people who are seriously vetting the candidates. According to Andrea Mitchell, http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/...
the vetting team is gathering information on the VP applicants.
From NBC's Andrea Mitchell
Congressional sources tell NBC News that Obama's vice presidential vetting team of Jim Johnson, Caroline Kennedy, and Eric Holder will be on Capitol Hill Monday and Tuesday interviewing senators and members of Congress about their recommendations. Those being visited are NOT potential choices.
The point, according to Senate offices, is to collect information about a potential field.
From what I gather, team Obama already has a working list for the VP. I'm curious which senators and members of Congress the vetting team visits. The team will collect information from people with personal knowledge about VP applicants.
My gut tells me the Clintons' are not under serious consideration.
Update 1: A number of people have complained about using Novak as a source. As I mentioned earlier, I have problems with Novak but he does have sources within the Obama camp in Chicago. Is he a perfect reporter? NO.
Update 2: Who are friends of Bill? Bill Richardson, Robert Reich......These are people who have worked with the Clintons and know how they operate.
Update 3: Another friend of Bill. Al and Tipper Gore. Why do you think former President Al Gore has remained silent? If Clinton has the temperament to make a good veep, than a former VP's endorsement of her would persuade a lot of people. Gore's silence in the matter speaks volumes.