In my zeal to support Senator Obama's campaign for the Democratic nomination, I honestly haven't stopped to think about the VP slot.
But with Hillary's defeat seeming inevitable, there will certainly be a desire amongst many of us to bring Hillary's supporters back into the fold, and how better to do that than Hillary as VP, right?
Wrong.
I see several reasons why Obama/Clinton won't, or shouldn't, happen.
- Hillary would only accept a VP slot if she believed it increased her chances to become president. At this point, her objective arguably seems to be to wound Obama so that his chances of defeating McCain are minimized, and she can run in 2012 as the "I told you so" candidate. If she accepted the VP slot, and they lost, she'd be viewed as a loser, and I doubt it would help her prospects in 2012. And if they won? Well, she'd be shut out until 2016, and she'd be the Dick Cheney of the Democratic party.
- Even if Hillary was willing to be VP, it seems to me that Obama would hurt himself, not help himself. Those of us who have supported him because he represents a fresh, NEW approach to politics would see his first major decision (VP choice) as little more than an appeasement of OLD politics. I'd have real problems seeing Hillary on the ticket in ANY capacity after this campaign.
- Today, at a time when 30% of Hillary voters say they won't vote Obama over McCain, Obama is STILL leading McCain in national polling. The electoral map is shifting Blue, and I truly believe that it would take a very big shift for the nation to elect another Republican in 2008. There are a lot of disgruntled Republicans and independents who would offset the loss of those angry Hillary voters.
- Bill. Need I say more? Do you think that maybe having Bill occupying the Vice Presidential residence could be just a smidge of a distraction for the Obama administration? As they say, too many cooks in the kitchen. Especially when one of the cooks clearly is aiming to be the Head Chef, not the Sous Chef.