Hillary and Barack, again

I believe this NY Times op-ed by Gloria Steinem reinforces my suspicion that Clinton and Obama have a deal to make him her Veep candidate.

We could double our chances by working for one of these candidates, not against the other. For now, I’ve figured out how to answer reporters when they ask if I’m supporting Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama.

I just say yes.

Jeffrey Feldman speculated here at dailykos back in early December that Hillary and Barack had such a pact.

As I've noted before, this is only the latest of several carefully worded op-eds the Times has run on the Hillary v. Barack question, but it's the closest yet to suggesting a joint ticket.

It stops short of suggesting it, of course. Not quite the right moment yet.

Gloria Steinem is historically a Clinton supporter (she actually defended him during the Monica scandal), and I think this piece is part of a campaign orchestrated by the Clintons to put the idea in the public consciousness without actually going there yet.

If and when this meme ("Hillary and Barack!") comes out, where do the candidates want to be? Clearly no one is talking about veep choices yet, it's too early. But this would be different. It would be newsworthy whenever she's first asked the question, or he is.

•  I could live with a Clinton/Obama ticket

  Hell, I'd donate and volunteer, too.

  - Albert Einstein

  by Walt starr on Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 09:41:14 AM PDT

  •  If he doesn't go after her on the War

    his only big club - than he's clearly gunning for VP.

    no two ways about it

    by inevitibility on Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 09:58:36 AM PDT

  •  Obama/Hillary

    
    How 'bout the other way around?

    Obama/Hillary.

    I want Obama making "threat assessment" and War  decisions .. not Hillary!

    
    

    by LiberalWithBalls on Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 10:28:36 AM PDT

    •  I'd prefer that one.

      But I doubt Hillary Clinton would take second seat.

      - Albert Einstein

      by Walt starr on Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 10:35:04 AM PDT

    •  definitely prefer that.

      Less of a drag on down-ballot races and the one who made the right decision on Iraq in charge of war policy!

      by exiled texan on Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 10:54:46 AM PDT

•  Clinton/Obama...

  ..would be a formidable ticket against a potential John/Rudy not-so-dynamic-duo.

  by Caldonia on Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 09:41:48 AM PDT

  •  How can you recommend this diary?

    There is zero evidence, just conspiracy theory speculation.

    The link to Feldman comes up with this:

    Personally,  I believe--although I have no evidence for this--that a pact has already been made between Obama and Hillary.  He will not go negative on her, and she will choose him  for a VP (again:  I have NO evidence for this).

    Not even Rush Limbaugh buys this theory. It's a sorry day when Rush makes more sense than a DKos diarist.

    by demondeac on Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 09:59:47 AM PDT

    •  It's just stupid

      It's not even true that they're not going negative -- they're just doing it subtly. Obama talks about opposing the war from the beginning, and about being in favor of withdrawal, not a "Cap." Clinton talks about her experience and the difference between idealism and getting legislation through the Senate.

      by FischFry on Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 10:06:28 AM PDT

•  Extraordinary claims

  demand extraordinary evidence.

  You do not have any.

  by demondeac on Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 09:43:19 AM PDT

•  Obama/Clinton

  could be good.  I hadn't thought of HRC as a veep before, but she's actually well suited to it.  I don't like her for prez (too divisive, to tied to corporations, too much a rep of what I think of as DC/Old Guard, etc.).

  by Urizen on Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 09:44:11 AM PDT

•  Time out!

  If there is already an agreement, why is Obama even running (draining his and Clinton's bank account)?

  by Yoshimi on Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 09:44:45 AM PDT

  •  good point n/t

    by The Hunter Gracchus GU Dems on Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 09:52:04 AM PDT

  •  diverting money from Edwards

    enough people like Soros probably don't like Hillary and the Rupert Murdoch support she has.

    Obama would be a nice diversion of money that otherwise would not go to Hillary

    by inevitibility on Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 09:59:35 AM PDT

    •  Idiocy. Put down the Kool-Aid. It's poison

      There is no conspiracy. Stop drinking the conspiracists' poision.

      by FischFry on Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 10:03:41 AM PDT

  •  Of course, this is idiocy

    There is no working agreement, and there has been no shortage of verbal jabs at each other. The diarist is twisting what Steinem was saying beyond all recognition. She's stating that she supports the candidacies of a viable, compelling female candidate, and a viable, compelling black candidate. That, and nothing more. Just watching their campaigns is proof that they are not in cahoots. Not that his would make sense anyway.

    But, it's idiocy to be speculating on running mates. As I posted in another diary about Obama a few minutes ago. It's February 2007. Talk to me about running mates in about 16 months, when we can have an idea of who is going to be at the top of the ticket..

    by FischFry on Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 10:02:05 AM PDT

•  Rahm Emmanuel gives the real "deal"

  http://www.suntimes.com/...

  http://www.chicagotribune.com/...

  by Yoshimi on Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 09:49:20 AM PDT

•  We live in terrible times.

  And silly times.  Hillary Clinton would never run for vice president.  And to suggest Gloria Steinem needs anyone to "orchestrate" for her is laughable.

  by Lying eyes on Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 10:01:21 AM PDT

•  Speculation

  I've heard a lot of speculation on who Hillary might choose for her running mate if nominated. This is the first time I've heard Obama and Hillary have a pact.

  A friend of mine told me he had it from a friend of his who is an editor at the L.A. Times that Clinton had such a pact with Wes Clark. Although I sincerely doubt the veracity of this, I could see how this could be a good match. Wes would bolster Hillary's national security credentials substantially and might help her a little in the South. In fact, choosing Clark as her running mate would probably be the only way I would be able to hold my nose and vote for Hillary in the general election.

  Obama would give her a different dynamic. It's yet to be determined whether the black vote will get behind him or stick with Hillary, who seems to be polling best in that community right now. The downside with Obama is that he's more charismatic than her, which in a subliminal way might undercut her. (Much like I believe Edwards' charsima undercut Kerry's somewhat.) On the other hand, some might find voting for the first woman president and first black vice president at the same time irresitable. Or it might be too much to expect the electorate to take at once.

  Then there's a lot of people who think Hillary has a pact with Evan Bayh, and that's why he elected not to run for the presidency. That's certainly believable. Bayh is an attractive man who knows how to win in a red state. He doesn't provide much idealogical balance, as he's pretty much a DLC centrist like her though. But the two do look good together, so that counts for something.

  Fact is, all of this is unsubstantiated speculation. We're not going to know who Hillary would choose to run with if she gets the nomination unless she does.

  by YestoWes on Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 10:08:16 AM PDT

  •  Clark and Bayh....

    ....both make good sense for Hillary. I also agree that a woman and a black candidate would be " too much to expect the electorate to take at once " .
    I am a union construction craftsman and already hear the grumblings of a Hillary nomination. It is going to be a tough sell to my fellow workers. I have decided to leave them alone for now and let Hillary try and work some magic on them. Right now most of the guys are dead set against her.

    by roastedcoyote on Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 10:53:07 AM PDT

•  Not a chance!

  As much as i personally love the idea of a woman and a black man on a ticket, we would never win the general election this way!! Are you kidding me?  

  by comstockgrants on Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 10:26:51 AM PDT

•  I wouldnt trust HRC if I were Obama

  Is she a Team Player? I doubt it

  by wuod kwatch on Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 10:30:58 AM PDT

•  It's doubtful Hillary has

  the security or generosity to share the ticket with someone capable of overshadowing her.

  by LanceBoyle on Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 11:04:58 AM PDT