Months ago, before anyone had considered it, I wrote an article suggesting that a Clinton-Obama or Obama-Clinton ticket made sense and should happen. It was February, before Super-Tuesday if I remember correctly. The Obama supporters vociferously attacked the idea, and their major arguments were similary to those of today's critics. The Clinton supporters said "Why not?".
Now we are finally seeing some traction of the concept.
My earlier reason for supporting this was that it made sense from every standpoint, whether Obama or Clinton were the nominee. The two combatants were clearly well-matched and differently-matched. They were also likely to remain tied to their constituents.
But the charges of racism were already underway and Obama supporters had particularly strong feelings against Hillary Clinton. At the time, even Obama quashed the idea, saying why would she choose someone unqualified to be commander-in-chief.
Jump to now. There is no more talk about why Clinton should do so, or that Obama should not because it would never happen. After Pelosi tried to quash the possibility, she withdrew her objections and is now heard saying that it is possible.
Only discussion of what to do with Bill Clinton, what would a Clinton in the White House look like, and why would Hillary Clinton choose the White House is now heard among the major Obama insiders. True, one of Clinton's supporters yesterday asked: "Why would Hillary Clinton give up Robert Kennedy's seat?" What? This is a weird statement by anyone claiming to support Hillary Clinton, and makes his earlier claims of support suspect.
I assume that the Democratic Party still wants to avoid any controversy at the Convention. And that they feel that Obama should be able to pick his own VP. But in truth there has never been such a right. If Ms. Obama hates Hillary Clinton, she cannot prevent this from happening and might enjoy making Clinton's life unbearable. Indeed, knowing something of her personality from personal experience, I could easily see her enjoying this for four years.
Obama is still deciding what to do.
Does he publicly announce his VP choice before the Convention, leaving out all drama and choosing someone else?
Does he tell everyone he is picking Hillary Clinton and then choose another at the Convention?
Is he lining up VP supporters for his choice already?
The answer is blowing in the wind. And could blow his candidacy apart.
I have also contended since 2007 that Hillary Clinton is the only electable Democrat. Obama code called her a "link to the past." So we have all this nonsense about new versus old (the nod to youth), hope versus something (probably "politics of old"), and other nonsense claimed to show that she cannot be the VP.
But at base, the real reason these arguments worked was that there was no proof of the old Clinton magic until the past few months.
Now, the Party is once again forced to reality. Clinton or lose.
Debunking the Obama-Clinton ticket is therefore getting much harder. Even Obama seems to be losing steam, saying with more vigor that he respects Hillary Clinton and lauding her efforts.
Is it possible that some of the Clinton turncoats have come on board with Obama with the promise that he would support Clinton? Perhaps not. But that she will be on a short-list? Undoubtedly.
Obama-Clinton is a reality. It is just that the political hacks in Obama's campaign are worried what Clinton will do in 2012.
Let them worry.