A new report on TPM says that one of Clinton's leading Finance Chairs says there's a risk of Barack Obama losing UNLESS Hillary Clinton is the Vice Presidential nominee. Why? Because Clinton's funders may not "provide the maximum support that he'll need to prevail in November." That comment is extremely unhelpful to unity.
I have spent a lot of time here arguing for unity, seeking to tone down the criticisms of Hillary Clinton, at least the non-issue based criticisms, the harsh personal stuff.
But I am getting tired of this.
To the extent Hillary Clinton is pushing this effort, and it appears she is, she should stop.
More, after the fold.
We've all seen reports that Bill Clinton is pushing the idea of Hillary as Vice President.
[T]he former U.S. president has joined the Hillary-for-Veep bandwagon, ABC News' chief Washington correspondent George Stephanopoulos reported.
"He is definitely talking it up, making no secret it would be a strong ticket for Barack Obama," Stephanopoulos reported on "Good Morning America" this morning.
ABC News: Bill Clinton Pushes Hillary for Vice President
Now we get veiled threats that some big money will sit on the sidelines unless Hillary Clinton is on the ticket.
The fundraiser, businessman Hassan Nemazee, is Hillary's leading finance chair and one of the most influential money men in the party.
snip
"There's a desire on the part of the party to come together under any circumstances, and Hillary and her supporters will do everything in their power to help Obama win, should he become the nominee, whether or not she's on the ticket," Nemazee said to me this morning.
"But there's a risk that if she isn't invited on the ticket, Hillary's political and financial supporters may not feel compelled to be as integrated and involved in the Obama campaign in order to provide the maximum support that he'll need to prevail in November."
TPM
Hillary Clinton would not be my first choice for VP, but that is up to Obama. The problem she is creating now, however, is that attempts to blackmail Obama in to giving her the VP nomination, which is how I read Mr. Nemazee's comments, push Obama into a position where he must refuse her.
If Clinton threats pushed Obama into offering her the VP, he could easily be attacked as "weak" and unable to stand up to Hillary. Think how McCain and his surrogates would use that.
Thus, Mr. Nemazee's comments do severe harm to his professed desire of Hillary Clinton on the ticket. They would be better off shutting up and letting Barack Obama decide. The only way she can get on the ticket is if he chooses because he thinks it's right for the country and his election.
As for his threat of witholding money, I think Obama has done just fine so far without Mr. Nemazee's big money contributors.
Senator Clinton fought a tough race. This is not the way to end it.
Unity goes both ways. My diary a couple days ago showed Hillary Clinton has said the right things:
"No matter what happens, I will work as hard as I can to elect a Democratic president this fall," she said. "We will come together as a party, united by common values and common cause. And when we do, there will be no stopping us. We won't just unite our party, we will unite our country."
More Unity. Clinton: "No matter what happens," I'll Work to Elect a Democrat President
Those comments are right. She is helping unity, and the more she helps unity, she helps herself, whether it be as VP nominee or as a party leader in the future. It's also the right thing to do.
Comments like those made by Mr. Nemazee are not helpful. Senator Clinton should tell her staff and contributors to stop with the threats.
I still believe we can unify this party and I oppose demonizing Hillary Clinton. But the comments of Mr. Nemazee are bullshit and I need to say it.