Obama Veep Search Begins…SLOWLY
Obama officials tell The Bourbon Room the process of selecting a Vice President has begun but is in its infancy. It amounts, they say, to little more now than assembling a team to begin the process once Obama secures the nomination.
Obama officials say no one is yet leading up the effort but that party veteran Jim Johnson will be among those consulted. In due course Johnson may assume a more formal role and his early involvement signals he is more likely than not to land the post, should he want it. Johnson, who led the veep search process for John Kerry in 2004 and Walter Mondale in 1984, is a natural choice for advice and counsel, Obama advisers say.
“News flash, Jim Johnson may help us look a Vice Presidential Process,” said a one top Obama official. “He’s been around a long time. He’s been doing this since Mondale. There’s nothing official and all of the reporting about this is pretty rudimentary.”
Tom Daschle, South Dakota Democrat and former Senate Majority leader may also lend a hand in the process. Considering the historic nature of everything related to Obama’s transformation from candidate to nominee, there will be no shortage of volunteers offering advice and counsel. A hallmark of the Obama campaign has been its ability to assemble a smart, effective team, focus them on the task at hand and minimize in-fighting. It would be a startling departure from form if the veep selection process played out any differently.
Right now, all that’s being done is a team is being selected to review open-source research on potential candidates. “Anyone can do that, ” the Obama official said.
True, but there are practical reasons for team Obama to downplay what is unquestionably one of the most important tasks of his general election campaign. Obama advisers don’t want to antagonize Hillary Clinton’s campaign or its legions of supporters with premature talk of hunting for a running mate amid a still-active primary process. This is part of the balancing act Clinton’s continued presence in the race has imposed on Obama and his team, for the sake of party unity, is taking it in stride and trying to strike a pose of respectful patience.
But it can only play that hand for so long. The process of moving toward a running mate must be communicated, if even in the vaguest terms, to signal to supporters and the nation that serious tasks are being dealt with in their natural order — even if it means risking a bit of ruffled feathers in Hillaryland.
Two other notes….
First, much has been made of the Kentucky exit poll result showing 45 percent of voters said John Edward’s endorsement of Obama was “important” to them and that a majority of those supported Obama. This has led some to conclude that Edwards would be a good potential running mate and this exit data suggests he might have sizable pull among working class voters Obama has yet to attract. Obama officials I’ve talked to don’t see it this way. They believe the die was cast in Kentucky before Edwards endorsed and those who said his endorsement mattered were, in many cases, already Obama supporters. Thus, they say, Edwards only reinforced their preference. It’s obvious Obama’s camp didn’t think Edwards would have moved many votes because they didn’t send him to Kentucky. The Obama results in Kentucky were bad and there was no sense sending Edwards there would have changed the result very much — and Edwards may have been reluctant to hit the trail in what was pretty obviously a lost cause. In other words, Edwards’ endorsement mattered, largely, to a self-selected group of Obama supporters and did not, in the view of the Obama campaign, move mountains or even mole hills of votes.
Second, Quinnipiac has three battleground polls out today. In Pennsylvania, Clinton leads John McCain 50 percent to 37 percent while Obama leads McCain 46 percent to 40 percent (1,667 surveyed, 2.4 percent margin of error); in Ohio, Clinton leads McCain 48 percent to 41 percent while McCain leads Obama 44 percent to 40 percent (1,224 surveyed, 2.8 percent margin of error); in Florida, Clinton leads McCain 48 percent to 41 percent, while McCain leads Obama 45 percent to 41 percent (1,419 surveyed, 2.6 percent margin of error).
In the McCain-Obama matchups, 26 percent to 36 percent of Clinton supporters in each battleground state say they will switch to McCain if Obama is the nominee. Of Obama supporters, 10 percent to 18 percent say they would back McCain if Clinton’s the nominee.
What to make of these numbers? Team Clinton says is buttresses their argument she’s the stronger potential nominee. Team Obama, of course, sees it differently. They no longer pay any attention to head-to-heads with Clinton, but head-to-heads with McCain. Here they see a lead in Pennsylvania and within-the-margin-of-error deficits in Florida and Ohio. They believe once Obama becomes the nominee and Democrats stop dividing their loyalties between Clinton and Obama, the Obama numbers against McCain will inevitably rise. They say they are pleased, at this stage, to be so close to McCain in states they lost to Clinton and where they’ve yet to define McCain and court Clinton supporters in earnest.
June will be an excellent month to test this theory. As well as accelerate the process to find Obama’s running mate.
Tags: Clinton, Edwards, Florida, Kentucky, McCain, Obama, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Qunnipiac, vice president
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“They say they are pleased, at this stage, to be so close to McCain in states they lost to Clinton and where they’ve yet to define McCain and court Clinton supporters in earnest.”
What a joke!!! They are going to “define” McCain however they want people to see him. Whatever the way to get more votes, whether a lie or not. This party is a screwed up bunch of individuals, especially the Obamabot camp.
Obama and his foreign policy ideas are scary, very scary. I will vote for McCain over Obama…….the economy will sort itself out, the threat of our security is better left to be dealt with by those with experience….if it is not Hillary then is is not Obama…..
Wouldn’t the Governor of Kansas, Kathleen Sebelius be the best choice for Obama’s VP? A Kansas governor could help in bringing Kansas to the Democrats and she is the daughter of former Ohio governor John J. Gilligan, she could help bring Ohio to the Democrats and the fact that she is a women may appease some of the Hillary supporters that a woman is on the ticket and she is a woman unlike Hillary that does not divide or carry the Clinton baggage.
“WE” do not think there can be a double standard on this issue. What must be remembered, is the fact that Mrs. Clinton attempted to pick her running mate months ago. For those of us who may have forgotten, Mrs. Clinton even mentioned that she might just select Mr. Obama himself. What must be said is that when the supporters of Mrs. Clinton try to justify their outrage about Mr. Obama’s nerve, remember to balance the books. I leave it to you!
Let it begin
It is said that reporters and pundits cover, not the current election, but the last one (or two). The attention to the Quinnipiac poll is evidence that such will be the case this time around. It would be much more interesting to see what is going on in Colorado, Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, Michigan and maybe even Virginia. The last one, just out of curiosity. To be sure, the Dems must carry Pennsylvania to win in November. But realism dictates that it is likely that Ohio will be red. Certainly West Virginia, Kentucky and Florida will be.
It is disappointing that Obama left Iowa and headed to Florida. Anyone who has ever lived there knows that it is not a place that is about the future. It is probably more about the past than any other state. This election is supposed to be about the future.
Finally, working class whites with a high school education or less making fewer than $50,000 per year, whether in Appalachia or Florida are not going to support Obama nor are they going to vote for Hillary. After 30 years of being Reagan Democrats, let’s call them what they are: Republicans.
Wouldn’t touch that with a 10 ft pole.
Having read just about every report on”polling”,I am hoping that a poll will be taken,in which the questions are POINT BLANK and without any mention of others e.g Mccain
“In the Presdential election , will you Vote for Obama with Hillary as running mate??
and “Will you vote for Obama if Hillary is not the running mate/ ?
I know my answer and I think Obama had better pay attention ,to the figures. John M
Kathleen Sebelius seems a very good choice. Articulate, moderate, intelligent, and a bit older than Obama. She responded to the 2008 state of the union address, and has a reputation for weakening special interests’ hold over the government.
She is Ohio born, a catholic, with strong ties to Michigan. She could defuse some of the feminist anger seemingly extant, and has family political ties to both the Democrats (Her father was Dem Ohio Governor) and the Republicans (her father-in-law was a GOP Representative).
Outside of her own obvious personal merits, Sebelius would help Obama take Ohio and heal rifts in Michigan. There is even a small chance she could bring Kansas into play.
Let me know what you think.
Terry
termah71@gmail.com
Obama feels it is beneath him to go into states like Kentucky or West Virginia. But, I think he will enter those states to beg for votes for the GE.
Obama has to have a “team” to pick his VP? I guess he doesn’t have enough experience topick his own.
Michelle is probably on the “team”.
Funny I thought you had to WIN the nomination first – guess not.
The polls show Hillary Clinton UP 6 pts over obama and McCain – AND then we have those MILLIONS of Voters voting for Hillary – BUT then she is loosing remember????
The DNC better wake up IF they want to win back the white house.
It’s either Hillary or McCain – that is the will of the people!
Considering the policy differences between Obama and Clinton are so very few when compared with McCain’s policies, the fact that so many Clinton supporters would end up voting for McCain boils down to one obvious reason; they are racist. There’s simply no other way to cut it. Obama wins the big cities of almost every state, because in big cities people are forced to deal with other races and walks of life daily and come to understand that there is little difference below the surface. In rural communities and small towns it is possible for people to not really have any interaction with people other than those they already know, so it is more likely they will hold their parents’ views and pass it to their children as well.
I truly hope enough of this country, from here in Texas to my home state of Georgia and the other 48, are going to walk a higher ground come election time. Logical reasoning behind the issues, not visceral responses that you many not even truly understand yourself is what will help choose the best candidate. Please don’t screw this election up with ignorance.
Tell Obama to make it very slowly because he will not be the nominee.
No experience to be president. This is got to be a big joke.
Please, they do not even make you the manager of Bank or grocery store without experience.
Wake up people.
What PERFECT TIMING! …presidential candidates choosing VP…and… CHUCK NORRIS just wrote the article in his new weekly syndicated column, “If I am elected Vice President”!!! Check it out… http://www.townhall.com/columnists/ChuckNorris/2008/05/20/if_i_am_elected_vice_president
Puttin the cart before the horse?
Don’t bother won’t need one.
McCain 08
He needs a woman to appease the women that supported Hillary. I hope he chooses Kathleen Sebelius. She has experience as a governor of Kansas. She appeals well to rural whites and she is has a solid character.
Nancy Pelosi would also be a good choice as the top democrat with tons more experience than Hillary.
Obama Black Eagle is going to be our next President!!! Yeah!!!
God Bless America!
Have any polls been anywhere close to right.
Obama is being attacked by Hillary Clinton and John McCain. Every word he says and every move he makes has been picked apart by the two camps
And, yet, he continues to move forward
I can’t even imagine what it will be like when just McCain and Obama are in the arena
John McCain has been declared 100% disabled
I say, not yet
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING FROM INFORMED DEMOCRATS TO DNC
To: DNC Members
From: Informed Democrats
Re: Understanding of Florida Primary Rule Violations
Date: Until Michigan and Florida are Seated
Dear Governor Dean & Esteemed DNC Members,
STATEMENT OF UNDERSTANDING: As an informed Democrat, I am seeking to understand when will, we, Democratic voters see true equity in the Democratic Presidential Primary race?
RULES OF UNDERSTANDING: According to the rules of the Florida Democratic Presidential Primary, agreed to by all Democratic Presidential Primary candidates, no Democratic candidate was to advertise in Florida prior to the Florida primary.
FACTS OF UNDERSTANDING: Senator Barack Obama purchased national cable advertising and advertised HEAVILY in the State of Florida prior to the January presidential primary.
REQUEST OF OUTCOME BASED ON UNDERSTANDING: When will Senator Barack Obama and his campaign receive written (and publicized) notification he is; therefore, disqualified from receiving ANY of the delegates he and his campaign are seeking when Florida is ultimately seated, based on he and his campaign’s failure to follow DNC rules?
EQUITY IN UNDERSTANDING: As a lifelong, Informed Democrat I know and understand you and the esteemed members of the DNC will do everything in your power to make an equitable decision in this matter, with liberty and justice for all.
THANK YOU FOR UNDERSTANDING INFORMED DEMOCRATS REQUEST: Thank you in advance for the time and attention you and the esteemed members of the DNC have and will give to this matter, because we know you and the members, hold that all men and women are related equal in DNC decision-making. Right?
THE ONLY UNDERSTANDABLE OUTCOME: Seat Michigan and Florida, as they are currently counted, and award the only Democratic candidate who can win in November the nomination-Hillary Rodham Clinton.
Why embarrass the Democratic Party any further by awarding the nomination to the media created Manchurian Candidate Obama and wait for the Republicans and the 529 to unload to the world Obama’s unelectable dirty laundry: Antoin Rezko, William Ayers, Reverend Jeremiah Wright, Iraqi born Aiham Alsammarae, the former electricity minister convicted of corruption in Iraq and his deal with Obama and Rezko to build nuclear power plants in Iraq-a nation we are currently at war?
How can Senator Obama be allowed to seek potential VP’s when he should most certainly be immediately disqualified for violating DNC advertising rules in Florisa?
Democratically Yours,
Informed Democrat
I don’t believe the Constitution allows for foreign nationals such as Hugo Chavez, Fidel Castro and Farakkhan to run for the VP slot. Therefore, Obama may want to begin to re-think his first three choices of a running mate.
Hillary should be the VP choice because she is the peoples choice..
How can obama start looking for a V.P. He need tn finsh this election process and since he said there is 57 state,s he has a long way to go to fine those 57 state,s so obama you go look for those state,s and let Hillary beat the pant,s out of McCain. Vote Hillary or McCain but no obama
Bill Richardson can handle anything. He hurt the most when he gave his support to Hillary’s democratic rival and now that Ted Kennedy is out of contention, he’s the brilliant choice. He lends the experience that is lacking to stabilize the ticket. Hillary will win with Evan Bayh (spelling) of Indiana. He adds a calm and youthful balance and Indiana is central, blended, independent and in Hillary’s win column, don’t forget.
America’s Pulse – I think that Barack Obama should nominate John Edwards as his running mate! John Edwards will connect with the white working class people – a group that Barack Obama is having trouble with! John Edwards is well-liked! Hillary Clinton should be Barack Obama’s first appointment to the Supreme Court of the United States. She would do well there!
John Edwards should be Barack Obama’s running mate – Hillary Clinton should be Barack Obama’s first appointment to the United States Supreme Court – she would do well there! As for the Democratic Party – I’m finished with them – what a debacle the Party and Howard Dean have produced. I will registering and voting Independent next election cycle!
I love Senator Clinton; Yes, it is true. I believe in my heart Lady Liberty loves her too. Through the blood of our fathers and the sweat of our mothers a new era was do. Now, a generation later it is the blood of our mothers too. America needs her hands to be swift and strong for her children are fearing the new dawn. We are all scared sometimes, yes that is also true but Senator Clinton will help us through.
Women will not be told this time who to vote for. Our loyalties to our own lives and families runs deeper than any of this party stuff. The DNC believes it can wave a wand and suddenly everyone supports who the Committee says they should support. However, election after election, the DNC’s choice of candidates is too left leaning and cannot get elected in the swing states. Here we go again! Putting Hillary on as VP is the ONLY WAY that Obama can get elected this year. Last election, people did not like Theresa Heinz Kerry. Despite what the DNC thought would happen, they kept pushing people to support him. This year, an awful lot of people do not like Michelle Obama. The liklihood of the same outcome is upon us. Let your voices be heard loudly. Nancy Pelosi and Howard Dean and company should tell Obama to put Clinton on as VP and get out there and start juicing this campaign.
Obama can look all he wants..If Hillary dont get in then McCain will be our next President so all you demgods think hard about it…dont want to hear you crying or the blame game when its to late and you pick Obama instead of Hillary and McCain wins over Obama..
This is the height of of conceit.
It sounds to me like the Hillary supporters are a bunch of cry babies who
are not loyal to the Democrat party. A large majority of them have said they
will vote for John McCain if Hillary is not elected the nominee. I guess they think
this is supposed to scare us into nominating Hillary because we are afraid that
Hillary backers will vote for McCain. Sorry, but that argument is not going to work and neither
will the scare tactics. It just goes to show you the kind of people who support Hillary and the
kind of people who support Obama. The Obama supporters are more party loyal and not a
bunch of crybabies.
Poor, poor Hillary. Nobody wants to play with her. Boo hohh.
Would people think that Obama will pick another naïve and inexperience candidate like himself? Most likely, he will pick a candidate with experience. Experience, by definition, means that this person has had to be part of the Washington’s crowd for some time. So, why is this ok for the party instead of Clinton?
If Obama picks another Washington politician instead of Clinton then it clearly demonstrates that he only wants to surround himself with less qualified people; if he has more confidence in himself then he should pick the obvious candidate that half of the democrats has voted soundly as the best qualified presidential candidate.
If Obama is as smart as he claims then he should run, not walk, to Clinton and offer her the VP slot with a red bow and on his knees!
McFlipflop did not just ‘accept’ Hagee and Parsley’s endorsements – he actively courted them. Big difference. And if he and his team were so stupid and slack that they did not check out these nutjobs’ statements and positions before seeking their support and standing on stages with them, how could you ever let him near the White House???
Doesn’t really matter, of course, the silly old dope is in for the biggest humiliation ever in November. This year has a big D stamped all over it
[...] Obama Veep Search [...]
If Obama is smart he takes Kathleen Sebelius as his running mate. The Gov. of Kansas and a person that has proven to work with both Republicans and Democrats. She is a hugely liked Gov. in a state that is about as red as they come. Both her father and father-in-law were popular Gov/Senators in Ohio and Kansas… as either Republican and Democrat.
Sebelius would work for the people of The United States, not Hillary who only caters to her and Bill’s legacy. Not to mention, Sebelius would get back a lot of the women’s vote for Obama in the general.
hillary is in the race because she wants to show obama, he needs her. she wants to force him to make her his VP, all this at the risk of alienating more voters and giving the presidency to mccain in the fall.
if she waives off her campaign advisers, she could waive off her cabinet advisers, making for poor decisions.
when asked what would she do if iran attacked israel with a nuclear weapon. she said she would annialate iran. if terrorists detonated a small ‘dirty’ nuclear bomb, to get a few terrorists, she would in retaliation, kill millions of innocent people? if she were in power and didn’t follow through, the USA would look weak. by putting a nuclear weapon on the ‘table’, you’ve now got the attention of russia, china, india, pakistan, france and many others. it’s ironic, she could save the earth at the cost of civilization, with a nuclear winter.
if the DNC seats michigan and florida, they’re setting a precident of chaos four years from now. no rules will have to be followed.
hillary is staying till the end of all the primaries because she says all votes should count, but she wants the super delegated to vote for her… what about all the votes for the leading candidate, they don’t count? hillary double speak.
Obama should be thrown out of Florida. He opposed counting our delegates and seating our delegates right up to the last minute — that is until now he wants to be able to “count” our money and “count” our votes in November, and he already has the nomination in hand. Aside from that, Obama is now “Pro-Israel” having forgotten about the twenty years he spent with “Uncle” Jeremiah Wright and Trinity United and having also forgotten about his own advisors Robert O. Malley, Gen. Tony McPeak, Susan Rice and others who are anti-Israel in their policies and their writings and in previous administrations. Again, he’s in Boca Raton “counting” how much money he can raise with lies and dissimulation. He was also lying and dissimulating in Coral Gables — keep the embargo but let the Cuban-Americans give their money to Cuba and let’s talk to Raul — even Fidel called him on that one.
Jimmy Carter should run with Obama. They are a match.
He can search all he wants, but the majority of HRC supporters no matter how hard it will be to go against our party, will never vote for the liear racist Obama… trust me he does have other plans, he is not to be trusted, he is all talk…..
If not HRC, then McCain 08
What does Obama need to win?
He needs a southern white male war hero?
Jim Webb!!!!!!