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Tuesday, June 03, 2008

Does Obama Look Masochistic To You?

The Chief had coffee ready about 5:30 when I reeled over to the computer to check the political news. Trying to radiate appreciation, deep affection and profound caring (which is difficult, and the effort caused me to drop my Shield Against Political Insanity) as I took my second swallow of the life-giving fluid, I unwarily brought up Drudge and saw the blurb about Clinton being willing to accept the Veep slot. I darned near spit the coffee across the room.

I've never heard of anything crazier. Obama would have to be nuts to do it. Aside from the fact that half the Secret Service would have to be deployed to keep one of those barmy old Clinton supporters from taking a potshot at the Pres, does anyone - anyone at all - believe that Hillary wouldn't spend four years trying to backstab, upstage and cut Obama down, and then challenge him for the nomination? It would be having a total enemy in the administration.

In this election Hillary has made it very clear that she perceives that nothing is more important than her win, and she's sure not going to change that tune. There's nothing she won't do, and no line of good taste or decency she won't cross. And Good Lord! She was the woman who wanted to be Co-President as the President's wife. I'm sure she'd expect Obama to be her Veep, instead of being his Veep. It's political insanity. It would be like selecting Karl Rove as vice-president, except that Hillary has a lot more pull with the press and far less in the way of scruples. And you know, you just know, that she would find people to execute her maneuvers in the press.

Obama would have to be suicidal or masochistic to take her up on it. This thing keeps getting more and more bizarre. Does Hillary Clinton live in a fantasy world? Is this another Bosnia thing?

The Anchoress says Hillary won't concede, but instead will suspend her campaign. Well, maybe, but the campaign she has run has become increasingly childish and ugly, so that the only thing that would get her the nomination would indeed be if Obama gets shot.

Comments:
Well Obama would be less likely to be asassinated if hillary were vp.And while she has no scruples she has picked up a few Talents (of gold) and quite a few shekels.
 
We are getting ready to watch. My reaction to it was exactly like yours. It is insane.
 
LESS LIKELY TO BE ASSASSINATED? I think not. Who do we hate politics has apparently taken root in the Dem party.

Viola - I'm glad I'm not the only one!
 
If I were the betting type, I would bet against him choosing Hillary.

He just needs *another* way to get some of her supporters.

It's hard to split the difference between the sexist and racist vote, the way I see it. *sigh*
 
Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.
Sun-tzu Chinese general & military strategist (~400 BC

It’s probably better to have him inside the tent pissing out, than outside the tent pissing in.
Lydon B. Johnson US pres '63-'69 (31 October 1971)



One of the best strategies is to have your enemies working for your cause instead of against it.


In any case, any real political news is going to start in mid Sept when the mass of US citizens start deciding. Anything prior to that, is informed or uninformed speculation.

I look at http://www.centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/ for info, myself for trends.

Three indicators of the national political climate have accurately predicted the outcomes of presidential elections since the end of World War II: the incumbent president's approval rating at mid-year, the growth rate of the economy during the second quarter of the election year, and the length of time the president's party has held the White House.

An Electoral Barometer reading of -63 would predict a decisive defeat for the Republican presidential candidate. The only election since World War II with a score in this range was 1980. In that election Jimmy Carter suffered the worst defeat for an incumbent president since Herbert Hoover in 1932. The second lowest score, -50, occurred in 1952. That was the last election in which neither the incumbent president, Democrat Harry Truman, nor the incumbent vice-president appeared on the ballot. Nevertheless, the candidate trying to succeed Truman, Democrat Adlai Stevenson, lost in a landslide.

The current national political climate is one of the worst for the party in power since the end of World War II. No candidate running in such an unfavorable political environment – Republican or Democrat - has ever been successful. If John McCain manages to overcome the triple whammy of an unpopular president, a weak economy, and a second term election, it will be an upset of unprecedented magnitude.


http://www.centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/article.php?id=AIA2008052901

Like romance reduced to the urging of hormones as observed by neutral observers; political passion can be reduced to bland figures.

In any case, the last time I saw accuracy figures on the talking heads, their prediction rate was less accurate than predicted by flipping a fair coin.
 
Vader - ordinarily I would agree, but Hillary isn't going to play by anyone's rules except hers. I don't think Obama is dumb enough to do it. If your enemy is inside your tent shooting at you, you aren't getting any benefit.

I think this election will be about the economy!!! The Iraqis are getting their feet under themselves, so no matter who is elected the result will be very similar with regard to troop withdrawals.

But economically speaking, there are bunch of policies which need to be reviewed and adjusted. We need to worry about jobs, food and fuel, and we need to revise some social aid programs to deal with the very real stress on a lot of elderly and lower income workers. So far, it seems to me that NONE of the campaigns have been settling down to discuss the reality on the ground and how to handle it.

I'm pretty frustrated.
 
MoM,

I don't know. I used to agree with you, but now I'm not so sure. Part of the reason is Hillary turned out to be a far better politician than I ever expected: where did all this passion come from?

Historically, isn't it common for usurpers to lurk in leader's circles? There's a reason why kings had food tasters...And think: why would kings, who did not exactly have to appeal to voters, feel forced to embrace those usurpers? The quest for legitimacy forced them to do it.

Today we live in a world of exceptionalism -- everything is different this time. But history's reality, and drama from Shakespeare to Homer, tells us that Obama choosing Hillary would fit the norm.
 
If Obama picks Hillary as VP running mate, he's a fool.

Does he really want somebody pathologically thirsting for Power to be one heartbeat -- HIS -- away from the Presidency? Especially when a "fanatical follower" could provide Plausible Deniability?

There is only one Lord of the Ring, and She Does Not Share Power.
 
David - the ordinary may not apply in this case due to the personalities involved.
 
If Obama picks Hillary for VP, we can expect to, one day, finding Mr. O. in the park looking up at the sky.
 
IMO the determining factor in the election will NOT be the economy or Iraq but Iran.

1- Israel attacks Iran's nuclear facilities in late Summer with US intellegence and logistical support admitted but other covert support widely recognized.

2- Iran and it's supporters retaliate including Shia militia in Iraq against US forces and possibly warships. Oil supply is reduced and prices sky rocket.

3- Bush claims Iran has declared war on the US and launches a major air assult on the Quds forces and bases.

4- The election is held in the midst of a hot war.

5- McCain wins easily as the Commander-in-Chief candidate.

Two objectives accomplished at once. I put the odds at about 70%.

What say you?

Jim
 
Jim - Israel is going through too much right now to do anything not in her best interest. Not only are they under constant missile and border attack, but Olmert is involved in a scandal.

The only way Israel would do such a thing would be if it is sure that it is in immediate danger from Iran. A person believed to be an opponent of Ahmadinejad's has just become the head of parliament. If at all possible, Israel will wait that out. Israel has far too much at stake to act impulsively, and would not assume that the result of such a scenario would be McCain's election.
 
Mccain has announced that his campaign is also about change.responsible change.Doubters should note that his choice of campaign song is "Brother can you spare a dime".
 
Teddy Kennedy took the fight to the convention floor (against Carter) with less support that Hillary has. She's being pushed out and the nomination has been decided by the party insiders, not by the people in the primaries. This is all about purging the Clintons' influence from the party. The bad thing about that is that it leaves it clearly in the Dean wing of extremists. I really do not look forward to a Carter II presidency, regardless of whoever he chooses as a VP. (My personal feeling is that Obama would not choose ANY woman as a VP.)
 
politics is about power and compromise.

the clintons have a lot of power

obama would be smart to include hillary in some fashion in his administration

why you believe hillary is a bad person is not clear to me.

rove, bush cheney have corrupted the justice system, suspended several amendments to the constitution...several in the bill of rights, allowed the rise of private mercenary armies and the use of no bid contracts, to fight a war, and plundered the nations economy for the benefit of investment bankers and hedge funds.

by comparison hillary is a saint.

an obama clinton ticket would kick a**, and set an example for unity within the democratic party

mock turtle
 
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