Legal Commentary

Another Case for Hillary as Veep

By Jeralyn

John Amato at Crooks and Liars, who didn't take a position during the primary, tonight makes the case for Hillary as Obama's vice presidential candidate.

Do Biden, Bayh, Kaine or any other pick left standing represent his “change narrative?” No, because Obama is the narrative. He brings the change. He won the primary. Of course there are those that feel much differently. I’m just offering my thoughts. Many of my C&L writers don’t agree with me either. The blogosphere should be the place that we discuss these issues. There are so many undecided voters that I bet many of them are Hillary supporters. In my opinion her nomination would send a jolt of electricity throughout the country and into Denver.

I agree with John that Hillary vastly improves Obama's chances of getting elected because she will bring voters from the critical, not the tiny, swing states like Ohio and Florida. Even Pennsylvania isn't a lock for Obama.

Obama seems to be using his caucus state stratgy from the primaries -- going after little states -- to win the general election, and as I've opined many times, I think it's the wrong strategy. We need Ohio, PA, FL and MI. Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and Virginia pale by comparison.[More..]

Obama needs blue-collar voters, rural voters, elderly voters and Latino voters in November. Younger voters and new voters won't carry the day. Hillary is his best bet with them.

I'm still not sure I want Hillary to be Obama's vice-presidential candidate. But I'd put my personal feelings aside and enthusiastically support the ticket if he selects her. I'll support the ticket regardless, unless the VP candidate is crime warrior Joe Biden, but it would be so much better to have a ticket I could clap for and mean it -- and with Hillary joining Obama, I could do that without reservation.

Will Obama make the right choice for the Democratic party? Probably not if he lets his ego get in the way. Let's hope that's not his Achilles heel.

Full post as published by TalkLeft on August 22, 2008 (boomark / email).