Why didn't Obama choose Hillary Clinton as his running mate?

Even though I greatly support Obama, I can't help but wonder why the heck he didn't choose Hillary Clinton as his running mate. Now we have this Sarah Palin character that could possible help John McCain succeed in being the next Bush in office. If Obama had chosen Hillary he would've been "unbeatable".

 

Well unfortunately to win you need to appeal to the greatest number of people, and a White Male is that person for the majority of citizens of the USA..

To run a campaign with essentially a *black person* + a *woman* would be too risky..

 

Plus, they would have been seen as hypocrites considering the bashing he and Hillary did during the primaries.

 

Well, I can understand why he did it. Obama was still in the lead by quite a margin prior to selecting his VP. He went with a safe pick. Someone that likely wouldn't hurt him more than someone that would give him a boost. Unfortunately for him, I don't think he or anyone else for that matter saw the Sarah Palin pick coming. McCain took a risk and picked someone that make or break his campaign. Lucky for him, the conservatives love Palin and so do women voters that Obama was banking on getting after recieving a Clinton endorsement. Clinton's endorsement failed and failed miserably and now you have seen a swing in female voters and strengthening within the Republican conservative base.

 

I think Bill is a big reason. Plus, I wouldn't trust the Clintons.

 

Fundamentally, the VP spot is used as political currency. Traditionally, it was used to court a region or class of voter by applying that valuable spot to one of their own. Today, it seems to have become a way to pay off loyal standard-bearers. Joe Biden, the perpetual also-ran, is not very powerful outside the Democratic party, but he had a payoff coming, and the DNC unfortunately chose this year to settle up. This was a bad move based on the idea that Obama had the sucker won.

Hillary would have been a strong running mate...but she pushed it too far and hurt the cause too much by dragging that ugly campaign on to the bitter end. She isn't even necessarily more popular among women than Palin...I think the country in general is a little sick of her ambitious, raspy insincerity.

I would love to see a female President...but we may as well wait for a candidate we can be proud of. Unfortunately, while Obama is the best we've seen in decades, I have a feeling we'll have to wait another four years for a chance to choose a quality leader for the real people of America.

Already the vote denial begins. Never mind Bush or McCain; Diebold runs this country.

 

Biden has a lot more qualification and Obama chose Biden for his contribution to the wellbeing of the country not for political reasons. He has integrity

 

PHP, this is no longer true. As I expected, the Palin "bounce" has severely faded, and Obama has recaptured all ground lost prior to both conventions. Additionally, specifically, woman are no longer "wowed" by Palin, simply on a gender basis. McCain's gambit to win Clinton's female voters on gender politics alone has simply failed.

Here's how Quinnipiac sees it:

http://www.quinnipiac.edu/x1295.xml?ReleaseID=1215

It's important note the sea change back to Obama is as dramatic as the sea-change the other way, as well: If Obama ceded 20 points to McCain for his support among women a mere week ago (moving to 53-41 for McCain), Obama now leads 54-40 among women - a full 26 point shift.

Volatile, to be sure, but I expect it to continue. The difference, I strongly feel, is that Palin, while truly a celebrity, is also tainted with being a cipher. Behind her snide comments at the RNC, lies her complete ineptitude on a host of issues the electorate feels is important; most recently, the economic shakeup has led people to divest themselves of the glitter surrounding her 11th-hour surprise, and after appraisal, she is being rejected.

I do expect this to continue.

******

As to why Obama didn't pick Clinton, I think it is because while she may have helped him get into the White House, she would be a hindrance and a liability to him once there - developing her own, obstructionist power base, for use in 2012, and little help to his Presidency inside the administration. I don't blame him.

 

The answer is a lot simpler than any of this.

1. Obama would have to hire a food taster.

2. The real Hillary has the disposition of a rattlesnake. Her tirades are legendary. I don't think anyone would want her as a VP.

 

LOL
............

 

She wouldn't have accepted it. I would not be surprised if they had a backroom conversation consisting of:
Obama: Wanna be my number 2?
Clinton: No way buddy I am running again in 2012 and I don't want you screwing it up.
Obama: It would be good for the party, show solidity.
Clinton: Pick Biden then everyone loves him and he has no chance in hell of ever getting the top job even though he wants it like a vampire wants blood.
Obama: You would know all about vampires.
Clinton: Screw you.

Imagination makes politics so much more fun.

 

He predicted McCain would tap an attractive female and between the two Dems he figured Joe Biden looks better in a pantsuit.

 

Honestly, I don't think Sarah Palin would've been chosen if Barack Obama had chosen Hillary.

 

Nor would Joe Biden have been picked if Obama wasn't weak on experience. VP picks aren't an exact science, but there tends to be some reason.

In this case the Palin pick certainly changed the dynamic of the campaign. Obama had led all summer and it looked like a certain Obama win. McCain ticket took the lead almost immediately after. It'll be a close race, but he's apparently smarter than his critics give him credit for.

 

Whatever he's lacking in he'll learn and I can guarantee you he will learn "quickly". Can't say the same about John McCain or Sarah Palin, can you? Maybe it's because they're "average" intelligence which is not what this country needs.

 

Greg - You dodged the question. If McCain is just an old idiot who cannot speak without a script, why is the guy you think is so superior afraid to join him in a town hall meeting format to address specifics and answer unscripted questions ? I think its because it'd be obvious that Obama is an inexperienced lightweight comparatively.

What's your take on the repeated refusal?

 

Here's a video for you to watch AGAIN. I know you're going to ignore the "disturbing truth" about your candidate, but I do admire your commitment to your political party.....................even if they're wrong.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/07/29/new-viral-video-gives-mcc_n_115727.html

 

Well, hey, thats kind of you. I feel kinda the same about Obama fans that keep telling me how smart he is but cant explain why he's unwilling to leave the teleprompter and face McCain in the 1-on-1 town hall meetings so he can prove he's on top of things without a prescripted speech.

I think he'll pale by comparison. He seems unwilling to prove otherwise, and he's not the VP candidate, he's the top of the ticket. Oops.

Guess we're gonna disagree.

 

See http://forums.digitalpoint.com/showpost.php?p=9273045&postcount=982, for one thought, anyway.

 

What's wrong with using the teleprompter to check on his notes? It's not like this is a close election or anything.