NPR: Obama Ridicules Idea of Running as Clinton's VP

Obama Ridicules Idea of Running as Clinton's VP

Sen. Barack Obama Monday ridiculed the hints being repeatedly dropped by Sen. Hillary Clinton and her husband, former president Bill Clinton, that she would take him as her vice presidential running mate. Campaigning in Mississippi, which holds its primary tomorrow, Reuters reports that Obama accused Clinton of playing "political games" with the suggestion.

"I don't know how somebody who is in second place is offering the vice presidency to somebody who is in first place," Obama told supporters. "I'm not running for vice president. I am running for president of the United States of America. I am running to be commander in chief."

"I do not believe Senator Clinton is about change because in fact this kind of gamesmanship -- talking about me as vice president, but maybe he's not ready for commander in chief -- that's exactly the kind of double-speak, double-talk that Washington is very good at," he said.

Obama said the Clintons had been repeatedly hammering his ability to be president, saying that he wasn't ready. But he asked how they would want him to be Clinton's running mate when there was always the chance that he would have to take over as president.

"If I'm not ready, how is it that you think I would be such a great vice president? Do you understand that?"

NPR's Mara Liasson reports on why Clinton has to be careful in her criticism of Obama: convince Democratic superdelegates that Sen. Barack Obama is not electable -- but do so without alienating Obama's voters, who she would need in a general election. As Mara says, it won't be easy.

6:32 PM ET | 03-10-2008 | permalink

Comments (Send a comment)

What a minute, Barack!

You don't hold the patent on incompetent vice presidents.

You couldn't possibly be any more incompetent than Dan Quayle.

Or, could you?

Yeah, maybe you could be more incompetent than Quayle. Never mind.

fred camorra call

Sent by fred camorra call | 6:41 PM ET | 03-10-2008

It's about time. Clinton gets a lot of her views into the mainstream consciousness by insistent repetition, and sometimes by simply being the only one talking. Glad to see that Obama is back from his silent retreat and ready to start pushing back against the absurd head games coming from the Clinton camp.

Sent by Marla Erwin | 6:58 PM ET | 03-10-2008

Not too long ago I thought Hillary was quite capable of accepting reality graciously. However the dems seems all set to "snatch defeat from the jaws of victory". I couldn't but help use this cliche. Clinton is being really mean in trying to drum beat her assertion that Obama is not competent to be commander in chief but at the same time would welcome him as vice president. Just a week ago I thought I would have no qualms in voting for Clinton if she indeed made the nomination, however she seems to have now filled my minds with doubts. To hell with the Dems!!! You guys don't know how to decide your nominee fairly. I would not vote for Mc Cain, so should Clinton win the nomination, my vote will go to Ralph Nader.

Sent by Siva | 7:13 PM ET | 03-10-2008

Okay, here's the hard part about choosing a vice presidential running mate.

And this stuff gets serious. Like, I'm thinking about that guy Hinckley who shot Reagan over Jody Foster.

You don't want to pick a running mate that might get you killed. Which kind of makes sense in a tangential way of looking survival of the fittest.

When you think about an Obama and Clinton, or Clinton and Obama ticket, you got to think about all the black militant diehards and femi-Nazi whacky Amazonian warrior groups running around amok out there, somewhere.

Hey, take Gerald Ford. Far as I know, he is the only president to be shot at by two women. All within seventeen days of each other. Sarah Jane Moore and Lynette 'Squeaky' Fromme all took out pistols at Ford. Though Fromme never got her shot off before secret service agents wreslted her to the ground. And a former Marine named Oliver Sipple grabbed Sarah Jane Moore's gunhand, ruining her shot.

Things got sticky with congratulations when it was learned that Oliver Sipple was gay. Guess it was bad enough being shot at by a 'Charles Manson' woman, without getting saved by a former gay Marine.

Anyway, Sarah Jane Moore was paroled from prison just a couple of months ago. And I guess John Hinckley still loves Jody Foster, cause he's still trying to smuggle her photos into his room at the home. And Squeaky Fromme hit her prosecuting attorney between the eyes with a thrown apple.

Anyway, maybe Hillary's best choice for vice president is another woman, and Barack's best choice is another black.

That, or an exact look alike stunt double.

fred camorra call

Sent by fred camorra call | 11:54 PM ET | 03-10-2008

Yes, it seems Mara Liason is right. But Clinton better start watching her surrogates too:

Geraldine Ferraro:
"Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position. And if he was a woman (of any color) he would not be in this position. He happens to be very lucky to be who he is. And the country is caught up in the concept." www.dailykos.com

Sent by Nick | 12:49 AM ET | 03-11-2008

Right now "it's the economy stupid" to a degree that we have not seen since the Depression. Bush lowered taxes on the wealthy, and started a war that will cost us far too many lives and a staggering two trillion dollars while the cost of a gallon of gas is crippling the average American. For a fraction of the cost of this war we could have put SSecurity on a sound footing for the next half century, says Pulitzer Prize economist Joseph Stiglitz. We could have made college affordable for 160,000 low income kids, says Robert Hormats of Goldman Sachs. Instead, the USA is in a position of extreme vulnerability. And Hilary voted to give Bush the authority to do this, because that's the way the political winds were blowing and despite the loud, insistent opposition of some leaders, Barak Obama being one. If Billary is nominated many lifelong Democrats will vote for Nader, the only alternative to a Clinton McCain despotism.

Sent by frank Driscoll | 3:58 PM ET | 03-11-2008

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