Groups Push For Clinton As VP, But Jimmy Carter's Not On Board

By: Scott Conroy
Topics: Democrats

A day after Hillary Clinton told New York lawmakers she would be "open" to becoming Barack Obama's running mate, Clinton loyalist Lanny Davis has begun a petition drive to encourage Obama to create a unity ticket, The LA Times reports.

Davis, who attended Yale Law School with Clinton and helped defend Bill Clinton during the impeachment episode, has called on Obama to select Clinton since "she would be, by far, the most qualified and strongest candidate to be your running mate."

Davis isn't the only prominent Democratic voice who has launched an effort to persuade Obama to offer his former rival the vice presidential slot. Bob Johnson, the founder of Black Entertainment Television and owner of the Charlotte Bobcats NBA franchise sent a letter to Congressional Black Caucus Chairman and House Majority Whip James Clyburn calling on the Black Caucus to push for Obama to select Clinton.

"You can't find in an historic election two more dynamic, inspiring people who could lead this country and lead the Democratic Party for years to come," Johnson wrote.

Furthermore, CBS News chief political consultant Marc Ambinder reported last night that Clinton's campaign manager Maggie Williams a few weeks ago quietly endorsed an effort by two former Clinton staffers to launch a draft unity ticket called "VoteBoth".

But don't expect former president Jimmy Carter to get behind any of these efforts. Carter told the UK's Guardian newspaper that an Obama/Clinton ticket "would be the worst mistake that could be made."

Carter said he would have been just as much against a joint ticket had Clinton won the nomination but said that negative views of Clinton in wide swaths of the country would significantly damage Obama's chances in November.

"If you take that 50% who just don't want to vote for Clinton and add it to whatever element there might be who don't think Obama is white enough or old enough or experienced enough or because he's got a middle name that sounds Arab, you could have the worst of both worlds," Carter said.

Scott Conroy
Scott Conroy is a National Political Reporter for RealClearPolitics and a contributor for CBS News.
Follow on Twitter »

110 Comments Have Your Say
Email Story Send to a Friend
Share This Tell Your Friends
Tweet This Tweet This
More Share It

Add a Comment

See all 110 Comments


by mattcat25 June 5, 2008 5:08 PM EDT: Riptide213, I enjoyed reading
%u201CThe Denver Fairy Tale%u201D
lol.; Reply to this comment


by rufisgufis June 5, 2008 4:51 PM EDT: Obama takes great care to conceal the fact that he is a Muslim.

Posted by jack3213 at 12:20 PM : Jun 05, 2008
_____________________

What%u2019s wrong with Muslims. Are you aware that there are over 1.4 billion Muslims in the world? That''s more than the number of Catholics. In your puny mind are all Muslims terrorists? Do all Buddhists believe in self-immolation? Are all Catholics pedophiles? And what wrong with atheists, or Mormons? are you a religious bigot, a racist bigot, or both?; Reply to this comment


by riptide213 June 5, 2008 3:55 PM EDT: A Denver fairytale.

Mirror, mirror on the DNC wall, who in the land is most electable of all?

To which the mirror would until recently always reply you, my Queen, are fairest of all.

When the Queen came to Denver, she was as beautiful as the day, and when she again asked her mirror, it responded Queen, you are full fair, tis true, but Obama is now more electable than you.

The Queen was jealous and ordered the superdelegates to banish Obama from the race.

Grinning, the Queen made a poisoned apple offer to graciously accept any offer as a VP on the Obama ticket in the disguise of a loyal Democrat. Unwavering support as a subordinate VP and a cache of loyal Queen followers was to be presented to Obama as a political dowry.

Obama was hesitant, so the Queen offered the much anticipated acknowledgement that Obama tolerably clinched delegate numbers, so a full court press event endorsement was symbolically staged to celebrate this brazen occasion of the queen appearing to genuflection toward the triumphant party candidate.

Secretly the frustrated and vain Queen, still believing that Obama required her royal blessings, so again she asked her mirror who was most electable in the land and yet again the mirror disappointed her by responding that you, my Queen, are fair; it is true, but Obama is now more electable than you.

Do you believe they all they all lived and worked happily ever after? The end.; Reply to this comment


by jack3213 June 5, 2008 3:20 PM EDT: Obama takes great care to conceal the fact that he is a Muslim.

He is quick to point out that, "He was once a Muslim, but that he also attended Catholic school." Obama''''s political handlers are attempting to make it appear that Obama''''s introduction to Islam came via his father, and that this influence was temporary at best. In reality, the senior Obama returned to Kenya soon after the divorce, and never again had any direct influence over his son''''s education. Lolo Soetoro, the second husband of Obama''''s mother, Ann Dunham, introduced his stepson to Islam. Obama was enrolled in a Wahabi school in Jakarta. Wahabism is the RADICAL teaching that is followed by the Muslim terrorists who are now waging Jihad against the western world. The terrorists that crashed into the Twin Towers were once all enrolled in the study of Wahabism..just as Obama was!!

Since it is politically expedient to be a CHRISTIAN when seeking major public office in the United States, Barack Hussein Obama has joined the United Church of Christ in an attempt to downplay his Muslim background.

CLINTON IS HISTORY; Reply to this comment


by berthaw51 June 5, 2008 3:06 PM EDT: The Canada thing was a lie. The prime minister told us that a few days afterwards but the media killed it. I find it particular interesting that the only thing they can be pinned on Obama is what someone else said or did. However we can not say that for the Clintons.; Reply to this comment


by seah5 June 5, 2008 2:51 PM EDT: Was Jimmy Carter Obama''s messenger to Hammas to relay the message that obama campaign talk is Rhetoric and he doesn''t really mean what he says.

After The Canadian incident, you can''t put anything past Obama.

I am sure the Canadians wonder if the 10 year old games he plays with foreign countries, if they can ever believe anything obama says or does.

If you take in consideration Obama''s close personal friends, and his choice of keeping them for over 20 years. Shows lack of judgement, His willingness to share with Terrorist, Criminals, political fixers, Muslim supporters, Muslim activist. Anti-American friends.

How many of his close personal friends actually have FBI or CIA files on them.

Does Obama actually have many Americans that snowed that they do not Care about the safety and future of their nation. That with friends who stand for all this country is against.

Wake up America

Ask yourself if you like your freedom. Do you like you Country.
Then look beyond campaign rhetoric of empty promises, and motivational speeches.

God Bless America.

Guide her and protect her; Reply to this comment


by mattcat25 June 5, 2008 12:58 PM EDT: How many people have been charged and sentenced that worked in the Bush Whitehouse?

Not to mention Congress and Republican Lobbyists.

Corruption is just one, if not the main reason to hold the Republicans accountable in this election.; Reply to this comment


by francise223 June 5, 2008 11:49 AM EDT: Obama''s fundraising pal, Tony Rezko is found guilty today reports media.

McCain wants to do June 12th Town Hall style debate with Obama, lolol. Remember how Obama couldn''t handle debating Hillary one on one without his teleprompter in Philadelphia and whined about not wanting to do more when she asked for more?; Reply to this comment


by francise223 June 5, 2008 11:48 AM EDT: Obama''s fundraising pal, Tony Rezko was found guilty today reports mainstream media.

Just heard McCain wants to do June 12th debate with Obama, lolol. Remember how Obama couldn''t handle debating Hillary one on one without his teleprompter and complained and whined about not wanting to do more after the Philadelphia debate when she asked for more for public to learn of their differences?; Reply to this comment


by francise223 June 5, 2008 11:11 AM EDT: 1. Obama''s fundraising pal, Tony Rezko is found guilty for corruption charges, mainstream media reports....2. Carolina Kennedy on Obama''s VP search team may coincidentally appear to pick billionaire NYC Mayor Bloomberg because she works for him and this would follow the Anglo-Dutch oligarghy''s agenda to install corporate fascism in the U.S. with the supportive of like-minded U.S. politicians and wealthy business people. Corporate fascism is the privatization of the U.S. government and the people''s sovereignty is destroyed. Corporations and wealthy people will run the country.3. McCain has challenged Obama to 12 town hall style debates WITHOUT teleprompters, LOLOL.... Guess everyone knows his secret, the inability of speaking publicly without teleprompters, LOLOL......; Reply to this comment