Bob Woodward Sheds Light on Possibility of Obama/Clinton 2012 Ticket

Longtime Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward made waves when he said late Tuesday that it was "on the table" for Barack Obama to run with Hillary Clinton instead of Joe Biden as a vice president in 2012. The possibility was actually first written in his book "Obama's Wars."

"Some of Hillary Clinton's advisers see it as a real possibility in 2012," Woodward said on CNN yesterday.

In an interview with CBS News chief Washington correspondent Bob Schieffer on Wednesday, Woodward said the possibility should be taken "seriously, because it's politics."

"In the book what I lay out when Hillary Clinton was under consideration for Secretary of State, Mark Penn, one of her former top advisers said 'look, it's a no-brainer, take the job.'"

"'In 2012, Obama might be in trouble. You represent voting blocks Obama did not during the primaries.' She did very well with working class, women, Latinos and with seniors," Woodward said. "Obama might need those groups if he's in political trouble."

Penn stepped down as chief strategist of Clinton's presidential campaign in April 2008, though remained involved with the campaign. Mr. Obama named Clinton as his nominee to be Secretary of State on December 1, 2008.

Getty

"When he was considering Mrs. Clinton for the Secretary of State job, David Axelrod said, 'well how can you trust Hillary?' and Obama said, 'look, I got to know her, she's loyal. I can use her.' And that's exactly what he's done. So if he needs to use her in another way, I wouldn't eliminate it."

Woodward said people who think Mr. Obama is incapable of working with Clinton as vice president "don't understand him." "People do what they need to do in an election."

The White House was quick to try to end the discussion about the possibility of an Obama/Clinton ticket this morning. White House press secretary said the reports were "absolutely not true." Meanwhile, a source close to Clinton told CBS News chief White House correspondent Chip Reid that the rumor is "the dumbest thing I've ever heard."

"[White House senior adviser David] Axelrod says it's not under discussion now. I never said it was under discussion now. I say it's something in the background in 2011, 2012. When Obama has to run, he may need Hillary Clinton on the ticket," Woodward said.

"Hillary Clinton is a force. Now she's also a negative," Woodward said. "It would depend on what we call the political conditions at the time."

Earlier this year, Clinton eluded that she is not interested in serving as Secretary of State more than four years should Mr. Obama win a second term. Aides to Clinton denied to Woodward that politics had anything to do with the former presidential candidate accepting the State Department position.

"They said, 'no, no, politics had nothing to do with when she decided to be Secretary of State. She has no political ambitions, never, ever,'" Woodward said.

"I said, 'wait a minute, when she goes around the world as Secretary of State, she has clout and weight, in part, because she's looked at as a possible future president of the United States.' And they went, 'oh, ok' and stopped objecting," he added.

"What I find most interesting is the 'absolutely not' declaration denial when you know that she and her aides can deny this but not too much because if she's not seen as a future president, she loses a lot of leverage abroad and lots of leverage in this country, quite frankly, and in the Obama White House," Woodward said.

Schieffer's full interview with Woodward airs on CBSNews.com's "Washington Unplugged" Thursday at 2 p.m. ET.

White House, Clinton Dismiss VP Swap Rumors

"Washington Unplugged," CBSNews.com's exclusive daily politics Webshow, appears live on CBSNews.com each weekday at 2 p.m. ET. Click here to check out previous episodes.

---

Christine Delargy is an associate producer for CBSNews.com. You can read more of her posts here. For more of Washington Unplugged, follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

[rockcutr]

That is the wrong clinton....
Maybe a husband wife team in 12....hmmmmmmm

[46roses]

Hillary Clinton for president, Obama for vice president. I'll vote for Hillary. Won't vote for Obama.

[riptide213]

New ways forward must be given an opportunity in 2012.

Hillary Clinton has authentically and graciously earned an apt prospect to be a winning contender as both first woman and next president.

Only legitimate headline news will be revealing who will be the vice president on her unrivaled ticket.

The rest as they say will just be disappointing political history.



The big divide in this country is not between Democrats and Republicans, or women and men but between talkers and doers. Thomas Sowell

If you want something said ask a man if you want something done ask a woman. Margaret Thatcher

[MotenSwing]

Not, it's not "eluded." The author was shooting for "she alluded to" but missed badly.

[dontknowitall]

Obama needs Clinton hahahahaha. She doesn't need him and if Bill were to run...he'd win the whole ball of wax.

[rwsmith29456]

I'd vote Hilary for president if she would displace Obama. At least she ACTS like an American.

[nearl451]

Bob Woodward has become the greatest Political gossip columnist of them all. He used to do true investigative reporting; now his info is just juicy bits of little consequence.

[macgerson]

Why would Clinton or anyone else want to be on a losing ticket?

[hyena108]

Hillary should have been president. She is strong, enough, smart enough and practical enough to clean up the mess. No way would she have wasted time cowtowing to the pouting conservative children. She would have gotten things done, not the half baked, watered down bits Obama did. I always said Obama could be a good president after Hillary got things straightened out. Unfortunately the Republicans will get control of the country and by the time they're done with their destruction, it will be too late. Hillary will be too old and there aren't many like her. We're lost. I just don't see any hope.

[nearl451]

You must have forgotten what happened to healthcare reform the first tike around.

Fact of the matter is, and no matter how distasteful it is, enough Dem defectors in Congress (not to mention Liebermann) would still have led tolousy compromise bills AT BEST. Even a tyrant as POTUS cannot get around the Congressional numbers w/o thwarting the COnstitution.

[bubba31138]

So Woodward thinks Obama might run with Hillary Clinton in '12. But the critical question remains, which one will be at the top of the ticket?